Universe

Off-topic Chatter
1

This is definitely off-topic and chatter!

Recently I've gotten back into astronomy a bit. I'm learning to navigate the night skies and I'm reading more about Cosmology (origins of the universe).

It's all interesting of course particularly as you are able to put some limiting numbers, terminology and other framework together in your mind it helps to paint a clearer picture.

One question that comes to mind that I haven't really seen addressed (outside a religious context) concerns the nature and structure of the universe.

That is, what is the "point" of the universe? I'm not talking about meaning of life or any questions with religion as the answer. For instance, on Earth an ant, worm, tiger all have their place in the order and are productive. There is a point in their being there.

There is a purpose for the sun, rain, wind, erosion, etc. as well.

When you consider the universe it is vast (an understatement) but it doesn't need to be. There is an abundance of energy in the form of the stars but again there is no need for it. It's not doing anything or feeding into any other system

There may be life out there somewhere that we haven't found but it certainly doesn't appear to be common so again one could ask the question "why is the universe as it is?".

Of course man or Earth isn't the center of the universe and we could all be ants trying to figure out what's going on. That's about the only answer to the question that I can come up with.

If anyone has any other thoughts or has read of something that provides some reasoning as to why the universe is structured as it is I'd like to hear it.

This isn't a religious question and it isn't a strictly scientific one either. I've read all about how the universe come about in the early days but when you step back and apply logic or observation you are usually able to "see" a bigger picture with most science or natural processes and why it's good that they do exist. With the universe as a whole that's harder.

2

Very interesting question. It reminds me... as a kid, I remember learning that the universe is infinite, and standing outside at night looking up at the sky and thinking "that goes on forever", and not being able to grasp that concept. Then later, we learned that the universe is not infinite, but again, I couldn't grasp the concept so I still sometimes stand there and try to wrap my brain around it but it doesn't work for me.

Let us know when you figure out the answer. :)

3

Why does there need to be a "point" to the universe? When it all comes down to it, the only reason the sun has a point to you is to support your life. If it weren't there, you wouldn't be here and then it wouldn't really matter.

4

I agree that there doesn't need to be a point and I don't think there is a point but in general when I look around there is more interconnectivity than I see in the universe.

It is the way it is for sure but with more knowledge things generally tend to make more sense (to us humans) so it's always good to seek more knowledge.

After all, we could be in a vastly more interesting universe and just not realize it. We could be like my cat Billy, living in an interesting world but only being interested in having his head rubbed :)

5

There is more interconnectivity around you than in the universe because the universe is a cold and uncaring place. The earth is a place full of life that requires interaction between species to survive. We have evolved together to live together and survive off of one another.

6

The point, purpose or raison d'être of the universe is indeed a philosophical question. It might be more helpful to look at it from a different angle. The concept of purpose is something that we as sapient beings impose on our surroundings when we see intent. The sun in an of it self does not have a purpose, nothing it does is done by intent.

The universe is the way it is because of prior events, leading all the way back to the "big bang". It is not a satisfying answer, I know, but it is a true one.

If you want an even bigger mind bender, try scaling down and read up on subatomic particles. It makes for some truly strange knowledge.

7

"why is the universe as it is?"

42

Nope. That doesn't work either.Tongue out

8

That is the answer to life, the universe and everything.

9

Correct and the running gag is trying to find the ulitmate question that fits the ultimate answer.

10

The extremes are the most interesting. Extremely small or large. An extreme amount of mass and you have a black hole which are just fascinating. Even more fascinating is the extreme energy density of the kugelblitz (essentially a black hole of energy). Dark matter, wormholes, parallel universes, what happens after the universe stops expanding and starts contracting? Will it all end in a gnab gib?

11

Here is a video I like to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ImvlS8PLIo

12

When it comes to the Universe there are far more questions than answers. I'm constantly amazed at what astronomers have learned (or "think" they have learned) but I'm more amazed at what we "don't know and probably never will know." It's intriguing to think about all the possibilities that lie out there but in the whole scheme of things we have very little "proof."

One thing I do know is a prefer a night with no moonlight when I'm using flashlights. :D

13

Are you a solipsist?

14

it is just there , it exists before and after us as, a random presence of material.

the oxygen isnt there for you to breath. you happen to need it to live and have come to live where it is present ... guess we are just lucky that earth fell into place like it did. BSG fans really know how we got here : )

also things are so random that some people cant fathom other life forms could have happened. not that this is an alien topic but it comes up. if that ever happens, alien contact, i am sure they will be hostile and will likely eat us !!

think we need to work on warp drives and FTL drives before we start to "walk"

Under the Milky Way

Cheers

15

Nope, I just live in the real world and know that many scientists hypothesize.

16

One of my faves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17jymDn0W6U

17

Try this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyzIau5dBao&t=23s

18

The bigger question is related to our being IMO. I have read a lot about this, and a bigger picture is comeing together now, but these are the things you must experience yourself. Im quite inexperienced atm, but I did prove to myself that the things they are talking about are real.

Far the best you can read: Robert Monroe and his "follower" Thomas Campbell. They are both the engineers type, both wrote a trilogy. Campbell is a physicist working at NASA. You can find a lot of talk on youtube, especially from Campbell. Campbell books are avaible in google books. Non of them are religious, but it is interesting how close what they say to the eastern relegions, especially buddhism (which is more like a method than religion). The whole thing is connected to consciousness and out of body experiences.

I dont think there is a question that you can ask and they dont cover, except what they cant discribe and you have to experience yourself ;)

19

That's what they are supposed to do. It's the scientific method!