How do you feel about humanity's relevance on the grand universal scale?

[Rachellelogram]

@ITR_champion

I don’t believe that we have any lack of relevance. You say that humanity is small when considered in relation to the universe. The microchip in the computer that I’m typing on is small compared to the computer itself, yet the computer’s entire purpose depends on the microchip.

Human beings are, as far as we know, the only self-aware beings residing in the universe. Thus humanity is raised up to a higher level of being than inanimate matter. The word “relevant” comes from the Latin relevare, which means ‘to raise up’, so humanity is more relevant than any number of inanimate stars, galaxies, and planets.

You’re making too many unjustified assumptions. That humanity as a form of life is better than other forms of life on earth (insects and bacteria are far more numerous and successful from a biological perspective). That if humanity didn’t exist, it would have an effect on the universe in any way. That our size-scale is the definitive size-scale (for all we know, suns are grains of sand to much larger and slower and smarter beings, with which we’re as incapable of interacting intelligently as bacteria are incapable of interacting intelligently with us).

Your microchip was designed by a sentient life form. Unless you’re saying that humanity was designed, there’s no reason to think that we’re a necessary component to the universe’s function at ALL.

I think it’s egocentric to overestimate our place in the universe. It’s just life. We can’t possibly be unique.

[Little_Nemo]

@ITR_champion

I don’t believe that we have any lack of relevance. You say that humanity is small when considered in relation to the universe. The microchip in the computer that I’m typing on is small compared to the computer itself, yet the computer’s entire purpose depends on the microchip.

Human beings are, as far as we know, the only self-aware beings residing in the universe. Thus humanity is raised up to a higher level of being than inanimate matter. The word “relevant” comes from the Latin relevare, which means ‘to raise up’, so humanity is more relevant than any number of inanimate stars, galaxies, and planets.

But we do have some idea of how big the universe is and how little we know about it. It’s pretty weak reasoning to assume that we’re the center of the universe just because we only know about the minute portion of that universe we inhabit.

[Rushgeekgirl]

I love it. Thinking about how small and insignificant I am makes me feel FREE!

And I love that I’m able to introduce all this to my Mig. He never went to school but he loves learning. Last night we watched Stephen Hawking’s Universe and it was showing how the universe might look. Mig asked where it was and I said “It’s us! We’re inside there!” and he couldn’t believe it.

I feel the same way about time and history. It’s exciting to me to think of the billions who came before and the ones who will come after this generation. People, animals, plants . . . all of it. It makes my troubles seem so petty.