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Recently I was discussing the speed of light and alien intelligent life elsewhere on this site, and realized there are a some basic parallels between that and some other big issues. So for what it's worth, here's a broader philosophical view.

I'm pretty sure there is other intelligent life out there in the universe. I could be wrong, of course, but statistically it seems to make sense given that there are trillions of stars and most of them probably have planets. I really wish they were kind and benevolent and that we could reach out to them and know them and learn from them. As a younger person, and even sometimes now, I have looked into the night sky and have had a feeling of universal FOMO: that there's probably cool stuff going on out there, right this second, but the physical laws of the universe prevent us from participating or even finding out what's going on.

I wish it was otherwise.

The speed of light means that we can't reach even the nearest stars in a reasonable amount of time. There are apparently somewhat earth-like planets just a few light-years away, but we can't get there. Maybe someday but probably not in my lifetime. Unless some major breakthrough is made regarding the laws of physics and the universe that would allow us to get around that speed limit... Possible, but methinks unlikely.

I wish it was otherwise.

As far as I know, life has no ultimate meaning. Each of us can find meaning in our own lives, and life can be good and fulfilling, though it can also be painful and difficult, depending on the circs. But as far as I know, when we're gone, we're gone. The adventure is over. As Christopher Hitchens remarked, the party will still be going on but I won't be there.

I wish it was otherwise.

There doesn't seem to be any higher being looking out for me. No guardian angel protecting me. No loving god caring about what happens to me. No opportunity to re-unite with those people who have died.

I wish it was otherwise.

But in all these cases, it's probably not. So I just need to get on with enjoying what's real ("really real reality", as P. D. Q. Bach wrote) and accessible while I'm here. Some days, easier said than done, naturally. But that's the only course that seems to make sense.

At least I don't have to worry about praising god for all eternity, or burning either.

Omnedon 7 Jan 5
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I recently started thinking about how, if ever, some kind of communication could ever happen. The 'C' factor usually knocks me down. What now? kinda thing. Mass has a hard time as it nears the 'Speed of light'. -Sound like stoned thinkings ,eh?- But, to make it to and maybe even excel there might be these ultra tiny specs. A whole lot like neutrinos or on the same sub atomic level. We recently are working on better and better particle accelerators , and have sensors deep in the earth to measure particles on this level that buzz by and through everything that we see and deal with. Sounds out there sometimes, but I think -today anyways- that the way we will communicate will be something more attuned to a very very small spec of matter that can make the trip.

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My theory is that there is no way we humans are the smartest thing out there. I believe they are probably living amongst us now.

Jennw Level 4 Jan 6, 2020

@Omnedon I'm certain I've seen a UFO in the sky. My mom was here at the time and I even went and got her to come look at it. We watched it for about 10 minutes and saw it disappear. At the time, she didn't believe in anything like that but her views have since changed. But mostly it just seems likely they would be here studying us. It's what we would do if we could.

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Be nice to others enjoy life if you make babies raise them properly. Really nothing else to do. Do something that brings you happiness and perhaps others as well. I used to carve, but the dear "creator" gave me an imperfect body, so the joints don't let me enjoy that. He gave us ticks , so I haven't been to the range in way too long. (air, not firearms). And I am not old, just creaky.

But, perhaps if their is a god, who cares, when we croak maybe an explanation comes with death, I hope so or this was just a waste of time.

Or maybe we are all just stories in a god head, that is we are all a cell , a piece of a brain.

I jjust don't see the reality of the gods as we were all taught, or preached about as kids.

A friend of mine from HS is an atheist, and when I asked about life he says "Happy Accident".

I must say I am depressed a tad about the not knowing, of god or/and life on other planets. I feel as you , and others, there must be other life forms. It is possible we are just left over DNA from space that rained down on "mother earth" 3 billion years back. (pan spermia)

ciao

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I have been exploring my thoughts on thoughts. That is cognition as we can call it. Cognition has a lot of connections to kinetic energy and/or chemical reaction. I think about my 25 years old high school level education of things in chemistry, physics anatomy and physiology.

I have speculation that given the right kinetic energy or chemical reaction environment then cognition or thinking ability can develop. Consider slime molds then consider that even human thinking ability doesn't happen over night. From zygote to new born chemical reactions has developed the human body and brain yet a new born baby isn't born with E=mc^2 knowledge and capacity on first day of birth, but the brain develops more and more thinking ability as the child develops and absorbs more senses with information from the environment.

Biblical text explains a cloud sky God, in the clouds. I ask a question for speculation: if cognition, howbeit low level of intelligence capabilities is something that can develop such as with slime mold; why couldn't a cloud system that is able to maintain its kinetic energy static electricity for very long periods of time not be able to develop a cognition capability? This is not to say that cognition like that seen with slime molds or is possible in a cloud kinetic energy system would be all knowing but could it be possible and develop and grow so long as the kinetic energy and or chemical reaction environment allows it to?

Word Level 8 Jan 5, 2020
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Ever heard of wormholes?

@Omnedon as were once the black holes and yet we now have even photographed one.

As someone, I forget who, once said " we don't know what we don't know." Who knows what we'll discover if we don't cause ourselves to become extinct.

@Omnedon same with blackholes, I clearly said once asin once they were just theoretical and now we have photos.

@Omnedon why not the same, once a theory now proven, and how do you know what they might do, stop already, seems like you wantbto have the last word even of wrong.

@Omnedon man you are dense, I have never said wormholes are anything but theoretical, my whole point was that while blackholes once were only theoretical science eventually proved them later, sheesh

@Omnedon Wow, touchy touchy. Anyway, if the shoe fits...because my point was clear but you resort to the republican/christian strategy, oooh I'm being attacked but fail to acknowledge they were wrong. Typical.

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