"In 500 years, we went from the center of the universe, to living on just another planet among countless trillions. Each discovery, in some sense, has made humanity less special and less unique. At the same time however, these discoveries have elevated the importance of our existence."
This discussion always reminds me a few lines from the first MIB movie: “1500 years ago, everybody "knew" that the earth was the center of the universe. 500 years ago, everybody "knew" that the earth was flat….Imagine what you'll "know" tomorrow.”
We may still not have the faintest understanding of physics or the limits of what we can actually achieve. Our technology would, quite literally, feel like magic to someone living a few centuries ago.
Absolutely. It can be useful to take a perspective from a couple of centuries in the future and then look at today's capabilities and theories. It should make us less dogmatic about our current beliefs.
As I wrote here: https://www.lianeon.org/p/how-science-made-humanity-less-special
"In 500 years, we went from the center of the universe, to living on just another planet among countless trillions. Each discovery, in some sense, has made humanity less special and less unique. At the same time however, these discoveries have elevated the importance of our existence."
This discussion always reminds me a few lines from the first MIB movie: “1500 years ago, everybody "knew" that the earth was the center of the universe. 500 years ago, everybody "knew" that the earth was flat….Imagine what you'll "know" tomorrow.”
We may still not have the faintest understanding of physics or the limits of what we can actually achieve. Our technology would, quite literally, feel like magic to someone living a few centuries ago.
Absolutely. It can be useful to take a perspective from a couple of centuries in the future and then look at today's capabilities and theories. It should make us less dogmatic about our current beliefs.