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arkadianriver |
| Cosmos, science, myth, and perspective |
07:55 pm |
In the final episode of Cosmos, Carl Sagan summarizes the tale of how we evolved from "star stuff." Unlike other tales of creation, the good doctor puts his scientific tale into perfect perspective, with his final words of the broadcast:
These are some of the things that hydrogen atoms do, given 15 billion years of cosmic evolution. It has the sound of epic myth. But it's simply a description of the evolution of the cosmos as revealed by science in our time.
Note the use of that final qualifier he is not afraid to put upon science: in our time. In other words, in another time, different evidence may prove this evolutionary tale to be hogwash. And that would be okay. He mentions earlier in the program how science is constantly correcting itself (unlike a particular religious leader, also mentioned in the broadcast, who would be happy to correct all things but himself). Dr. Sagan goes on:
And we--we who embody the local eyes and ears and thoughts and feelings of the cosmos--we've begun, at last, to wonder about our origins: star stuff contemplating the stars, organized collections of 10 billion, billion, billion atoms contemplating the evolution of matter, tracing that long path by which it arrived at consciousness here on the planet earth and (perhaps) throughout the cosmos. Our loyalties are to the species and the planet. We speak for earth. Our obligation to survive and flourish is owed not just to ourselves, but also to that cosmos, ancient and vast, from which we spring.
I love this guy; he doesn't seem to care much for organized religion, for good reason, yet he has a deep love for every aspect of the universe. Do you think Jesus would care that he's agnostic? He's clearly the kind of guy that would capture Jesus' heart. I'd have to leave that to the theologians to debate. But I sure wish they wouldn't.
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