On Medium: The Prospect of Tragic Heroism in the Cosmic Scheme
Here's an article about why we should begin philosophizing by contemplating the worst-case existential scenario since that raises the stakes of our potential heroism.
Suppose we struggle onward. Suppose we achieve the impossible and answer every question, unlock every door, solve every mystery of life and the universe. What then? What was the point? What good did all that achieve? Because once everything is answered, there is nothing left to do but forget. We already have all the knowledge we need. We've had it since the moment our species first became cognizant of death and the meaninglessness of life. There is nothing to be gained by having existed, and nothing to lose by having not existed.
There would be a universe to explore, and plenty of work for gods to do in creating new worlds with all that knowledge.
"Nothing to be gained" betrays a consequentialist perspective, whereas we might adopt a deontological morality, one that posits a duty and a responsibility to redeem life's absurdity by improving on all things.
Suppose we struggle onward. Suppose we achieve the impossible and answer every question, unlock every door, solve every mystery of life and the universe. What then? What was the point? What good did all that achieve? Because once everything is answered, there is nothing left to do but forget. We already have all the knowledge we need. We've had it since the moment our species first became cognizant of death and the meaninglessness of life. There is nothing to be gained by having existed, and nothing to lose by having not existed.
ReplyDeleteThere would be a universe to explore, and plenty of work for gods to do in creating new worlds with all that knowledge.
Delete"Nothing to be gained" betrays a consequentialist perspective, whereas we might adopt a deontological morality, one that posits a duty and a responsibility to redeem life's absurdity by improving on all things.