By His Bootstraps Robert Heinlein -

In By His Bootstraps , events have no discernible beginning.

In the story, Bob "becomes" his own mentor. He gains his knowledge, his position of power, and even physical items (like a specific notebook) from his future self. There is no "original" source for these things; they exist in a self-sustaining loop. Heinlein was one of the first to map this out with such ruthless, circular consistency. Why It Still Matters Today by his bootstraps robert heinlein

Every version of Bob is motivated by self-preservation, ambition, or desire (for power, for women, for comfort). There is no altruistic "better self" to break the loop—only the same ego operating at different stages. In By His Bootstraps , events have no discernible beginning

The interactions between the different temporal versions of Wilson serve as a critique of human ego. When Wilson meets another version of himself, he rarely feels kinship; instead, he feels annoyance and distrust. Heinlein suggests that if we met ourselves, we would likely despise our own habits and flaws. There is no "original" source for these things;

The story examines how a "nobody" from the 20th century uses basic modern knowledge to become a god-king in a simplified future. Final Thoughts

The story follows , a graduate student struggling to finish a mathematical thesis on metaphysics. His life takes a surreal turn when a stranger appears in his room through a "Time Gate." What follows is a frantic series of events involving:

The title refers to the impossible feat of "pulling oneself up by one's own bootstraps." In physics and philosophy, a (or Ontological Paradox) occurs when an item or information is sent back in time, becoming the very thing that was sent back in the first place.