Some turn to religion for answers, others science

I have a simple answer to the questions, “Where did we come from?” and “Why are we here?” but my answer raises other questions and many complicated possibilities.

I believe we came from the same place the universe came from, and we are made of the same energy that makes up matter and gives vitality to life. I also believe that physical energy is controlled by the principles of intelligence through the laws of physics, and the energy of life is activated by the principles of emotion that are inherent in a will to live. Simply put, we came from the energy that is the “substance” of both matter and life, and the energy is governed by the principles of intelligence and emotion.

So now the question is, “Where did energy, intelligence and emotion come from?” and since there is no earthly way to find an answer, we are free to choose from any number of religious explanations — or formulate an explanation of our own.

My personal scenario of the “beginning” assumes there were fundamental bits and pieces of thought and feeling that were present in empty space, and these harbingers of existence eventually merged into the intelligent and emotional principles that make up the unconscious force of primordial logic, which is outwardly manifested as matter and life. The synergy that resulted from the union of intelligence and emotion “created” the energy of a Big Bang, and its results are all around us.

Although the actual origin and functions of primordial logic remain mysterious, there is evidence of a Big Bang, and some of its energy is transformed into physical matter by the intelligent laws of physics, and some of it is manifested though the emotional fears and desires of life. In other words, the laws of physics and a will to live are functions of primordial logic that govern physical energy and the nature of life. All forms of matter and life are manifestations of primordial logic’s energy, intelligence and emotion.

As for our purpose in life, there is a cause-and-effect reason why everything happens, but there is no specific “purpose” for anything. Matter and life are only outward manifestations of the laws of physics and a wil to live, however, the intelligence and emotion that is inherent in matter and life gave “birth” to a sense of awareness in sentient animals that evolved to become self-conscious human beings. Self-consciousness gives us a will of our own, which allows us to choose our own purpose in life, such as the pursuit of happiness, the well-being of our loved ones, or the accumulation of knowledge, riches or fame. In essence, our own mind determines the purpose of our life.

Self-consciousness also gives us a desire to understand how things work, and it allows us to experience ever deeper feelings of joy and sorrow. The accumulation of knowledge and experience results in the upward progress of human culture, which in turn, expands the range of our emotional capacity. However, even as our self-conscious mind contributes to the unfoldment of primordial logic’s intelligent and emotional nature, the same consciousness of self limits our mind to the narrow parameters of the here and now, which essentially “condemns” us to be creatures of the Earth.

Our major “contribution” to the expansion of primordial logic began at birth, when we became aware of our own existence, which was our first step in establishing an inner-self that is shaped by our personal passions, talents and faults, as well as by the circumstances we deal with throughout our life. Our inner self is made up of memory, imagination, intellect and will — which are not subject to the laws of physics — therefore, when we die our non-physical inner self continues to exist as a soul. Evidently, consciousness began as a sentient awareness in primitive life forms, and it evolved into the self-consciousness of human beings, and it continues to evolve beyond our comprehension — perhaps to the cosmic-consciousness of spirituality. One way or another, it is likely our inner self will express primordial logic on a higher plane of existence, but whether our human identity is retained in an afterlife is unknown because the aspirations of our soul are beyond us in the same way that human aspirations are beyond our primate ancestors.

Even though human knowledge and emotional experience is the “stuff” that souls are made of, we are still mortal beings, and it behooves us to be sensible and caring in our endeavors to survive and prosper. The logical pursuit of our own well-being requires us to be mindful of our loved ones, as well as to attend to the good of our community and environment. Being sensible and caring in all aspects of our life expresses primordial logic’s nature, and the highest “good” we can aspire toward is to pursue knowledge and experience emotion.

These ideas are unlikely to be accepted by organized religion, which is human culture’s means of introducing spirituality to the masses. Organized religion began when primitive shamans recognized the natural power of “spirits,” which is not too different from the recognition of primordial logic’s laws of physics (that turn energy into matter and govern its behavior). Our understanding of the scheme of things — religious or otherwise — determines whether the world makes sense to us, which in turn, gives meaning (or not) to our existence.

It seems that all human beings are at a different level of intellectual and emotional development, but eventually — as individuals — we learn to do our own thinking, which allows us to take responsibility for the quality of our own life. When that happens, we learn to accept the vicissitudes of human life with equanimity, and we recognize endless possibilities that are revealed as we experience human life. In a sense, we enter into the wisdom of the golden years.

These ideas are an honest attempt to explain that everything in the world makes sense because intelligence is everywhere, but it is also clear that everything is as it must be, which includes the negative results of ignorance. So now the question is, “Why must ignorance, greed, global warming and war be a part of things,” and the short answer is because they are a logical part of learning how to deal with all aspects of human life, which is what makes our life worth living.

Art Carney is a resident of Wasilla.