Momentary masters of a fraction of a dot.
- Thread starter ThankQ
- Start date
Here's how I see things, and it may agree or not with what has been said.
Humanity is significant. In fact, our planet is significant. It is precisely because it is a tiny blue dot in the background of a lifeless Universe that it is significant.
It is significant and unique and precious because there are no other tiny dots out there, blue or otherwise, that we know of that are exactly like ours. Everything we know is on that tiny blue dot, sure - but they are not anywhere else. That is why we as life on a planet are unique.
More still, it is significant because we care about our tiny dot, and we don't know about any other being in the Universe that has our level of intelligence, society and culture (well, apart from the dolphins and mice
) that does care for it.
That is why we should care for ourselves. Humanity is cool again. Humanity rocks. Humanity matters because we don't have the same perspective on the Universe that someone with a bigger picture has, and must therefore care for all that we have.
The implications are staggering. Suppose we find several other such tiny dots. Does that mean we become less unique? Does that we mean we truly lose our status as a special place in the Universe? Is our tiny blue dot really insignificant in that respect, if there are other tiny blue dots there to clutter up the Universe in a sea of blandness and unoriginality?
And also, suppose we find another intelligence, whether it's a few bugs on a rock, or a civilization that treats Humanity as equals, and loves us or hates us or treats us indifferently. Does that mean we are no longer unique in the Universe? Would we therefore lose our special status?
Even still, suppose we see a vastly powerful intelligence, sees us the same way we see a single bacterial colony on an agar plate; one that, just as we view a black and white sketch on a piece of paper, they see the whole of Time And Relative Dimensions In Space (for instance
). Would we feel comforted that there is indeed something more powerful than ourselves that cares for us (or not)? Or would we feel that we have lost our uniqueness and significance truly, and fear this horrifying monster watching over us? Would we have a right to consider such a powerful being as wise and omniscient and omnipotent. Could we call this theoretical being God?
Humanity is significant. In fact, our planet is significant. It is precisely because it is a tiny blue dot in the background of a lifeless Universe that it is significant.
It is significant and unique and precious because there are no other tiny dots out there, blue or otherwise, that we know of that are exactly like ours. Everything we know is on that tiny blue dot, sure - but they are not anywhere else. That is why we as life on a planet are unique.
More still, it is significant because we care about our tiny dot, and we don't know about any other being in the Universe that has our level of intelligence, society and culture (well, apart from the dolphins and mice
) that does care for it.That is why we should care for ourselves. Humanity is cool again. Humanity rocks. Humanity matters because we don't have the same perspective on the Universe that someone with a bigger picture has, and must therefore care for all that we have.
The implications are staggering. Suppose we find several other such tiny dots. Does that mean we become less unique? Does that we mean we truly lose our status as a special place in the Universe? Is our tiny blue dot really insignificant in that respect, if there are other tiny blue dots there to clutter up the Universe in a sea of blandness and unoriginality?
And also, suppose we find another intelligence, whether it's a few bugs on a rock, or a civilization that treats Humanity as equals, and loves us or hates us or treats us indifferently. Does that mean we are no longer unique in the Universe? Would we therefore lose our special status?
Even still, suppose we see a vastly powerful intelligence, sees us the same way we see a single bacterial colony on an agar plate; one that, just as we view a black and white sketch on a piece of paper, they see the whole of Time And Relative Dimensions In Space (for instance
). Would we feel comforted that there is indeed something more powerful than ourselves that cares for us (or not)? Or would we feel that we have lost our uniqueness and significance truly, and fear this horrifying monster watching over us? Would we have a right to consider such a powerful being as wise and omniscient and omnipotent. Could we call this theoretical being God?Similar threads
