Doulgas Adams first revealed the cosmic significance of the number 42 in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In this dialog adapted from his book the great computer Deep Thought is about to reveal the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything, after thinking about it for seven and a half million years.
Two "pandimensional" beings named Loonquawl and Phouchg are waiting for Deep Thought to speak:
| Phouchg | We are the ones who will hear, the answer to the meaning of Life! |
| Loonquawl | The Universe! |
| Phouchg | And Everything! |
| Loonquawl | Hush .. I think Deep Thought is preparing to speak! |
| Deep Thought | Good morning.. |
| Loonquawl | Good morning, O Deep Thought, do you have... that is... |
| Deep Thought | An answer for you? Yes. I have. |
| Phouchg | There really is one?? |
| Deep Thought | There really is. |
| Phouchg | To Everything? To the great Question of Life, the Universe and Everything? |
| Deep Thought | Yes. |
| Loonquawl | And you're ready to give it to us? |
| Deep Thought | I am. |
| Loonquawl | Now? |
| Deep Thought | Now. Though I don't think, that you're going to like it. |
| Phouchg | Doesn't matter! We must know it! Now! |
| Deep Thought | All right, .. You're really not going to like it. |
| Phouchg | Tell us! |
| Deep Thought | All right, The answer to the Great Question, Of Life, the Universe and Everything ... |
| Loonquawl | Yes? |
| Deep Thought | is Forty two!! |
| Phouchg | We're going to get lynched, aren't we. |
| Deep Thought | It was a tough assignment. |
| Loonquawl | Forty two! Is that all you've got to show for seven and a half million years' work? |
| Deep Thought | I checked it very thoroughly, and that quite definitely is the answer. I think the problem, to be quite honest with you, is that you've never actually known what the question is. |
| Loonquawl | But it was the Great Question! The Ultimate question of Life, the Universe and Everything. |
| Deep Thought | Yes, but what actually is it? |
| Phouchg | Well, you know, it's just Everything. Everything... |
| Deep Thought | Exactly! So once you do know what the question actually is, you'll know what the answer means. |
| Phouchg | Oh, terrific. |
| Loonquawl | Look, all right, all right, can you just please tell us the question? |
| Deep Thought | The Ultimate Question? |
| Loonquawl | Yes! |
| Deep Thought | Of Life, the Universe and Everything? |
| Loonquawl | Yes! |
| Deep Thought | Tricky. |
| Phoichg | But can you do it? |
| Deep Thought | No. But I'll tell you who can. |
| Loonquawl | Who? Tell us! |
| Deep Thought | I speak of none
but the computer that is to come after me, A computer
whose merest operational parameters I am not worthy to
calculate. And yet I will design it for you. A computer
that can calculate the Question to the Ultimate Answer, a
computer of such infinite and subtle complexity that
organic life itself shall form part of its operational
matrix. And you yourselves shall take on new forms and go down into the computer to navigate its ten million year program! Yes! I shall design this computer for you. And I shall name it also unto you. And it shall be called, the Earth. |
| Phouchg | What a dull name! |
VLC Text-to-Speech Dialog
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