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What is the reason and goal of this thinking? The term "significant" stems from the person using it, from what they are trying to convey. There are many differ
by Erlich_Bachman 6y ago
What is the reason and goal of this thinking?
The term "significant" stems from the person using it, from what they are trying to convey. There are many different ways to think about significance. Significant to whom? For what reason?
Another popular and yet abused argument is saying that human body is "mostly empty space", because the size of the atomic nucleus or an electron is so small compared to the space between them. But so what? It is the interaction between the atoms that matters, that produces all the results including our consciousness, not how much space is between the atoms.
What if we are one of the most significant phenomena and results of the universe, regardless of how little or much space we occupy? Or at the very least, what if the rare occurences of the conscious life are the most significant things in the universe, regardless of how many dead planets or galaxies or space is between them.
Is it really that hard to see that significance can easily be based on something much more interesting and useful than the banal notion of comparative linear space?
This definition of "significance" is not any more or less truthful by any objective standard, so I am wondering why did you choose to use your definition? What does thinking that way achieve for you in your life?
- luhn 6y agoI think you've drastically misunderstood OP, they're not talking about our spacial significance. They're considering given the size of the universe, human-level intelligence (or greater!) most likely exists many times over and is not unique to Earth. Also I'm not sure why thinking needs to have a "reason" or further some life goal.
- Erlich_Bachman 6y ago> likely exists many times over and is not unique to Earth. And that is supposed to make it less significant to us?
- luhn 6y agoI think you're reading too much into OP's use of "insignificant." I don't think OP is advocating nihilism.
- Erlich_Bachman 6y agoSo what are they advocating if not that? This is what's unclear and that's why I asked the question.
- s1artibartfast 6y agoI think it is just an incomplete statement that sounds deep but is actually meaningless. In what regard is life on earth insignificant and what is this sentence trying to convey.
- Tepix 6y ago> What is the reason and goal of this thinking? Maybe the term "insignificant" was not ideal. What I mean is that we may not be special in any way. By considering this we will set the right expectations as we come up with theories and learn more things about the universe and our place within it. In the past, whenever we thought we were special, we had to revise our theories at a later point.