Saturday, August 30, 2014

A winding look at several topics

Eating breakfast this morning, I’ve been contemplating a few things.  The first is a YouTube video showcasing why I don’t believe in the Big Bang Theory.  If you are just reading this, here’s my argument. 

Before we begin, we have to agree to one fact.  Here is that fact: the universe is not infinitely old. 

Good?  Do we both agree?

Here’s the question I have for anyone who believes in the Big Bang Theory.  How did nothing become something?   If your answer is “we don’t know, but we think science can figure it out”, I’ll give you a pass and we can agree to disagree.  At least you are thinking deeply about the subject and understand the limitations of your argument.

For the rest of you, let’s go to Chemistry.  In lab Chemistry, we are taught the output of a chemical reaction is always equal to the input.  Matter is neither created nor destroyed in the process.  It simply assumes a new shape.  If that is true, then it has always been true.  So, despite everything we are still dealing with the same amount of matter that was there when the world was first created.  Right?

If high school Chemistry is true and matter can neither be created nor destroyed, and our first premise is true that the universe is not infinitely old, then we have all the information we need to deconstruct the Big Bang Theory.  So, if you know the age of something, you know an age at which the object didn’t exist.  Except the object we’re talking about here is time, space, and the universe.  So, if we know that the universe is X years old, we also know that at any point greater than X, the universe didn’t exist.  Neither did matter, or mass, or time, or anything else. 

If you want to argue there was something there, you are violating our only rule.  Remember, the universe is not infinitely old.  If the universe is not infinitely old, there was to be a creation point.  Before the creation point, there was nothing.  No time, no space, no matter, no cosmic mismasa, no ether, no nothing.

So the question becomes again: how did nothing become something?

The other thing I’ve been contemplating was a parallel between evolution and animal conservation.  Evolution says “the best equipped of an animal will survive”.  That may not be the fastest, or the smartest animal.  It may be the one with different coloring. 

So the question becomes why do we conserve animals and prevent them extinction? 

The answer always seems to be human encroachment.  But think of the pigeon.  The pigeon is a good example of adaptation versus human encroachment.  Pigeons used to be primarily white.  Now, most are a dingy grey that blends in with buildings.  The best equipped pigeon to survive did despite the encroachment of humanity.  The pigeon adapted to survive and thrive in new environments. 

So the answer isn’t human encroachment.  The survival of the pigeon also makes me wonder about other “endangered animals”.  If a pigeon is capable of adapting to human habitation and thrive, why can’t other animals?  Given the general thought of many “the greatest good for the greatest number of people”, then animal conservation makes no sense.  What makes these animals that haven’t adapted to new circumstances and situations worth saving?  What makes them better than any other animal?  Do the rules not apply?  The greatest good for the greatest number of people is the entire idea. 

I don’t believe in the idea of “the greatest good for the greatest number of people”.  I’m also not arguing for keeping endangered animals. 

So the logical conclusion for me is to simply let the animals that can’t adapt perish.  If a pigeon can adapt, why can’t any other animal?  Can a cow start tasting bad?  Certain plants have evolved that defense.  Yet despite years and years of breeding, cows still taste good.

So it seems evolution has been very selective about where it has been applied.  Seems strange.  Maybe I just haven’t drug time out far enough.  But then if you drag time out far enough, then eventually some other animal should evolve to sentience. 

And that hasn’t happened yet.


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