JUST ANOTHER EXTINCTION
Every species, with the possible exception of those of one cell on this planet, have gone extinct, and with the dying of the sun, they too will go extinct. Every recognizable species that currently resides on this planet will go extinct. The two important words in these sentences are "every" and "extinct". Yes folks, humans will go extinct contrary to some billionaire's fantasy of our minds joining the cloud or of interstellar travel. There is nothing permanent in our universe including us.
We, us humans, our species (after all we are a species just like any other life form) will go extinct. Our computers, our AI, our books, our houses, stores, and roads will all disappear. Gone - - no more. The human species has accomplished much but these accomplishments will all disappear along with us. Species such as ours, with our presumed intelligence, will appear and disappear again and again as it always has in this infinite universe.
We, us humans, have fantasized since the inception of the irrational of supernatural beings who are either infinite or forever hovering around the planet making decisions that affect us in our everyday lives. In one manner or another, we, us humans again, have determined that our spirit, our soul, our mental capacities will continue to exist in the hereafter forever and ever.
A nice thought really and comforting, but nonsense all the same. Simply because a particular belief gives us comfort does not make it true. There is nothing more irrational than wishful thinking and our species has developed this method of dealing with the certainty of physical death to magnificent extremes. To my knowledge most if not all human societies developed beliefs in some form of immortality or after-life. We are no different than a rabbit being chased by a fox, we flee extinction, the expiration of life, at least until one has the chance to procreate. Biology has certain fixed tendencies and procreation and extinction are two of them.
But unfortunately, our solar system, the environment which allowed life here on earth to begin and flourish will also disappear. This too is a certainty. And when our earth disappears so will our remnants. They will be gone just like us. There will be no memory of us or our deities or our computers, or our skyscrapers, or our successes and failures; it will be as if we never existed. So, my suggestion is to enjoy your life and make the most of it while you have it: it ain't going to last forever.
Richard E H Phelps II
Mingo
