The immensity of the universe;addendum (The nature of a \'Creator\')

by dhw, Sunday, January 31, 2016, 13:08 (3008 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: You believe that the billions of solar systems and zillions of stars that come and go are all for the purpose of creating life and, specifically, humans..... However, we both have the same problem: neither of us KNOWS the context of what is known about the universe, and it is what we don't know that gives rise to all these discussions. I can only explain why the gaps you acknowledge make your hypothesis as difficult for me to accept as any other explanation that humans have come up with.

DAVID: Just ask the 'why' question instead of being hung up on the 'how' question. That is our difference. Why are humans here? Extremely improbable, therefore purposeful!-Perhaps it would be better to ask no questions at all, but you would not have written your books and I would not have started this website if we were not curious by nature. My curiosity, however, does not allow me to stop at humans. I ask why your God would create and destroy billions of solar systems, or give private tuition to the weaverbird, in order to produce you and me, and I find no satisfactory answer. And when you ask me why humans are here, I ask whether there is a why at all. And I do not equate improbability with purpose, because improbability could be the result of chance. A quick google reveals that the chances of winning the jackpot in something called the Powerball Lottery are 1 in 175,223, 510, but I think most of us would say the winner is lucky rather than his/her win was part of a divine plan. I am not, however, opposing your design argument, because I too am unable to believe in chance as a creator of life's complexities. I am merely pointing out that there are far more questions to be answered than “why are humans here?”