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---------------------------------
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Héctor asked:
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Is the Universe in which we live really infinite and still growing? Then what is the purpose of human
beings on this complex universe?
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============
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Well, let's look at it another way; let's turn the question around. Suppose there werea purpose,
imposed, let us say, by some superintelligent being(s), and suppose that human beings were part of
that purpose. So what? Why should we take their(or "its") purpose as ourpurpose? Because they
say so? Because it's "their" universe?
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Let me put it another way. Suppose, again, there were such beings, who have designed the universe.
Fine. Now, what gives them theirpurpose? Another being(s)? And what gives that next set theirs?
And why should any of them, including us, pay any attention to any of the others' purposes?
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You can see the problems here. There are ethical questions ("why should we be concerned with, and
certainly why should we be constrained by, another being's purpose?"); and there is the regress
problem ("where does the originator of our purpose get itspurpose?"). I do not know, actually, of any
philosopher treating these issues at length and systematically (Aquinas barely touches them, but of
course he was extremely biased); maybe I'll have to write that book.
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What I'm getting at is very simple (which is probably why no one's written a book). Ultimately,
somewhere, something is going to have to say, in effect, "The buck stops here; we're going to take
responsibility and jump-start purpose." Well, so... go do it.
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Steven Ravett Brown
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