There’s been numerous wonderful science reveals on tv, many obtainable on DVD and/or on YouTube. Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” instantly involves thoughts and “MythBusters” whereas extremely entertaining has numerous strong science content material too. Nevertheless, IMHO, the cream of the crop, the most effective of the most effective, has been the “By the Wormhole” sequence hosted by actor Morgan Freeman. Every of the episodes examines a type of nebulous Massive Questions in science and philosophy. Listed here are the questions requested concerning the broad topic of life and the thoughts, our thoughts, and my private opinions on every.
SEASON ONE: How Did We Get Right here?
If requested the query about your final origins, you may reply that you just have been of this or that nationality, maybe with ancestry from this or that different place. Maybe when you’re a bit extra clued you’d say “Africa” because the birthplace of the human race. For those who’re actually clued, you may say the oceans, the undoubted place the place life itself bought its begin. However little doubt, it doesn’t matter what, you’d say you have been “terrestrial” – of this Planet Earth. Alas, you are still not clued sufficient. You are extraterrestrial. We’re the aliens, instantly and not directly.
Origin of the Universe
* As soon as upon a time there was this Massive Bang.
* Since we’re part of the Universe, and for the reason that Universe had an origin (the accepted commonplace mannequin being the Massive Bang occasion some 13.7 billion years in the past), that alone of necessity means we’ve an extraterrestrial legacy since all the pieces that makes you, you was born in that occasion, thereby in a way of talking making you 13.7 billion years outdated!
Origin of Our Stellar Photo voltaic System & Earth
* Because it was at first, effectively so too did our Solar and Planet Earth have a starting.
* We’re Star Stuff. Our photo voltaic system, our Solar, the planets, together with Earth, have been all fashioned out of the stays of extraterrestrial gasoline, mud and particles from older stellar methods, scattered to the 4 interstellar winds by supernovae explosions, over 4 and a half billion years in the past. Thus, that too alone, irrespective of which approach you slice it, means we (as beings half and parcel of our stellar system) are extraterrestrial in origin.
Origin of Life
* The terrestrial origin of life might have occurred inside that petrii dish/check tube referred to as Planet Earth – Or perhaps not. IMHO it occurred approach too rapidly and approach too quickly publish Earth’s formation to most likely have been a solely terrestrial taking place. There’s another referred to as panspermia which expands each the time and house obtainable for all times’s origin by many order of magnitudes.
* Panspermia is the concept Earth was seeded by cosmic spores or microbes that have been expelled from another planetary abode in another stellar system and drifted throughout the gulf of house. An extremely tiny fraction of those cosmic spores lands on appropriate planetary environments, the place they survive and thrive and evolve. Our Earth was one such place for his or her fortunate touchdown. It is akin to a plant producing tens of millions of spores – 99.999% of which fail to land on fertile floor; however that tiny fraction that does is all it takes to maintain the species preserving on preserving on.
* Ballistic panspermia is a slight variation on conventional panspermia in that the microbes or spores are contained in the protecting protecting of a strong object – mud or tiny rocks, even huge rocks. These, alone with their microbial passengers get blasted off dwelling turf by incoming ballistic objects (impacting meteors), escape their dwelling planet and some finally, by likelihood land on one other appropriate abode. That Mars rock, ALH84001 that brought about such a stir a number of years again is one such instance of a possible case historical past of ballistic panspermia.
* Directed panspermia is one more variation on the theme, solely on this case there’s intelligence behind the scenes, both sending out canisters of microbes willy-nilly in a shotgun method, and/or directing that canister particularly at a selected goal.
* The upshot is that if terrestrial life’s origin was by way of a type of panspermia, then we people, being a species of terrestrial life, in the end had an extraterrestrial origin. If a Mars rock filled with microbes impacted Earth billions of years in the past, effectively, we is likely to be the Martians transplanted from the fourth rock to the third rock from the Solar. Maybe our origins have been even farther a-field. Maybe some cosmic gardener planted life right here billions of years in the past, perhaps even caught round to fertilize, domesticate, prune, and weed that backyard.
In conclusion, we’ve an extraterrestrial legacy as a result of 1) we’re a toddler of the Universe – a toddler that originated out of the origin of the Universe; 2) we’re star-stuff; 3) the origin of life was most likely ‘on the market’ someplace and migrated to Earth.
SEASON TWO: Is There A Sixth Sense?
Extra doubtless as not, most of us most likely have the notion that we’ve a way of actuality that transcends the usual 5 senses. We sense once we are being watched or we might have premonitions to do that or keep away from doing this. Do you declare to have distant viewing or extrasensory notion (ESP) and/or the associated idea of telepathy? That’s most likely a perception inside to you – your private psychological delusion.
There are however 4 bodily forces that act upon you or can affect you. There’s gravity. There’s the robust nuclear power that holds the atomic nucleus collectively. There’s the weak nuclear power which lets atoms cut up aside – radioactivity. Then there’s the electromagnetic (EM) power. Solely the latter may clarify ESP/telepathy since it’s the EM power that transmits data from A to B on the velocity of sunshine by way of photons – seen gentle photons, gamma-ray photons, radio wave photons, microwave photons, X-ray photons, infrared photons, ultraviolet photons, and so forth. To obtain data instantly into your mind, bypassing your regular 5 sensory channels and organs (sight, sound, style, scent and contact) restricts instantly what a part of the EM spectrum may very well be at work.
It will possibly’t be seen gentle for the reason that thickness of your cranium blocks that out – your mind resides in everlasting darkness. If it have been infrared or ultraviolet your mind would warmth up and fry or get sunburn. If it have been microwaves, you’d expertise an eternal ‘hiss’ in your mind as a result of cosmic microwave background radiation – a leftover from the Massive Bang. It isn’t radio waves since you are not bombarded with 24/7/52 data from radio stations round you – to not point out all that radio noise given off by interstellar hydrogen and different parts and compounds which can be in interstellar house. Actually, every a part of the EM spectrum will be rejected for these types of causes.
That is fairly other than the truth that when you have been telepathic, how may your sanity address the choosing up of the ideas 24/7/52 of all these odd-bods and sods round you?
If distant viewing have been even potential, why are there spy-in-the-sky satellites; the U-2; eves-dropping bugs planted; industrial espionage is rampant; pc hacking (cyber-spying) ditto; intelligence brokers just like the fictional however all too actual 007 and businesses just like the NSA or CIA, and all method of different espionage equipment half and parcel of our fashionable society? Distant viewing, and so forth. can be the good equalizer. It could end in a stage taking part in subject amongst all nations and nationalities. There may very well be no secrets and techniques in any medium, from paper to gray matter that is protected. That is not the way in which the world works, so ESP and telepathy, and so forth. is simply a lot BS. On a extra private stage, you may ‘see’ profitable scratch-it lottery tickets with out scratching, and choose accordingly. College students would all get 100% on their exams.
Moreover, if ESP/telepathy/distant viewing have been actually potential, given all of the scientific put-up-or-shut-up experiments which have been performed, why is not this commonplace data in all of the related textbooks? The worldwide implications of such skills, over the course of human occasions, wouldn’t have produced the form of historical past we all know as we speak, since from Day One, human society would have been an Orwellian society as a result of Massive Brother would have been watching you! Actually everybody can be ‘watching’ all people else. Once more that not the way in which of the world, so in fact it is no shock that these ESP and associated experiments have all resulted with out decision in favour of the claimants.
There simply is likely to be a (slight) case to reply in spite of everything. That telepathy is not, is not silent one or two approach crystal clear communication over huge distances between two separate brains or minds. What telepathy is likely to be is that imprecise sense that there is one other thoughts on the market, shut by although, that has some resonance with your personal. The basic case is that sense that you just simply know that another person is watching or gazing you despite the fact that you may’t see who it’s.
There needs to be a medium by which this switch can effectively, switch from them to you. That medium apparently is Earth’s electromagnetic (EM) subject. Mind ideas or exercise is electromagnetic in nature. It maybe is likely to be barely potential for these mind EM waves to be carried by way of Earth’s EM subject to a different individual’s mind. That different individual would at finest simply have a quasi-vague sensation that they have been sensing, effectively, one thing, with out having the ability to put a definitive finger on the specifics to many decimal locations.
The non-human proof is how giant flocks of birds or colleges of fish can in close to unison activate a dime. For the reason that “flip” command is not vocal, and visible observations would make for unacceptable lag occasions, the concept is that the communication is EM in nature from mind to mind at gentle velocity by way of Earth’s EM subject because the in-between medium.
Nevertheless, there’s one absolute motive I am satisfied telepathy would not exist. As I’m going about my every day walkabout routine and related observations, I am endlessly passing out psychological ideas and pictures of what I consider most of the deadbeat drivers and different lesser types of humanity I spy with my little eyes. My ideas have a tendency to not be very complementary to say the least. However for the reason that lowlifes and rift-rafts have not ever proceeded to instantly cease their lowlife actions and drop what ever rift-raft issues they have been as much as, to as an alternative change path in the direction of me and beat me concerning the warmth and physique unto a bloody pulp for my unflattering ideas, I conclude telepathy would not exist. If it did, I doubt I might be typing these ideas now.
Escape Clause: Other than particular results on make-believe TV and within the motion pictures, and works of literary fiction the place all issues are potential, there may be one other realm the place something goes – digital actuality; video video games; simulations of every kind. It is in truth a simulated Universe that resides within the guise of pc software program. Software program will be programmed to offer rise to photographs or experiences of out-of-the-body happenings; close to dying experiences; ghosts; previous lives; astral planes; and ESP. You would have existence in different dimensional realms just like the well-known 2-D “Flatland”.
So, it is a trade-off. For those who settle for unattainable issues like ESP earlier than breakfast (and lunch and dinner too), then you want to imagine in one other – you do not exist as flesh-and-blood; your ‘actuality’, together with say telepathy, resides in a pc. Who programmed the simulated Universe is one other query.
That escape clause apart, if after multi-decades of inquiries and analysis into the plausibility of telepathy, and so forth. there’s nothing, no onerous proof to persuade students, lecturers and skeptics of the bona-fides, then I believe it is protected to conclude that if it ain’t occurred by now, it isn’t going to. These actually are unattainable issues. It isn’t rocket science in spite of everything to come back to once-and-for-all conclusions about these points within the affirmative in the event that they have been in truth points that had any risk of an affirmative decision.
SEASON THREE: Is There A Superior Race?
Sure, there’s a superior race (or breed as I choose), albeit it relies on precisely what one means by “superior”. There are clearly genetic variations between the races, fairly other than pores and skin coloration. Some races are typically both extra immune or extra inclined to varied afflictions. Races will be informed aside by their unifying facial options. Hair textures and predominate colours differ racially. So, it most likely comes as little shock that when pinpointing any particular trait that is decided by genetics, some races can have roughly of what makes up that trait.
SEASON THREE: What Makes Us Who We Are?
That is the outdated nature vs. nurture argument. It is apparent that it isn’t an both/or argument. On the character facet, there may be your genetic heritage, in addition to all these little happenings nature throws at you want accidents and ailments and that you just throw at your self by way of the meals you eat and the drinks you drink and the medicine (authorized and in any other case) you are taking. On the nurture facet, there are inputs from mother and father, buddies, household, lecturers, members of the neighborhood and the mass media. There’s additionally you manipulating you by choosing and selecting numerous highways, pathways and byways.
However, and as is sort of all the time the case, there is a however that complicates issues, the scoreboard may learn not nature vs. nurture however free will vs. determinism. If the universe is a clockwork universe the place trigger and impact guidelines completely and the legal guidelines, rules and relationships are fastened and absolute, then the universe, together with you, unfolds because it ought to in a predetermined approach. From the nanosecond of the Massive Bang, what makes you who you’re was as sure as dying and taxes.
The opposite half is all that nebulous stuff that nature and nurture instills into you – your thoughts, consciousness, consciousness, persona, sense of self, and so forth.
SEASON THREE: Mysteries of the Unconscious
Have you ever ever had a posh thought leap all of the sudden, virtually and even unbidden, into your aware (the self-aware or self-conscious) thoughts? Why? Was it your aware thoughts that introduced it to the fore, or your unconscious (in any other case extra technically generally known as the unconscious) thoughts? Chances are high, it was your unconscious (unconscious) thoughts. It has been proven that your unconscious thoughts makes up your thoughts for you cut up seconds earlier than you are consciously conscious of it. It is virtually as if it was predetermined.
Your unconscious thoughts bubbles alongside below the radar with out an precise aware enter out of your self-aware you, processing, ever processing. What needs to be random effervescent like boiling water ought to due to this fact end in a multitude – a hodgepodge. As a substitute, you appear to get a purposefully and linearly directed nebulous one thing which at least anticipated time pops by means of your gray matter’s ‘wormhole’ that hyperlinks your unconscious thoughts along with your aware thoughts. Your aware thoughts can not seemingly draw out of your unconscious thoughts the nebulous one thing you want if you want it.
So how does your unconscious keep on the straight and slim with out your aware enter? I do not know, nevertheless it apparently does. When your aware ideas go off the rails, say you are distracted by one thing not related to the duty at hand; effectively you may rapidly power your aware thoughts again on observe to the duty at hand. You do not have to try this along with your unconscious for the reason that unconscious apparently cannot be distracted.
So I ponder whether the world’s biggest thinkers – scientists, philosophers, inventors, writers, and so forth. weren’t actually aware thinkers in any respect however derived a lot of their inspiration from their unconscious.
It isn’t your aware thoughts that connects the dots, it is the unconscious. How usually do you hear, and even inform your self, “I am going to sleep on it” (which is why it’s most likely a good suggestion to all the time have pen and paper or a Dictaphone subsequent to the mattress)? How many individuals can relate to fixing an out of the unusual psychological puzzle of their desires, or the answer involves them ‘out of the blue’ whereas preoccupied with one thing associated. There are not any instruments, solely the assets in your personal thoughts. Actually when you consciously attempt to give you an unique inventive thought, you may most likely fail, however if you’re in psychological impartial gear – eureka.
Ever instantly overlook one thing you considered simply minutes earlier than and can’t now for the lifetime of you consciously recall? Throw your thoughts into impartial and if you least anticipate it, there it’s again to the fore once more. Now rapidly, write it down!
Listed here are a number of different examples the place the unconscious guidelines your roost.
We’re all conscious of hypnosis drawing out recollections locked away, within the unconscious in fact. You haven’t any management in your aware capacity to recall. It takes a extra excessive type of that “gotta put my thoughts in impartial”, the hypnotic state, to convey the info to the fore. After all unethical or badly skilled or newbie hypnotists can implant false recollections or manipulate these already there thus producing unreliable outcomes.
It is in no way extraordinary for a minority (10 – 25%) of completely regular grownup people to have at the least one vivid hallucination throughout their lifetime – a product of their unconscious that is most likely rather more widespread in kids’s ‘make-believe’ like there is a monster within the closet or their inevitable invisible playmates. As our minds get older and mature, we change into much less prone to have unconscious hallucinations, however they will nonetheless occur.
Maybe related, we have practically all skilled involuntary (as to topic) daydreams, which, like sleeping desires, is a product of the unconscious.
Talking of sleep, if you fall asleep you go into lockdown mode courtesy of the unconscious so you do not bodily act out the actions you dream about. That is smart in any other case you may do your self and others in your rapid neighborhood a severe mischief, however you haven’t any management over that lockdown course of.
An unusual aware stage psychological puzzle is likely to be the right way to get from A to B on the bus when your automotive is within the restore store. These are the kinds of unusual day by day psychological gymnastics that normally require instruments – hammer and nails; a cookbook; a prepare timetable; a desk of trigonometry features; and reminiscence. Nevertheless, as a way to make the most of them, you’ve got to have ideas of them filed away in your unconscious cubby-holes, so on a regular basis psychological, and apparently aware exercise have necessary roots within the unconscious, in any other case, no go.
Simply as an apart, there’s one other model of unconscious exercise that normally offers with physique language. How usually do you see somebody speaking on the telephone to another person, neither occasion can see the opposite, but most likely each events are making all types of hand gestures and utilizing different kinds of physique language as in the event that they have been speaking face-to-face? In all probability fairly regularly – it is the norm. Otherwise you see a girl sitting on a bus or in a café or some such, and he or she’s preening her hair, operating her fingers by means of it however not even conscious she’s doing it.
While you solely have microseconds to behave, say if you’re standing within the batter’s field 60 toes, 6 inches away from the pitcher’s mound and a quickly rotating baseball is heading in the direction of you at 95 mph, do you stand there and consciously crunch the numbers earlier than your go/no-go swing, or simply flip the problem over to your unconscious to go for it, or let the ball cross you by. Ditto that for an outfielder chasing down a fly ball. In such conditions your aware thoughts is nugatory baggage. Intuition, coaching, follow and all these different aspects embedded in your unconscious required come to the fore and takeover. You are able to do the physics calculations at your leisure after the sport.
SEASON FOUR: Can Our Minds Be Hacked?
Talking of thoughts management, when your mind is uncovered and you’re consciousness, neuroscientists can stimulate / contact / manipulate components of your mind inflicting you numerous bodily reactions and you’re helpless to forestall these reactions from taking place despite the fact that you’re consciousness. You apparently haven’t any free will below hypnosis. Then too there may be mind washing, being subjected to carry out an involuntary motion when given a unconscious stimulus. “The Manchurian Candidate” is a novel / movie primarily based on this well-established idea. A milder type of that is indoctrination be in right into a navy mind-set or into a spiritual or cultist mind-set, and even right into a neighborhood or nationalist mind-set. Consider “1984”. Subliminal indoctrination by way of promoting can also be a well-established. So sure, the thoughts will be hacked.
Nevertheless, if what is supposed by “hacked” is akin to what we imply by hacking a pc then I am not fairly satisfied. One may be capable to overwhelm the mind by way of some form of electromagnetic stimulus at a distance, however truly overriding your neural networks to do the bidding of another person, whereas maybe not unattainable, is not but one thing the common individual has to lose any sleep over.
SEASON FOUR: Do We Have Free Will?
No, we wouldn’t have free will primarily based on two grounds. Firstly, for the time being of creation, all of the legal guidelines, rules and relationships of physics have been decided and set in clockwork-like movement. From that time onwards, all the pieces was a predetermined trigger and impact; trigger and impact; trigger and impact. Every part is unfolding because it ought to all primarily based on these preliminary parameters. Secondly, if we exist in a Simulated (Digital Actuality) Universe, then preprogrammed software program guidelines the roost and we dance to that software program’s tune, and thus to the tune the Supreme Programmer performs. And if God is all-knowing you may’t have free will since your future have to be predetermined and knowable prematurely. It is already been deposited in-the-bank because it have been. However God could not have given you free will within the first place since there is no such thing as a God (or gods for that matter).
SEASON FOUR: When Does Life Start?
If by that query one tries to pinpoint that second in time between conception and dying when your life started, effectively, one would on logical grounds must go for the second of conception. There isn’t any query that sperm cells are alive; there is no query that egg cells are alive, so there’s little level in arguing that the union of the 2 is not alive. Maybe the higher, and harder query, is when does that egg and that sperm change into you? Once more, primarily based on logic, the reply is at conception, since at that time you’ve got the entire genetic materials that makes you a novel life kind. As as to if or not you’ve got the identical human rights at conception as you do afterward down the observe, effectively that is a authorized and philosophical query, not a scientific one.
Source by John Prytz