Our minds cannot grasp the concept of infinity, either of time or space. Our existence encompasses only one point in time, infinitesimal, finite, a mere moment of forever. Likewise, we occupy a mere spot in the vastness of space, on a small piece of real estate, part of the vast planet earth, in a very large solar system which is part of a large galaxy, in a large universe. It is even more difficult to grasp space beyond our universe. From such a perspective, the quest for knowledge, gathering data, seeking comprehension, and accumulating conclusions of fact are similar to an ant knowing the world.
A lifetime is a brief time. A man who spends his whole life searching must find reward in the effort, beyond the realization of success. Many generations of men searching have still not found answers, but the history of Man’s efforts is a beauty of creation.
We search for answers to explain ourselves, to give us meaning, importance, and reason to exist. We seek immortality so we can comprehend, in time, how our existence fits in with the world we live in. It is immortality that will gives us intimacy with the creator and makes us part of the plan of nature and the universe.
Our intellect and reasoning cannot discover truths. Our imagination and beliefs cannot create even unfounded foundations for truth. Our processing for the reason for the existence of Man, for our own personal existence, or even the reason for anything, leaves us with frustration and unanswered questions.
Pieces of knowledge, lying like fragments of a puzzle, even when put together, create a picture we cannot comprehend.
Humanity, our heritage, is perhaps, an experiment of intellect in evolution’s quest for survival. Homo sapiens historically do not even constitute an ‘AGE’ in the timetable of life. We are a small part of a vast diversity of species, existing only briefly on earth, of questionable survival value. Still our humanity breeds curiosity and the quest for discovery. We ask questions. We use our mind to attempt to comprehend. We search for Truth.
We are the only species to search out a concept for God, to seek out reasons for the existence of good and evil, to have ideas about spirituality and mysticism, and to conceive that we may exist for a reason and have purpose. Our intellect is our link to God.
The outcome of the accumulation of data is not wisdom, it is mystery. The attempts of Man to unravel the complexities of nature only reveal the feebleness of intellect and the inability to process the massive data before us. We discover and scratch surfaces, always finding underlying mystery and a truth beyond our grasp. Still we search. (see other essays below)
Democratic Dilemmas and Divine Inspiration examines the significance or relevance of the idea that the U.S. Constitution was, as many believe, divinely inspired. How much did that belief matter to founders of the nation and how much does it matter no
