Cosmology and Anthropology

I'm thinking it all comes down to two things:

1. what we believe to be the nature of the universe we live in, and
2. what we believe to be our purpose as human beings, alive in this universe.

Some of us believe the universe consists of random bits of energy/matter chaotically bouncing about, and coalescing from time to time into “things” that exist for a while and then cease to exist. Some of us believe that humans, and all creatures, are “things” like any other “things” in the sense that we/they are no more significant in the grand scale of “things” than any other “thing”.

Some of us believe the universe consists of ordered patterns of energy/matter, evolving toward greater and more complex patterns of order, and that “things” are the ordered coalescence of waves and particles and other cosmic stuff. Some of us believe that humans, and all creatures, are complex patterns of energy/matter that are significant only to the degree that they contribute to the evolution of cosmic patterns of order.

Some of us, of course, simply don’t reflect upon the nature of the cosmos, or upon the purpose – if any – of our human existence in it. Those are jobs for astrophysicists, philosophers, artists and out-of-work theologians. The rest of us eat, sleep, copulate, work, fight and die. Some of us worry, of course. Others of us conspire against those we call our enemies. Some of us store up unexpressed emotions and become chronically sick. Others of us see the vulnerabilities in the rest of us, and exploit them. Still others consume intoxicants – liquor, drugs, hypnotic audio-video media – to mute our inner voices. Some do a little of this, a little of that.

Depending on what we believe about 1. and 2. above, what we believe either doesn’t matter at all, or has cosmic significance.

So – what’s the nature of YOUR universe, and what’s YOUR purpose as a human being, alive in this universe?

This is not a trick question. I am sincerely interested. It really does matter to me. Thanks for reading my blog.