Even if each expansion does not produce the same universe, I believe it is extremely likely that something we could describe as our selves would come out of some number of the expansions. First of all, the series of events that led up to the exact thing I call me already once came out of an expansion. This is proof that I can come out of an expansion of the universe. If the universe really did contract and expand infinitely, that would mean that there would be an infinite number of times that I could come out of the expansion of the universe. As there will be no I to be aware of all of the time that passes over expansions I do not come out of, from my perception I would never not exist as I would immediately go from nonexistence to existence again, whenever it happens that I come out of the universes expansion again. Also, if I cut off my finger I am still the same person. if my brain is rewired, I am still me up to some point. And even if there is a completely new body and mind, complete with ego and memories and opinions, I will still consider it to be 'me' so long as the I that exists separately from these things continues to perceive through the new sensory organs. I mean, a perfect clone of myself is a discrete being, so to me it quite obvious that 'I' consists of more than my memories, ego, brain wiring, body , etc. 'I' comes from the ability of a single thing to process information and interact with the world, and even a complete living copy of me will not be the same 'I' as me but rather will be its own new self. Over an infinite sequence of contractions and expansions anything but the impossible could happen. It is already well established that it is possible for me to come out of the universes expansion from a singularity. [/quote] You misunderstood me, aided by the fact that I was not as clear as I should have been (my 'it' pointed to something further away than it should have). I meant that our being in a cyclic universe is unlikely, but it is not outside of the realm of possibility. Currently the worlds experts think the most likely outcome is that the universe will experience a heat death. Certainly I am inclined to believe that what they say is true, they are after all the experts. However, nobody has proven with certainty that the universe will experience heat death, or that the universe is not cyclic, and thus although with the best understanding of today it is highly unlikely, it is not totally proven as impossible. There are still unknown variables. But the knowledge we have today certainly points to heat death as the most likely outcome, and a cyclic universe as unlikely. Will do.