Over tea and toast at the breakfast table this morning, Jeff read to me a few paragraphs from Broca's Brain , a book by Carl Sagan. From the point of view of a scientist and an atheist, Sagan was discussing the different cultural and religious theories considering the origins of the universe.
Sagan's perspective is that it's all a little presumptuous for humankind to believe they can comprehend the beginnings and mysteries of the vast and awesome cosmos, and he says so.
But he did offer a passage from a Hindu holy book, the Rig Veda (X:129) explaining what humans can know about creation which Sagan figured offered a "more realistic view of the matter":
Who knows for certain? Who shall here declare it?
Whence was it born, whence came creation?
The gods are later than this world's formation;
Who then can know the origins of the world?
None knows whence creation arose;
And whether he has or has not made it;
He who surveys it from the lofty skies,
Only he knows--or perhaps he knows not.
It's food for thought for the rest of the day...I have to say that the thought of even the gods being a little mystified about it all is oddly compelling.
10 comments:
Thought provoking indeed. Does God wonder who created him?
All I really know of Sagan and his works is Contact. It's one of my favorite movies.
While I, too, enjoyed the movie, have you read the book 'Contact'? There were a few passages in the book which the movie didn't contain, and which made the story even more remarkable.... I won't say anything more, except that I'm falling madly in love with Carl Sagan, the more I read of his work. :)
PS Please tell Jeff that I will soon be returning "The Demon Haunted World" to him, as I plan on reading it in the next week or so.
This very thing is being discussed on a homeschooling list I am on.It's all very interesting to me:)
I don't know if I can handle an attempt at being un-egotistical enough to be comfortable with the idea that we're here just because or by accident.
I think humans as a whole need to believe in some greater purpose or we'll just disintigrate.
part of what makes us, Human, is our umm, *ahem* humility, in that arena. :)
This is a beautiful post...and beautifully effective. Thanks for sharing! ;)
Thanks for your comment in my web log. I found your web log so interesting.
I just remember Sagan being made fun of by the "Far Side" comic. I don't know much else about him.
Philosophy as a whole is "oddly compelling", and sometimes I miss those light teenage/college years of hanging out with friends and debating the deep stuff just for fun. I take the scientist point of view, biology is divine in itself but that doesn't mean it needs to have a "creator". Beauty and Miracles can happen randomly too, but most people can't accept that.
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Philosophy can be fun looking at things from all different thoughtful angles. But origins I think will always be a mystery whether viewed through the eyes of science or faith.
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