muse_forest - Beyond humanity? Are we "real"?
Beyond humanity? Are we "real"?
More to the point, does it matter?
There are two possible outcomes, and a subset: A) We are not real. B) We are real. ---> B1) We are real, and we are not alone. B2) We are real, and we are alone.
A) If we are not real, than nothing matters. Nothing we do matters, nothing we say matters, nothing anyone or anything does or says to us matters. The very concept of existence becomes irrelevant. Simply because, in essence, existence does not exist. Paradoxically, this is simultaneously depressing and liberating. If nothing matters, what's the point the of doing anything? At this same time, if nothing matters, then there are no repercussions to our actions. A lack of consequences precludes us (theoretically) from having any inhibitions. There are no social norms, values, or mores, because society does not exist. The next step is that it doesn't matter if we are alone in the universe or not, because the universe does not exist.
B) We are real. If we are, in fact, real, and we do exist, then our actions have consequences and we can affect change in the natural order of outcomes. If there is life "out there," then we have to decide how we interact with it.
B1) We are real, and not alone. Arguably the most intriguing discussion out there. How do we interact with the extraterrestrials? Are they hostile or friendly? Do they value the same things we do? Can we understand them linguistically/philosophically? Do they resemble humans or a humanoid form, or even resemble an animal found on earth? Do they even exist in the same dimension as we do? The interaction may be key to the survival of our species.
B2) We are real, and we are alone. This is where my thinking tends to put us. The sheer amount of coincidence and astronomical odds of the right molecules crashing together to create what would become our planet leads me to believe that the chances of it happening twice are minuscule at best. If we are real and we are alone, then we had better figure it out quickly, because we only get one chance.
But again, of all these things, does it matter whether we exist or not? If we don't exist, then it doesn't matter, because there are no consequences to our existence. If we do exist, then we have already put ourselves along the path that we are going to lead for the foreseeable future, so is it worth the wailing and gnashing of teeth?
More to the point, does it matter?
There are two possible outcomes, and a subset: A) We are not real. B) We are real. ---> B1) We are real, and we are not alone. B2) We are real, and we are alone.
A) If we are not real, than nothing matters. Nothing we do matters, nothing we say matters, nothing anyone or anything does or says to us matters. The very concept of existence becomes irrelevant. Simply because, in essence, existence does not exist. Paradoxically, this is simultaneously depressing and liberating. If nothing matters, what's the point the of doing anything? At this same time, if nothing matters, then there are no repercussions to our actions. A lack of consequences precludes us (theoretically) from having any inhibitions. There are no social norms, values, or mores, because society does not exist. The next step is that it doesn't matter if we are alone in the universe or not, because the universe does not exist.
B) We are real. If we are, in fact, real, and we do exist, then our actions have consequences and we can affect change in the natural order of outcomes. If there is life "out there," then we have to decide how we interact with it.
B1) We are real, and not alone. Arguably the most intriguing discussion out there. How do we interact with the extraterrestrials? Are they hostile or friendly? Do they value the same things we do? Can we understand them linguistically/philosophically? Do they resemble humans or a humanoid form, or even resemble an animal found on earth? Do they even exist in the same dimension as we do? The interaction may be key to the survival of our species.
B2) We are real, and we are alone. This is where my thinking tends to put us. The sheer amount of coincidence and astronomical odds of the right molecules crashing together to create what would become our planet leads me to believe that the chances of it happening twice are minuscule at best. If we are real and we are alone, then we had better figure it out quickly, because we only get one chance.
But again, of all these things, does it matter whether we exist or not? If we don't exist, then it doesn't matter, because there are no consequences to our existence. If we do exist, then we have already put ourselves along the path that we are going to lead for the foreseeable future, so is it worth the wailing and gnashing of teeth?