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Re: FineYoungSinger - thank you - in your last comment when you say that you
On a less theological note (theology is so much less fun to discuss regarding anything having to do extra-terrestrial studies than the scientific possibilities that lie beyond) I also wouldn't discount the possibility that there ARE more places in this universe that could support human life. We haven't really even travelled outside of the lunar orbit at this point. We have no idea what lies beyond our current knowledge base.
I wouldn't be surprised if in a few decades someone discovers that the surface of Mars can be utilized in conjunction with technology to sustain human life. I hope I'm alive to see it happen--what a great display of human potential at its best would that be, wouldn't it?
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on October 4, 2007 at 2:00 PM
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Re: FineYoungSinger - thank you - in your last comment when you say that you
I'm actually disagreeing with the "just happened to" portion. I don't think anything in this universe is here according to chance, us included. There is so much we don't know, and to take the leap that we were a product of chance is as rediculous as is the leap that the earth was created in 7 days.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on October 4, 2007 at 1:46 PM
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Xeno-x - that's the crux of it all, we simply know very little and there
are many things that we will never know.
But I find accrediting all that we don't understand to the supernatural powers and the unknown intent of a supreme being entirely inadequate as an explanation for these things.
posted by
gomedome
on October 3, 2007 at 1:30 PM
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FineYoungSinger - thank you - in your last comment when you say that you
disagree with: "We just happened to evolve . . . " Is this due to a different position on the scientific theory of evolution? Or are you saying that there may be other places in the universe where we can adapt to live?
posted by
gomedome
on October 3, 2007 at 1:27 PM
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Antonionioni - what you are saying only sounds humorous today
Who knows what we will be capable of in a few hundred years. A Noah's Ark type of space expedition may not be absurd to future generations.
posted by
gomedome
on October 3, 2007 at 1:24 PM
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strat - thank you and thanx for stopping in
posted by
gomedome
on October 3, 2007 at 1:22 PM
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arGee - for me there was a turning point involving astronomy
Over 30 years ago now I went on a field trip to our national observatory. A mickey mouse telescope by today's standards but still impressive enough at the time. Once peering into space through such a device I came away with one thing I knew for certain: No author of any ancient religious text anywhere on this earth ever had the same experience. It cannot help but be awe inspiring and at the same time completely change one's perspective pertaining to our insignificance in this universe.
posted by
gomedome
on October 3, 2007 at 1:22 PM
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Dark_Moon - that's funny - I wonder if Andromedans know what a lawyer is?
But one things for sure, they can't blame anyone but themselves for sucking us in.
posted by
gomedome
on October 3, 2007 at 1:16 PM
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we are part of a whole lot of things happening that we don't know or never
will know.
what it is . . .
posted by
Xeno-x
on October 3, 2007 at 11:07 AM
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Well written post.
I however must disagree with 1/2 of your concluding statement.
"This universe was not designed for us." I agree with this sentence whole-heartedly.
"We just happened to evolve in a minute portion of it that will support our species." I don't agree with this.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on October 3, 2007 at 10:07 AM
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Damn, what a piece of bad news is that!
So not only have we got to find other planets in the Milky Way - we've got to find some safe havens outside the Andromeda / Milky Way cluster. We'd better start building a superfast version of Noah's Ark, and fast!
posted by
Antonionioni
on October 3, 2007 at 7:59 AM
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This was very well written, Gome.
Pretty boggling, to say the least. Well done!
posted by
strat
on October 3, 2007 at 7:17 AM
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Delightful post, Gome...
I, too, found my way at least in part through the study of astronomy. It certainly puts the human race into perspective. As it happens, I just posted a related article,
How big is big? This article is related, not on the philosophical side of your post, but on the sheer size of the Universe.
posted by
arGee
on October 3, 2007 at 7:15 AM
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Let me guess---Sr. Mary Holy Water, right? Hahaha. I know her well.
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on October 3, 2007 at 5:18 AM
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Gomedome, this is very well done!!! I am in complete awe of the grandeur of the Universe and of our total insignificance in the face of its inconceivable vastness, both in terms of time and of distance. Regarding the 'combination' of the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies - whether one calls it a 'merger' or a 'collision' - either term would imply that lawyers will be involved. This brings me some degree of comfort. It means that there will always be work for my species and they we are not likely to become extinct. Moon 
posted by
magic_moon
on October 2, 2007 at 10:33 PM
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