Forecast for the Next Eon: Applied Cosmology and the Long-Term Fate of Intelligent Beings

Cosmology seems extremely remote from everyday human practice and experience. It is usually taken for granted that cosmological data cannot rationally influence our beliefs about the fate of humanity -- and possible other intelligent species -- except perhaps in the extremely distant future, when the question of heat death (in an ever-expanding universe) becomes actual. Here, an attempt is made to show that it may become a practical issue much sooner, if an intelligent community wishes to maximize its creative potential. New developments in the fields of anthropic self-selection and physical eschatology give solid foundations to such a conclusion. This may open some new (and possibly urgent) issues in the areas of future policy making and transhumanist studies generally. It may also give us a slightly better perspective on the SETI endeavor.