neil on the web!

signs of life

2010 Feb 16

I noticed this article on the BBC News site.

I paused to reflect how wrong the basic ideas of most of our cultures are. Creation myths start with the imperfect or a void. A supreme being then conjures or organizes our world, nature, and humans. We are put over nature, at the pinnacle of the creator’s achievements, in the image of the creator. A hierarchical position relative to the rest of nature.

The reality is that life is a inherent and emergent quality of this universe: inescapable, unavoidable. The precursors to life have existed since before this planet was formed. Life on Earth was inevitable. Life on other planets certain.

As a species humans might get on better with themselves and the rest of nature by recognizing that we are part of nature, not above it. When we take more from nature than we give then we hurt ourselves and our offspring. We impoverish our descendants.