Insignificance can be beautiful!

[Tiberius]

I just watched a debate between Michael Shermer and John Lennox, and in Shermer's final closing argument, he read from his book "Why Darwin Matters" (great book btw). I find this argument, though it shows how insignificant we really are, one of the most beautiful:

"What science tells us is that we are but one among hundreds of millions of species that evolved over the course of three and a half billion years on one tiny planet among many orbiting an ordinary star, itself one of possibly billions of solar systems in an ordinary galaxy that contains hundreds of billions of stars, itself located in a cluster of galaxies not so different from millions of other galaxy clusters, themselves whirling away from one another in an expanding cosmic bubble universe that very possibly is only one among a near infinite number of bubble universes. Is it really possible that this entire cosmological multiverse was designed and exists for one tiny subgroup of a single species on one planet in a lone galaxy in that solitary bubble universe? It seems unlikely."

This is beauty on a scale that no believer could ever adhere to. Who agrees?

[Darwinian]

To see things as they really are rather than be deluded by false hopes and dreams is the most beatiful experience that the universe has to offer. So, yes. I agree...

[Edwardo Piet]

I agree. Scientific truth is beautiful, the delusion of faith is ugly. Faith is a weak primitive deluded craving for comfort and a weak primitive fear of something more powerful than ourselves. Scientific truth is wonderful. The scientific universe is almost certainly more beautiful than the deluded universe of a believer will ever be.
Because scientific truth goes beyond craving and fear. Its true whether we crave it or fear it or not.

[leo-rcc]

Read or watch Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot, it puts everything into the proper perspective.

[youtube]p86BPM1GV8M[/youtube]

[Edwardo Piet]

That clip is truly wonderful.

[Daystar]

Honestly? You guys don't really see how religious you are?!

[Tiberius]

A religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe. I don't see how saying the universe is beautiful links into it's cause, nature, or purpose.

But please, explain how we are.

[Edwardo Piet]

Honestly? You guys don't really see how religious you are?!

Well depends on your definition of religious. The first chapter of The God Delusion talks about how Einstein described himself as a 'deeply religious non-believer', but Dawkins says that he thinks because of what religion and religious is often considered to mean, perhaps spiritual is a better word. And even that doesn't do its justice because that often has a religious context too.
I for example am 'religious' or spiritual only in the sense of wonder about the universe. Not superstition or belief in the supernatural or miracles.

[Jason Jarred]

Honestly? You guys don't really see how religious you are?!

I religiously play computer games, does that make me religious?

[Edwardo Piet]

Honestly? You guys don't really see how religious you are?!

I religiously play computer games, does that make me religious?

I've been playing computer games religiously since I was 6 in that case!, (thats for 14 years) just about every day. When I was a kid I used to play about an hour a day, it moved up to 2 or 3 hours then 5 then 8 and then 10. Then about between 12 and 16 hours a day. That 12-16 hour playing went on for a year or two. Now I hardly play at all - But only because I don't have the time to play online! I'm obsessed with computer games.
My favourite multiplayer games are AoC and RoR, Starcraft Warcraft2, Warcraft 3, AoE3 and CoD2.
Some of my favourite single player games I played when I was a kid (too many to mention), in no particular order were, first the DOS games: Hexen, Heretic, Magic carpet 1 and 2, Ascendancy, Blake Stone Aliens of Gold, Battledrome, Duke Nukem 3d, Simon the Sorcerer 1 and 2, monkey island 1 and 2 and baldies. And many many more. (I got into the Classic doom more recently actually, in last 2-3 years, I of course think its brilliant.)
And windows games were, still of course, RoR (and AoE) and Starcraft and AoC and AoK multiplayer. Also Dark reign and total annihilation. I would have liked Warcraft 2 and 3 and CoD2 as well, but I played them much more recentlly - so that wasn't when I was a kid. They of course rock too, as I have said.
Also, Empire Earth was interesting, but never really played it much so can't really judge. Would like to give it another go some day and play EE 2 aswell. Rise of Nations was better I think. AoM was good but not as good as AoC. AoE3 is great too, but I haven't played it much.
There's much much more games that I like but thats enough for my ranting for now. And I can't think of them all atm.
Oh and 1 more thing! I love the music to some of these games. The RoR music is beautiful (the audio version is probably better but some of the midi version had different tracks so its good to also hear them too), the AoC and AoK music are great too. Not sure whether I prefer AoK or AoC music. And I might not like either of them to the RoR music though. Hexen music is awesome. Heretic music is good and some of it is on par with hexen. Starcraft:Brood War music is brilliant. Ascendancy music is excellent. Battledrome music is good and interesting but perhaps its mostly the nostalgia talking! Duke3d music is good. I like the duke3d theme but I think the track to the first level could be best. But that could be nostalgia too. Dark Reign music is excellent. Drums and brilliant. Blake stone music is great and Doom music is great. These are the ones I remember most.
P.S: I read a review about how Dark Reign could have been more popular than Starcraft if it had came out just before rather than just after. I'm not so sure, there's a lot more variety in Starcraft. I don't think Dark Reign could compete with Starcraft. I don't know. But Dark Reign is certainly an awesome game and one of my favourite games ever. I haven't played the second one but I doubt its as good as the original.
Ok I've said enough! Enough ranting about games...Oh and I love game midi music when its done well[ and its nostalgic. I make music but its very hard to make a song sound good in just midi. Because its more about the tune than the sound. My favourite game music is probably the RoR music and the Hexen music now, and has been for years. But the first music I ever really liked (a LOT), game or not game music, was actually the Blake Stone Aliens of Gold music. Particularly certain tracks.
ENOUGH! FOR REAL THIS TIME!