The size (and age) of the universe induces within me both awe and a feeling of incredible insignificance. Here’s what I wrote about the universe some years ago,
Our galaxy contains more than 100 to 400 billion stars and there are more than 100 billion galaxies in the observable universe. All this is in a observable universe that is about 93 billion light-years across and almost 14 billion years old. (The universe is larger than its age because it has been continuously expanding since the Big Bang, meaning the space between objects is constantly increasing, allowing the observable universe to be much larger than the distance light could travel in the time the universe has existed…)
And there may be an infinite number of universes or the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics may be true or we may be living in a computer simulation or … Needless to say, all of this is largely incomprehensible to me.
Now some philosophers have dismissed our worries about the universe’s size. Thomas Nagel wrote,
Consider next the argument that our lives are absurd because we live in a tiny speck of a vast cosmos, or in a small sliver of time. Nagel argues that neither of these concerns makes life absurd. This is obvious because even if we were immortal or large enough to fill the universe, this would not change the fact that our lives might be absurd.
I agree that being immortal or larger (by being able to travel to and experience much of the universe) doesn’t assure us that life is meaningless or insignificant but they would go a long way to eliminating my feelings of dread. Being so small, essentially invisible, lends itself to this feeling of unimportance. It’s not like we are the center of the universe as we thought in medieval times. In fact our entire galaxy, immense beyond comprehension is itself essentially invisible from a cosmic perspective.
I find these thought devastating. I remember thinking of my little world as a child as being so central, so big, so important. Yet I find that in the vastness of space and time it’s hard to maintain that illusion. What of my parents and teacher and what they taught me on this infintisimally small speck of earth? What of my relationships, my hopes, my fears? How can anything anyone does be that important? Just watch one of these videos and let the size (much less the age) of the universe sink in. We are smaller to the universe than a subatomic particle is to use. Scroll out as the earth, solar system, galaxy, and local group disappear. Doesn’t it seem we disapper too?
And if we add the age and trillions of years of future to our consideration, what difference does it make what any of us do and think? Yes, its worse if we have psychopathic people rather than good people running around. And yes I try to live as best as I can, enjoy myself, help who I can, etc. But there is something extraordinarily disquieting about the size and age of reality. Maybe in the end we just have to take consolation in this fact. No more worries about all the stupid things we worry about.
Nonetheless there are always counter arguments here. Would I feel better if the entire universe was the size of the earth? Would this even make sense since you can always ask what is beyond the age. Would I be comforted if the medieval view that the earth is the center of the the cosmos surrounded by the stars and the heavens beyond them? Maybe. But then again perhaps the universe has to be infinite in space and time.I just don’t know.
Still watching these videos fills me with feelings I don’t even know how to put properly into words. What I feel is that the universe science has revealed to us is inconceivable to me and all talk of explanation much less salvation is a fool’s game.
Here’s another great video with a slightly different take,
Immensity mirrors mediocrity. The age and expanse of *universe* underpins nihilism, IMHO.It, alone, supports nihilistic notions of nothing mattering. Even so, it fails, because even primates and higher, *primary conscious* species, have at least a rudimentary sense of purpose. And, loss, when their kin die. If, and (perhaps) only if, sentience/consciousness landed only here, the notion of nihilism is a pointless concept, conjured by our own intellectual capacity or, neuroses. Whether life would be pointless, without us, cannot be, never could be, known, unless the sentience/consciousness thing landed somewhere else. Even so,alien sentience/conscientious, might be very different to ours. Nagel examined these issues with the bat essay. There is no way—none, for us to assess any of the aforementioned, beyond conjecture, and speculation. Very fertile ground for philosophy. Absolutely!
One of my favorite ideas on the infinite has been shared here, and elsewhere, before.
So much I want to know… and so much I will never know. 😊
Somehow, this wonder and curiosity of life is comforting ~ take in all we can. Learn and continue learning, for the wondering will never go away.
These are the articles I love to read. In all its complexity, physics keeps things simple for me. I understand what I can understand, and with my curiosity, I relax and continue doing my best.
thanks for the thoughtful comments. Reality, even after a lifetime of study, is just so mysterious.
Thanks for this. Nihilism seems to follow but then we creat meaning so reality isn’t completely meaningless. I’ve written about this elsewhere. Thanks for the comments.
Seeking “meaning” may be a misguided goal. Appreciating moments of joy, excitement, or contentment may be both achievable and gratifying in and of themselves.
The subtitle of my book “Wellsprings of Work” — which explores psychological and spiritual drivers of fulfillment from work— is “Surprising Sources of Meaning and Motivation in Work.” Not just “meaning”— which is rational— but also “motivation”— which is visceral.
Feelings of joy, excitement, and contentment may not connote any greater “meaning,” but by definition, they are uplifting, no less than feelings of anguish, pain, or hopelessness are depressive. Isn’t feeling uplifted “reason” enough to appreciate life (what it is, whatever it does or doesn’t mean)?
Many things I read touch me. One such comment here did. I omit the name. However, restate a remembered adage from my grandfather and, my re-statement of that.
Granddad’s declaration: you do, with what you got.
My take: try harder to think better…do the best you can, with what you have and know.
Too deep for Granddad? I don’t think so. He was born in 1882. Wisdom is contextual. It is also timeless. Unless WE decide to mess with context…oops.
I have contended there are “separate realities”. Have waited for input on this. A fiction writer wrote of the notion in books about a Yaqui indian sorcerer, Don Juan, years ago. the books were dreamlike and, for dreamers. As a kid, I loved these accounts, although I knew they were fiction, like Redfield’s Celestine series. Years later, I learned I had learned something—without trying. Things like, water is wet: deserts are dry (mostly); some things are true, others, false. Ordinary stuff.Then I reasoned that much of reality is contrived. Invented, to conform with belief(s). Donald Davidson helped me with this. Reality, beyond provable evidence and fact, began to seem murky…it took on the aspect of * reality is whatever the hell I say it is* No, this is not so new. But, it is pervasive.
I then reasoned that much of reality depends on IMPs,( interests, motives and preferences): it is reality, for some, within a defined context. It is, then, contextual, and, my reality is not, may never be, the same as or=yours because we have different IMPs.
This is not earth-shattering. It is only explanatory, and/or exploratory. It explains and explores many of our problems
To borrow a phrase from my wife.
“I am the center of MY universe.”
Perhaps that is what our consciousness allows us? Our own universe? With the knowledge of untold numbers of other universes, all imbedded in the “greater whole”.
A “greater whole” that has managed to evolve itself (without thought) to a perfection of emergent properties that overwhelm our intellect. This enormity of the scales of time and volume have also occurred within, (or due to), a balance of laws, events, and feedback loops that are (to my thinking) just as overwhelming/”disquieting” as the enormity.
Is it possible we live in one of the few, or only, universes that “works?” A self-sustaining reality.
I am grateful to have been a part of what may be a very rare accident. One that has produced consciousness, and the ability to reflect on what that may actually mean.
Such reflection might probably be an attempt of futility. But, as “we” are alone, and due to the size and vastness of reality almost assured to remain so, we can only reflect with our own evolved consciousness and limited perspectives. (as Paul wrote, “we do with what we got”.)
Just as we each live in our own universe, we are born alone and shall also die alone. Be it as an individual, or as Humanity itself.