Chapter 7Chapter 7

Microcosm/Macrocosm/Microcosm/Macrocosm/CosmosCosmos

Carl Sagan writes:Carl Sagan writes:

““There is today – in a time There is today – in a time when old beliefs are withering when old beliefs are withering – a kind of philosophic hunger, – a kind of philosophic hunger, a need to know who we are and a need to know who we are and how we got there. There is an how we got there. There is an ongoing search, often ongoing search, often unconscious, for a cosmic unconscious, for a cosmic perspective for humanity.”perspective for humanity.”

Knowledge of NatureKnowledge of Nature

•This chapter deal with the This chapter deal with the philosophy of the physical philosophy of the physical sciencessciences

•Knowledge from empirical Knowledge from empirical observationobservation

•Knowledge from a priori conceptsKnowledge from a priori concepts

•The symbolic nature of human The symbolic nature of human thinking?thinking?

May 28, 585 B.C.E.May 28, 585 B.C.E.

•6:13 pm (Milesian Standard 6:13 pm (Milesian Standard Time) – Eclipse in Miletus Time) – Eclipse in Miletus predicted by Thales beginspredicted by Thales begins

•Significant Point: Thales Significant Point: Thales became aware of the became aware of the regularities of natureregularities of nature

Empirical KnowledgeEmpirical Knowledge

•Our Knowledge of nature is Our Knowledge of nature is based on two distinct kinds of based on two distinct kinds of knowledgeknowledge– Empirical ObservationEmpirical Observation– Rational System-buildingRational System-building

A Priori KnowledgeA Priori Knowledge

•We know necessary truths, it We know necessary truths, it seems, to which we cannot seems, to which we cannot imagine exceptionsimagine exceptions

•Do we have sufficient knowledge Do we have sufficient knowledge of an object/event to be of an object/event to be reasonably (operationally) reasonably (operationally) sure?sure?

Other Ways of Knowing?Other Ways of Knowing?

•Is it a true and final fact that Is it a true and final fact that man is the experiencing subject and man is the experiencing subject and the real world is the experienced the real world is the experienced object, and that the two are object, and that the two are distinct, separate entities?distinct, separate entities?

•Or, might there be a “field Or, might there be a “field interaction” that would render interaction” that would render false the subject-object dichotomy?false the subject-object dichotomy?

Realities Beyond Realities Beyond AppearancesAppearances

•Sir Arthur Eddington’s man in Sir Arthur Eddington’s man in the street and the learned the street and the learned physicistphysicist

This World – What Is This World – What Is It?What is everything It?What is everything

made of?made of?1.1.What are the forces that cause What are the forces that cause

motion?motion?

2.2.Molecular level of Molecular level of organizationorganization

3.3.Atomic level of organizationAtomic level of organization

4.4.Quark level of organizationQuark level of organization

The Dematerialization The Dematerialization of Matterof Matter•Heisenberg writes: “Matter has been Heisenberg writes: “Matter has been dematerialized, not just a concept dematerialized, not just a concept of the philosophically real, but of the philosophically real, but now as an idea of modern physics…now as an idea of modern physics…The 20The 20thth century’s dematerialization century’s dematerialization of matter has made it conceptually of matter has made it conceptually impossible to accept a Newtonian impossible to accept a Newtonian picture of the properties of matter picture of the properties of matter and still do consistent physics.”and still do consistent physics.”

What is the Origin of What is the Origin of Matter?Matter?

•God created the universe and God created the universe and set it into motion: Who then set it into motion: Who then created God?created God?

•Creationist answer is no answer Creationist answer is no answer at all.at all.

•Fred Hoyle, Steady-state TheoryFred Hoyle, Steady-state Theory

PythagorasPythagorasThe Universe is Made of The Universe is Made of

NumbersNumbers• He first proved that knowledge of the He first proved that knowledge of the world is possibleworld is possible

• Two groups: “outsiders” (Two groups: “outsiders” (exotericiexoterici), ), who studied “in silence” during a who studied “in silence” during a five-year probationary period; five-year probationary period; “insiders” (“insiders” (esotericiesoterici), who were ), who were admitted to the secrets of the cultadmitted to the secrets of the cult

• From single objects/events to From single objects/events to universal mathematical generalizationsuniversal mathematical generalizations

Reflections…Reflections…

•Have you personally speculated on Have you personally speculated on the problem of the origin of the problem of the origin of matter? Are you willing to do so matter? Are you willing to do so now? What questions can you think now? What questions can you think of to initiate inquiry? To whom of to initiate inquiry? To whom might we turn for hard data that might we turn for hard data that would help us phrase our would help us phrase our questions in an intelligible questions in an intelligible fashion?fashion?

Space/Time/MotionSpace/Time/Motion

•This chapter deals with some This chapter deals with some aspects of the philosophy of aspects of the philosophy of the physical sciences, analyzes the physical sciences, analyzes how the mind goes about how the mind goes about creating physics, and discusses creating physics, and discusses certain philosophical problems certain philosophical problems that still exist in the way we that still exist in the way we do physics.do physics.

What Physics Is & Isn’tWhat Physics Is & Isn’t

•Classical physicsClassical physics

•Relativity physicsRelativity physics

•Quantum physicsQuantum physics

Albert EinsteinAlbert EinsteinThe Second Scientific The Second Scientific

RevolutionRevolution•His goal – in fact, the goal of His goal – in fact, the goal of all science – was to understand all science – was to understand exactly how the human mind can exactly how the human mind can discover what is really going discover what is really going on out there. on out there.

•““It is existence and reality It is existence and reality that one wishes to comprehend.”that one wishes to comprehend.”

•Can the subjective mind know Can the subjective mind know the objectively real?the objectively real?

Reflections…Reflections…

•After reading through this After reading through this chapter, formulate some sort of chapter, formulate some sort of answer to the age-old question answer to the age-old question about the nature of reality. about the nature of reality. Find some adjectives that would Find some adjectives that would characterize it.characterize it.

CosmosCosmos

•This chapter deals with cosmology, This chapter deals with cosmology, the study of the universe as a the study of the universe as a whole. whole.

•This chapter raises questions This chapter raises questions about what it means to live in a about what it means to live in a big-bang universe, an expanding big-bang universe, an expanding universe, a curved universe of universe, a curved universe of warped space, and perhaps, a dying warped space, and perhaps, a dying universe.universe.

Ancient CosmologiesAncient Cosmologies

•EgyptiansEgyptians

•BabyloniansBabylonians

•MesopotamiansMesopotamians

•HebrewsHebrews

•GreeksGreeks

Today’s UniverseToday’s Universe

•Astronomers today share a Astronomers today share a unique kind of excitement unique kind of excitement because there exists a because there exists a possibility that we may be possibility that we may be looking far enough into the looking far enough into the past to see events that took past to see events that took place near the time the place near the time the universe was born.universe was born.

The Expanding UniverseThe Expanding Universe

•Edwin Hubble (1929)Edwin Hubble (1929)

•Medieval geocentric universeMedieval geocentric universe

•Heliocentric Copernican cosmosHeliocentric Copernican cosmos

The Story of the The Story of the UniverseUniverse

•The Primordial EraThe Primordial Era

•The Stelliferious EraThe Stelliferious Era

•The Degenerate EraThe Degenerate Era

•The Black Hole EraThe Black Hole Era

•The Dark EraThe Dark Era

There are Still There are Still MysteriesMysteries

•If the Big Bang occurred some If the Big Bang occurred some 13.7 million years ago, what 13.7 million years ago, what was the universe like before was the universe like before the Big Bang?the Big Bang?

•What lies beyond our perceptual What lies beyond our perceptual universe?universe?

•Dark matter and dark energy?Dark matter and dark energy?

What Does It All Mean?What Does It All Mean?

•““Of all the disorder-to-disorder Of all the disorder-to-disorder converters, the human mind is be converters, the human mind is be far the most impressive.”far the most impressive.”

•““I think the universe is all I think the universe is all spots and jumps, without unity…”spots and jumps, without unity…”

•“…“…a deep hunger to establish a a deep hunger to establish a ‘cosmic context’.”‘cosmic context’.”

•The Anthropic Cosmological The Anthropic Cosmological PrinciplePrinciple

Galileo GalileiGalileo Galilei“The Noblest Eye is “The Noblest Eye is

Darkened?Darkened?•The “Galileian Principle”The “Galileian Principle”•January 1610 – “three little January 1610 – “three little stars, small but very bright”stars, small but very bright”

•1613 – three letters on sunspots1613 – three letters on sunspots•1616 – Holy Office reply1616 – Holy Office reply•Dialogue concerning the Two Dialogue concerning the Two Great World Systems – Ptolemaic Great World Systems – Ptolemaic and Copernican (banned in 1632)and Copernican (banned in 1632)

Reflections…Reflections…

•Does it make any difference to Does it make any difference to you (intellectually or you (intellectually or emotionally) whether you exist emotionally) whether you exist in a living universe or a dying in a living universe or a dying universe?universe?

BiocosmosBiocosmos

•This chapter asks what it might This chapter asks what it might mean if we are not alone in the mean if we are not alone in the universe. universe.

•What if other intelligent What if other intelligent beings exist?beings exist?

•What if they are very advanced What if they are very advanced in thought and awareness?in thought and awareness?

We Are Not AloneWe Are Not Alone

•Sir Arthur Eddington’s “other Sir Arthur Eddington’s “other globes”, 1934globes”, 1934

•Harlow Shapley’s “common Harlow Shapley’s “common occurrence”, 1957occurrence”, 1957

•Frank Drake and Carl Sagan’s Frank Drake and Carl Sagan’s formulaformula

•Peter Angeles’ continuing Peter Angeles’ continuing “quest”“quest”

A Cosmic Context for A Cosmic Context for MankindMankind

•Our religious myths reveal that Our religious myths reveal that we humans want desperately to we humans want desperately to be participants in a meaningful be participants in a meaningful biocosmic programbiocosmic program

Our Expanding Our Expanding ConsciousnessConsciousness

•500 B.C.: 5,000 miles500 B.C.: 5,000 miles

•225 B.C.: 8,000 miles225 B.C.: 8,000 miles

•150 B.C.: 48,000 miles150 B.C.: 48,000 miles

•1671: 1,800,000 miles1671: 1,800,000 miles

•1704: 6 million miles1704: 6 million miles

•1940: 400 million light-years1940: 400 million light-years

•2002: 25 billion light-years2002: 25 billion light-years

ConsequencesConsequences

•What will it mean if we What will it mean if we establish contact with establish contact with extraterrestrial intelligences extraterrestrial intelligences (ETs)?(ETs)?

•The impact of how we think The impact of how we think about ourselves will be deep.about ourselves will be deep.

The Human PreserveThe Human Preserve

•What is mankind’s place in the What is mankind’s place in the cosmos?cosmos?

•Cosmological decentralizationCosmological decentralization

•Biological decentralizationBiological decentralization

•Psychological decentralizationPsychological decentralization

•The explicit assumptionThe explicit assumption

Carl SaganCarl SaganThe Encyclopaedia The Encyclopaedia GalacticaGalactica•““Cosmic consciousness-raising”Cosmic consciousness-raising”

•““The spaceship of the The spaceship of the imagination”imagination”

•““A cosmic context for mankind”A cosmic context for mankind”

Reflections…Reflections…

•Reflect on the impact upon our Reflect on the impact upon our thinking and feeling of the thinking and feeling of the discovery of the existence of discovery of the existence of extraterrestrial life and extraterrestrial life and intelligence. What is your intelligence. What is your evaluation of the implications evaluation of the implications suggested in this chapter?suggested in this chapter?