There's a theory in quantum mechanics called the parallel universe theory. It basically says that for every possibility, there exists a universe for that possibility. What are the implications of such a theory?
Assume the theory is true. I flip a coin. The result could be either heads or tails, right? According to the parallel universe theory, at the very instant I flip the coin, the result is actually both heads and tails. This is a phenomenon called "superposition", which says that something exists in all possible states of its existence until it is observed. (Sidenote: Superposition is made awesome in the Schrödinger's cat thought experiment, in which a cat is both dead and alive.) I'm not making this up -- it's weird, but so is all of quantum mechanics.
Now I take a look at the coin. The instant I look at the coin, the universe splits into two different universes: One where I got heads, and another where I got tails.
In fact, the universe splits like this every time something happens, constantly. Barack Obama wins the 2008 election: Universe splits (into a universe where Obama won, and a universe where McCain won). Sam Walton founds Walmart: Universe splits (into one where he does, one where he doesn't). I take a sip of water: Universe splits. Again, I'm not making this up.
Let's go back to the coin example. You may be asking yourself: So what? Even if this is true, the "me" that got tails can't see or interact with the "me" that got heads. We are in different universes, we have separate consciousnesses, and we can't influence each other in any way. For all intents and purposes, we are different people. Well, you're mostly right. But let's take this idea a little further.
Say you make a machine -- here dubbed the Infinity Machine, or iM* -- that can detect whether the coin is heads or tails. If the coin is heads, it does nothing; if the coin is tails, it sets off every nuclear bomb in the world simultaneously. (Stay with me, here.). In effect, what the iM does is destroy the world in every parallel universe in which the coin was tails. (I will address the moral quandary of this in a little bit; please continue staying with me.) Notice the power of such a machine. With the iM, you can control the outcome of any event.
For example, what if you reconfigure the iM so it goes off whenever you don't win the lottery? Then the world in every parallel universe in which you don't win the lottery is destroyed, and the only universes that matter are ones where you win the lottery. All consciousness will cease when you don't win the lottery; basically, you've guaranteed that you will always win the lottery.
If this constant lottery winning seems dubious to you, remember: The parallel universe theory says that for every possibility, there exists a universe. No matter how unlikely a thing is, there is a universe with that thing happening. There is a universe where I've won Sexist Man Alive twenty years in a row and am still going strong.** There is a universe where I am exactly the same, but can somehow breathe fire. There is a universe where the events of "A Bug's Life" happened exactly as they appeared onscreen, and then Flik the Inventor made the movie "Antz", except called "Personz" and with people. There is a universe where I made an actual, functioning Iron Man suit, but I only use it as a Halloween costume. I can't emphasize how not-making-this-up I am right now.
As you can see, the possibilities with the iM are endless (infinite, even). Set it to go off when you don't win the lottery, but don't let your imagination stop you there. Set it to go off whenever you don't have great hair. Set it to go off whenever a kind, trustworthy man doesn't give you free ice cream every day. Set it to go off whenever any of these things don't happen -- then you would always win the lottery, always have great hair, and always get free ice cream. You control the outcome of any event, always.
Okay, let's talk about morality. You have a machine that can do anything; the only problem is that it ends countless lives by destroying entire worlds. My question is: If everyone's consciousness ends at the same time, is that such a tragedy? There will be no more human emotion in the worlds you've destroyed, no one to feel sad about their destruction. Moreover, countless worlds will live on. If you make an iM that gives you great hair, only universes where you have great hair will matter.
Perhaps it seems arrogant to say that the quality of your hair dictates whether human consciousness will cease or persist. But again, consciousness will only cease for those universes you have bad hair in; all others will continue to blossom and spiral out into their endless possibilities. The infinite bad hair universes you've destroyed will become inconsequential compared to the infinite good hair universes that would have existed anyway. They'll be a drop in an ocean of possibilities.
What about all the animals, environments, and natural beauty you've obliterated? Well, remember: Every fish, tree, and rock will continue to exist in the worlds the iM hasn't destroyed; the only difference is, in the worlds where they do exist, you will have great hair. Again, consciousness ends when you get bad hair. You don't get to see those bad hair universes getting destroyed. You don't feel the emotional impact of their loss, you can't contact them in any way whatsoever. You just get to know that you will always have good hair, no matter what. You will only know about universes where you have good hair, and never have to worry about it.
-Me
*Because lowercase "i"s seem to be in style these days.
**That's this universe.
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