Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to Playing Powers of Ten...

"It's all there for me."
Tom Brosz — (archived)

To some extent, this is the only feasible way to respond to such things, especially if your personal existence is locked about three inches behind your eyeballs.

Evolutionarily speaking, the human who faces the infinite with whatever rationalization he can muster and a desire to make it work to his benefit, is a lot more successful than one who spends the remainder of his life curled into a fetal position.

It's probably a good thing overall that the majority of our ancestors had, for the most part, mythical cosmologies that were compact and easily dealt with. I've never seen a species die out of depression brought on by a sense of overwhelming futility, but there's always a first time.

On the other hand, it is also a very good thing that some of our ancestors were able to stand up to uncomfortable truths, and proceed onward from there, or we would all still be living in caves. Most of our race continues to be dragged forward by a few pioneers--those who see the unclimbable mountain and decide that at least they can take that first step up the foothills and see what happens--and I don't expect this to change any time soon.

Log in or register to post.

The whole thread (48 posts)