The Terminal Experiment

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The Terminal Experiment (ISBN 0-06-105310-4) is a science fiction novel by Canadian novelist Robert J. Sawyer. It was published by Eos Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Dr. Peter Hobson invents a machine that detects a brain pattern that leaves the body after death, a pattern many believe is a soul. In order to test his theories on immortality and life after death, Dr. Peter Hobson with his friend Sarkar Muhammed, create three electronic simulations of Hobson's own personality. When people Hobson had a grudge against being to die, he and Sarkar must try to find out which is responsible. But all three, two modified, one a "control", escape Hobson's computer, into a worldwide electronic matrix.

The book won the 1995 Nebula Award for Best Novel.

The story was serialised in Analog magazine in the mid-December 1994 to March 1995 issues, under the name Hobson's Choice. Its first HarperPaperbacks printing was in May 1995, first Eos printing in April 2002. A Hobson's Choice is an apparently free choice that is really no choice at all. In this book it is a play on the main character's name and describes to the choice between immortality and provable life after death [1].

Many references are made in the book to Star Trek. At many times in the book, Net News Digest issues are "reprinted", similar to the news alert that many news organizations now offer.