Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Serpent Universe

Have you ever wondered how the universe came to be? Could something come out of nothing? These are the questions that have confronted man since the dawn of time and until now man is still searching for answers.

Awhile ago a friend asked me this question: “Could something come out of nothing?” Sounded like a religious question ( ex nihilo, nihil fit), so I stopped for a moment and decided to humor him with my answer, “Like a wriggler or a maggot coming to life? Is that what you mean?” He was a bit shocked as he was probably expecting a metaphysical answer. Though gross as it may sound to some, no one can deny that this sort of thing (wriggler-maggot coming to life) unfolding right in front of you is somewhat magical. That means that magic is simply the lack of observation on the part of the perceiver. We are drawn to believe because we couldn't explain it naturally (as of yet, that is), so what better way to explain such phenomenon? The supernatural!

Were you ever told as a kid that an eclipse happens when a serpent devours the sun? I know I was and some of the kids I knew before too. Imagine a gigantic serpent out to eat the sun! Yes, the sun itself. As adults with the ability to reason, we should have figured that this story is laughable and untrue. Yet there are still people who cling to their primitive views rather than accepting scientific facts. Science has replaced these mambo jumbo superstitions, as it should, with observable explanations.

Anyway, I'll take anything over a natural phenomenon explanation that involves over-sized reptiles swallowing heavenly bodies.

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