The Enigma of the Unknowable: What Science Cannot Explain
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Chapter 1: Understanding the Limits of Science
Science enhances our comprehension of the universe and our place within it. Gradually, the scientific method uncovers truths about the world we inhabit. In critical situations, such as pandemics, dismissing scientific insights can lead to dire consequences. A rational individual should always welcome scientific knowledge, allowing it to shape their perspective, even when the truths are uncomfortable.
The Copernican Revolution serves as a prime example of how science reshapes our worldview. Five centuries ago, the prevailing belief was that Earth occupied the center of the cosmos. Nicolaus Copernicus and his successors demonstrated that the Earth orbits the Sun. This revelation deeply challenged our self-importance and anthropocentric beliefs. Nevertheless, facts remain unchanged; it is our response to these truths that varies.
Despite science's invaluable contributions, there are certain mysteries it cannot unravel. Some truths are inherently unknowable and will remain so long after humanity has vanished. Yet, philosophers, myself included, find it hard to resist contemplating these enigmas, even if practical thinkers dismiss them. Three particular questions frequently occupy my thoughts: the origin of the universe, the emergence of life, and the nature of consciousness. Let me elaborate on this philosophical quandary.
Section 1.1: The Origin of the Universe
Thanks to astronomer Edwin Hubble's research, we now understand that the universe is expanding, a process that has been ongoing for billions of years. The detection of Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMB) in the 1960s confirmed this expansion, supported by various space probes launched since. Although many prefer the Steady State theory—a static universe—reality is more complex.
The universe aligns with the model proposed by Catholic priest and astronomer George Lemaître in the 1920s, often derisively termed The Big Bang. In truth, the universe is in a constant state of expansion. As astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains in his book Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution:
At the moment when the universe was merely a fraction of a second old, a blistering trillion degrees hot, and radiating unimaginable brightness, the primary focus was on expansion.
Approximately 380,000 years post-expansion, the first atoms formed, giving rise to the physical universe we experience today. Before atoms existed, only subatomic particles floated in a nearly formless plasma. The origin of this plasma remains elusive; it likely emerged from a singularity—an infinitely dense point of spacetime. Beyond this, science has no information.
No empirical evidence exists prior to The Big Bang. This gap leads religious individuals to assert that God created the universe, while secular thinkers dismiss this notion, suggesting instead the existence of a multiverse where infinite versions of our universe appear and vanish randomly. This idea certainly requires a great deal of imagination!
Ultimately, we remain clueless about how our universe originated. Although philosophers and theologians can speculate endlessly, science is limited in this area. Current discussions among physicists about a Theory of Everything—integrating Einstein's relativity with quantum mechanics—still leave us pondering the fundamental questions of existence.
This video titled "The Unknowable and the Unknown by O.G. Rose" delves into the boundaries of human understanding, exploring philosophical musings on what lies beyond the reach of science.
Section 1.2: The Emergence of Life
From atoms, the universe evolved into nebulas, stars, planets, and everything in between. Then, life emerged from a once-inanimate cosmos. Paleontologist Richard Fortey, in his book Life: A Natural History of the First Four Billion Years of Life on Earth, emphasizes that:
The vital spark from inanimate matter to animate life happened once and only once, and all living existence depends upon that moment.
This pivotal event may have transpired on Earth or elsewhere in the cosmos, but it certainly occurred within time. In other words, life emerged in various forms within our constantly evolving universe.
Defining life poses a challenge. As we explore the topic, we encounter numerous exceptions to the rules. For instance, although all life forms replicate, viruses cannot do so independently; they rely on living cells. This leaves us questioning whether viruses qualify as living entities.
One could argue that life is merely the cycle of birth and death. Yet primitive, single-celled organisms, such as archaea and bacteria, replicate indefinitely, making life seem immortal. All multicellular organisms have evolved from the first simple life forms that ever existed.
In its quest to identify life beyond Earth, NASA offers this definition:
Life is a self-sustaining chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution.
While this may be the best definition available, it does little to clarify the essence of life or its origins. For billions of years, the universe thrived without any living entities, suggesting no inherent cosmological need for life.
Science asserts that life forms arise based on their genetic codes. Cells divide and organize into simple organisms, eventually forming more complex beings like ourselves. This organization is dictated by the information encoded in RNA or DNA. Evolution represents the gradual alteration of this information over time, leading to diverse life forms. But this raises another question: where does this information originate? Once more, both religious and secular thinkers can speculate, but science offers no answers. The source of this information remains a profound mystery.
In this thought-provoking video titled "Unknowability: How Do We Know What Cannot Be Known? | Psychology and Social Science," the discussion centers on the limits of human knowledge and understanding.
Chapter 2: Consciousness and Its Mysteries
As sentient beings, we contemplate the universe and our role within it. We examine our thoughts and question the nature of cognition, especially in a world dominated by archaea and bacteria for billions of years. We are aware of the narrative Charles Darwin described as The Descent of Man. Our evolution from tree-dwelling ancestors to upright hominids using tools is a gradual journey towards consciousness. Yet, this progression does not clarify what consciousness actually is or why we think at all.
The German Idealist philosopher G. W. F. Hegel pondered this subject in his work The Phenomenology of Mind, stating:
For consciousness is, on the one hand, consciousness of the object, on the other, consciousness of itself; consciousness of what to it is true, and consciousness of its knowledge of that truth.
In essence, consciousness arises from recognizing both subject and object, self and other. As reflective beings, we are aware of our environment and our existence, acknowledging a distinction between the two. While one could argue that all creatures exhibit some awareness of self and other, humans uniquely engage in abstract thought. Our capacity for self-awareness and sophisticated language sets us apart.
Scientists assert that the brain processes sensory data, allowing us to perceive the world, reflect on our perceptions, and adjust our behavior accordingly—this is learning. However, 17th-century Rationalist philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz proposed:
There is nothing in the intellect that was not first in the senses, except the intellect itself.
Contemporary cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker expands on this notion in The Blank Slate: the Modern Denial of Human Nature, suggesting:
Something in the mind must be innate, if it is only the mechanisms that do the learning.
The term "innate" complicates the discussion. It implies that certain attributes are present from birth, yet it doesn't explain their origins.
Human beings enter the world with consciousness and the ability to think—a remarkable trait that has evolved over time. Does this indicate that humanity is the apex of existence, or that our consciousness is unparalleled in the universe? Are we so self-important that we cannot fathom the existence of another consciousness that surpasses our own? Could it be possible that the universe itself possesses a consciousness from which our own arises? Science remains silent on this profound question.
Section 2.1: The Philosophical Pursuit of the Unknowable
Why do philosophers grapple with the unknowable? Generally, scientists recognize the limitations of human understanding, continually pushing the boundaries of knowledge. It is feasible to form reasonably good ideas about reality without achieving absolute certainty. However, humility is crucial; we are not all-knowing.
Why do we engage in speculation about the fundamentally unknowable? Naturalist John Burroughs encapsulated it well:
We cannot penetrate the final mystery of things, because behind every mystery is another mystery. What causes life? What initiated evolution? Why are you and I here? Who or what organized the world we perceive? We cannot help but ask these questions, even as we realize that they are ultimately unanswerable.
There are aspects of nature we can understand and others that elude our grasp. The nature that remains elusive is Nature with a capital "N"—the source from which all things arise, encompassing nature's core laws, whatever they might be. Nature represents the universe's order and infinite potential. Confronting this reality is a daunting task. Despite our intelligence, we are ill-equipped to handle the stark truths of infinite and eternal existence—What-Is. This remains beyond the reach of both scientists and non-scientists alike.