The burden of proof

Flame » in reply to Yeah, but who created that telescope, that satellite; and who's doing the looking?

The burden of proof

Raoul — 5/9/2007 8:30:32 PM (archived)

We see lots of things, indeed! but that only enhances our insignificance.

We have no idea what's out there, but that's not important.
Until 400 years ago, humans thought we were the center of the universe and humans were different from all other living beings.
Then came the Copernician revolution....but only step by step. It took Hubble to understand our Island Universe wasn't all the universe but one galaxy among billions of others.
Until proven otherwise, humans have always put themselves in the center of space or time.
Why not take a greater leap and start by assuming how unimportant we are and leave the burden of proof to those who believe we're special?

The whole thread (136 posts)

Survivor of the tornado - azstrummer - 5/7/2007 6:15:29 PM
- re: This has been a great post Art! (n/t) - Jody - 5/10/2007 2:56:21 AM
  - Thanks. This should make it better - the definitive word - azstrummer - 5/10/2007 4:35:14 AM
    - LOL...Gotta love that guy! (n/t) - Jody - 5/10/2007 11:59:59 AM
- I'm with you Art - McFly - 5/8/2007 8:55:49 PM
  - The insignificance of humanity - Laurie Street - 5/9/2007 6:12:21 PM
    - re: Insignificant by WHOM? - Jody - 5/9/2007 8:11:02 PM
      - re: Insignificant by WHOM? - Jody - 5/9/2007 8:19:35 PM
    - Yeah, but who created that telescope, that satellite; and who's doing the looking? - Daniel - 5/9/2007 6:42:18 PM
      - The burden of proof - Raoul - 5/9/2007 8:30:32 PM
        
        Not really! - Daniel - 5/10/2007 6:40:44 PM
        
        Not really! - Daniel - 5/10/2007 6:40:38 PM
        
        Nicely said, Daniel (n/t) - Lindy - 5/11/2007 12:42:44 AM
        
        Something is significant, recognized, beautiful, interesting because... - Raoul - 5/10/2007 8:02:24 PM
        
        Really! - Laurie Street - 5/10/2007 7:30:13 PM
        
        Maybe it's because conciousness and creativity can also create elements heavier than iron. - Lee - 5/12/2007 5:57:11 PM
        
        Speaking of which - Lindy - 5/12/2007 6:36:23 PM
        
        Stainless steel is a common material in iron/nickel asteroids. - Lee - 5/12/2007 10:45:18 PM
        
        So they published their report.... - Lindy - 5/12/2007 11:10:27 PM
        
        re: Really! - Daniel - 5/11/2007 12:03:32 AM
        
        re: Really! - Laurie Street - 5/11/2007 12:43:44 AM
        
        It's a significant qualitative difference, even from a detached objective point of view - Daniel - 5/11/2007 1:42:28 AM
        
        re: The burden of proof - REB - 5/9/2007 8:38:03 PM
        
        re:Might as well call it a night, REB... - Jody - 5/9/2007 11:17:31 PM
        
        We think we're special....but only humans think so (n/t) - Raoul - 5/9/2007 9:09:00 PM
        
        That we know of... so far (n/t) - Fox - 5/10/2007 3:02:27 AM
        
        "We are rare. We are special." - azstrummer - 5/9/2007 8:53:35 PM
        
        re:Okay Stuart Smart Ass Art:) - Jody - 5/9/2007 11:04:17 PM
        
        re: The burden of proof - Jody - 5/9/2007 8:36:23 PM
        
        Because that would be returning to the pre-copernician universe (n/t) - Raoul - 5/9/2007 9:02:52 PM
        
        re: Not true - Jody - 5/9/2007 11:55:03 PM
        
        Burden - Raoul - 5/10/2007 5:32:02 AM
        
        Raoul: Define "Significant" (n/t) - Jody - 5/10/2007 11:28:16 AM
        
        re: My definition of significant is: - Jody - 5/10/2007 11:57:41 AM
        
        If everything is significant, then nothing is significant. (n/t) - Laurie Street - 5/10/2007 7:16:03 PM
        
        re: I realize this is logical reasoning... - Jody - 5/10/2007 11:10:28 PM
        
        Yes, because it's all relative :-) (n/t) - Raoul - 5/10/2007 8:04:11 PM
        
        Noticeable, recognizable.....to humans (n/t) - Raoul - 5/10/2007 11:55:52 AM
        
        Okay...in there lies the rub - Jody - 5/10/2007 12:02:09 PM
        
        Maybe this will help settle the issue? - Lindy - 5/11/2007 5:28:18 PM
        
        LOL! - REB - 5/11/2007 9:02:02 PM
        
        Was God fair in that test? - Raoul - 5/11/2007 7:48:23 PM
      - Great Response, Daniel!! (n/t) - Jody - 5/9/2007 8:12:03 PM
    - Hubble image (fairly large) - LS - 5/9/2007 6:13:39 PM
      - What that picture proves to me - azstrummer - 5/9/2007 8:23:15 PM
      - And out of all that matter, how much of it can appreciate its beauty or be awed by it all? (n/t) - REB - 5/9/2007 6:16:09 PM
        
        It is beautiful because it suits our eyes and our culture - Raoul - 5/10/2007 6:42:23 PM
  - You can call Humanity many things, but unimportant is not one of them. - Lee - 5/9/2007 3:35:11 AM
    - But we are unimportant, insignificant! - Raoul - 5/9/2007 5:42:27 AM
      - re: But we are unimportant, insignificant! - Lindy - 5/11/2007 4:17:27 PM
        
        If we can communicate with them - Raoul - 5/11/2007 7:32:40 PM
        
        re: If we can communicate with them - Lindy - 5/12/2007 2:02:06 PM
      - I disagree - REB - 5/9/2007 12:54:18 PM
        
        We cannot claim "intelligence" is the summum of the universe - Raoul - 5/9/2007 4:20:16 PM
        
        Without intelligence, the Universe may as well not even exist. - Lee - 5/10/2007 12:38:23 AM
        
        "We are inanimate matter formed into self organizing self aware intelligences. " - Lindy - 5/12/2007 2:28:31 PM
        
        True, as far as you personally are concerned. The universe doesn't care. (n/t) - Laurie Street - 5/11/2007 12:32:48 AM
        
        But I am the Universe. - Lee - 5/11/2007 1:48:58 AM
        
        re: But I am the Universe. - Lindy - 5/12/2007 2:30:40 PM
        
        We are the world... - Laurie Street - 5/11/2007 3:12:38 AM
        
        re: We are the world... - REB - 5/11/2007 3:25:22 PM
        
        Some examples - Raoul - 5/11/2007 4:33:39 PM
        
        re: We are the world... - Laurie Street - 5/11/2007 3:49:57 PM
        
        And what "nature" can accomplish with a supernova... - Lee - 5/11/2007 8:33:02 PM
        
        re:Maybe we are unimportant per se...but we are worthwhile (n/t) - Jody - 5/9/2007 5:39:48 PM
        
        Worthwhile to our own species, yes indeed! - Raoul - 5/9/2007 9:04:52 PM
        
        re: True..(.but that is not enough for you?) (n/t) - Jody - 5/9/2007 11:27:06 PM
        
        I don't think it should - Raoul - 5/10/2007 12:02:45 PM
        
        We can claim "intelligence" is rare in this universe - REB - 5/9/2007 4:27:51 PM
        
        re: WE DON'T KNOW and we must accept that. - Raoul - 5/9/2007 8:18:22 PM
      - Humanity is the proverbial mustard seed. - Lee - 5/9/2007 11:20:11 AM
  - Cosmic Unimportance - Lindy - 5/8/2007 10:52:36 PM
    - Absolutely right, Lindy (n/t) - Jody - 5/9/2007 8:22:29 PM
    - We are a rare thing in the Universe. - REB - 5/9/2007 12:52:01 PM
    - re: Cosmic Unimportance - azstrummer - 5/9/2007 3:43:39 AM
      - re: EEK!!... (n/t) - Jody - 5/9/2007 8:23:48 PM
      - Mama Mia! - Lindy - 5/9/2007 5:46:37 PM
        
        Batteries..... - azstrummer - 5/9/2007 8:26:51 PM
        
        re: Okay Art..you started it:) - Jody - 5/9/2007 8:41:06 PM
        
        Maybe .... - Lindy - 5/9/2007 9:51:09 PM
        
        re: Okay Art..you started it:) - azstrummer - 5/9/2007 8:55:47 PM
        
        Ahhhh... - Jody - 5/9/2007 11:06:58 PM
  - re: I'm with you Art - REB - 5/8/2007 9:53:16 PM
    - "But what if we find they worship the same God humans do? " - azstrummer - 5/9/2007 12:03:50 AM
      - re: "But what if we find they worship the same God humans do? " - REB - 5/9/2007 12:41:30 PM
- re: The natural world.... - Jody - 5/8/2007 6:16:18 PM
- I think it comes down to an issue of tollerance Art. - TAFKASE - 5/8/2007 2:18:05 PM
  - Tolerance vs. doormat - Mary Anne - 5/8/2007 5:17:08 PM
    - No, that's not what I was saying at all. - The Artist formerly known as Scott Evil - 5/8/2007 6:02:44 PM
- re: Survivor of the tornado - REB - 5/8/2007 12:43:08 PM
  - Death to God - azstrummer - 5/8/2007 2:41:13 PM
    - But suffering isn't all bad. - Lee - 5/9/2007 2:46:49 AM
      - re: But suffering isn't all bad. - azstrummer - 5/9/2007 3:40:05 AM
        
        I take it you haven't gone through much hardship - Lee - 5/9/2007 3:56:38 AM
        
        re: I take it you haven't gone through much hardship - azstrummer - 5/9/2007 8:49:41 PM
        
        I know what you are talking about. (n/t) - REB - 5/9/2007 12:59:10 PM
    - Life, the Universe and Everything - REB - 5/8/2007 2:58:41 PM
- re: Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. - Johannes - 5/8/2007 3:14:18 AM
  - My favorite Einstein quote. - Lee - 5/8/2007 3:39:16 AM
    - Darwin Quotes - edgar - 5/8/2007 3:57:01 PM
  - Thank you for those beautiful quotes - Lindy - 5/8/2007 3:20:52 AM
- Reaping the Whirlwind - ER - 5/7/2007 11:45:01 PM
  - Actually it's not. - Lee - 5/8/2007 3:55:16 AM
  - re: Reaping the Whirlwind - Lindy - 5/8/2007 3:25:00 AM
  - re: Reaping the Whirlwind - FrankC - 5/8/2007 1:01:09 AM
    - Touche (n/t) - ER - 5/8/2007 1:41:56 AM
- " We simply have to walk around like zombies and love the cosmic practical joker. " - Lindy - 5/7/2007 10:05:53 PM
  - Feeling better - azstrummer - 5/8/2007 2:21:00 AM
- Premises - Bowser - 5/7/2007 9:47:06 PM
- Jesus still loves you. =) (n/t) - Lee - 5/7/2007 9:18:15 PM
  - My pool guy loves me? Ewwww! (n/t) - azstrummer - 5/7/2007 9:24:44 PM
- Somebody thanks God for surviving a terrible event and you go bizerk. - The Artist formerly known as Scott Evil - 5/7/2007 8:50:56 PM
  - Just doesn't make sense. - azstrummer - 5/7/2007 9:20:52 PM
- re: I used to feel the way you do Art. - Jody - 5/7/2007 7:47:23 PM
  - re: I think that you are in the next level - Jody - 5/8/2007 1:20:57 AM
  - I love the contrast - azstrummer - 5/7/2007 8:16:12 PM
    - Why shouldn't you have liked her response? - TB - 5/8/2007 1:08:13 AM
      - re: I may have come across smug to you TB.... - Jody - 5/8/2007 10:15:45 PM
      - re: It was not my intention to come across smug...believe me, TB. - Jody - 5/8/2007 1:32:15 AM
- Tell ya what... - TB - 5/7/2007 6:30:32 PM
  - Hypocrisy abounds - azstrummer - 5/7/2007 7:22:58 PM
    - Issues - TB - 5/8/2007 12:48:59 AM
      - Name might be wrong - azstrummer - 5/8/2007 2:14:26 PM
    - I can only assume that you hate the whole world...., - FrankC - 5/7/2007 9:37:33 PM
      - Frank, Frank - azstrummer - 5/8/2007 5:56:12 PM
        
        Okay so you are not serious, fair enough - FrankC - 5/8/2007 6:25:30 PM
        
        re: Okay so you are not serious, fair enough - azstrummer - 5/8/2007 6:31:31 PM
    - If you don't think weddings are about religon then don't attend the "chapel" part of the wedding. - The Artist formerly known as Scott Evil - 5/7/2007 8:54:18 PM
      - re: If you don't think weddings are about religon then don't attend the "chapel" part of the wedding. - azstrummer - 5/7/2007 9:22:40 PM
        
        Art, it does sound like...... - Lindy - 5/7/2007 10:31:35 PM
        
        Lindy, Lindy - azstrummer - 5/8/2007 3:00:43 AM
        
        Can't say that I know.... - Lindy - 5/8/2007 3:15:11 AM
        
        *I* do. - Mary Anne - 5/8/2007 1:12:41 PM
        
        Some of that I understand some I don't - FrankC - 5/8/2007 5:07:54 PM
        
        Well said as always - azstrummer - 5/8/2007 2:12:12 PM
        
        re: *I* do. - Lindy - 5/8/2007 2:12:03 PM

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The whole thread (136 posts)