An Alien Concept

I've made mention of my thinkythoughts from time to time here. At times they take over and I have to sit and let them have their way with me.
This has been happening with more frequency lately. Mostly they are about space, infinity, and are other worlds inhabited?
I'll tackle the last one first: of course they are.

This isn't about little green men or greys who abduct and experiment on humans, or reptiods who harvest us for their meals, or any other popular belief or convention on the subject.
It is about simple fact as I see it.

It's not like I have proof, but what I do have is my own version of logic and it is based on infinity.
If you've ever stopped a moment to consider what is beyond the known solar system, you'll know where I am going with this.
Space is infinite. It cannot end and neither can it begin as both require definite points. To help my puny human mind grasp this I've had to designate a definite point. I chose Earth.
No matter which direction we leave from we can travel forever simply because it cannot end.
Even if we got to the end of our galaxy we go into another one, and so on.
Let's say the end of the galaxies is a great big wall we can't get past.
What's the other side of it?
Nothing.
That's fine, but what is nothing and for how long does it go on?

It's overwhelming, dizzying even, to consider, so we give ourselves a galaxy or so to contend with and don't think much beyond it.
It makes sleeping at night easier.

This brings us to time. Where did it begin, how does it end? Can it?
So we have infinity: there has always been and there always will be.
Now we have Earth and all its creatures including us.
In vast unending reaches of time and space how can we be alone?
How can only one world out of endless possible worlds be the only one inhabited by intelligent life, or any life for that matter?
It may be easier to believe this, and if you do then good for you. Do as you need to live your life as you see fit.

This brings up God, for those who swing that way. It is often said that God is all powerful, is in charge of everything, and creates everything. God is purportedly unlimited.
If so, then how can we say the Earth is all there is? That limits God.
Further, we see ourselves as His best creation.
That is both arrogant and frankly, I would think from God's perspective, a little insulting.

The inhabitants of Planet Whatever may not be visiting us. It doesn't mean they don't exist, it means they don't visit.
Good for them.
If they do stop by, that's great.
If they choose to keep themselves hidden, who are we to say they are wrong?

Whatever is the case I say they exist.

Abstraction

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

(Hamlet, Shakespeare, Act One, Scene 5)

I've been giving creation vs. evolution vs. intelligent design considerable thought lately. 

This is what I've concluded.

The chief problem with intelligent design is it is a compromise. Compromise is considered weak in our "I'm right" culture.

For an evolutionist the theory of evolution is an absolute. As a scientific theory it is provable. Things have been show to evolve.

For a creationist it is faith and the sure knowledge on a deep level that someone greater than us all is on the job looking after us. It is also an absolute.

As for proof, people create things every day.

Meanwhile, both sides maintain human beings are the top of the heap. We're the last word in evolution according to science. To a person who believes in a Creator, we are his best work.

My question to the creationists: Do you really believe we are the best God can do? Isn't that insulting to God?

To the evolutionists: What's next? In to whom, or what, are we evolving?

Intelligent design is the best of both views. It respects both of them and offers a logical, if faith-based, explanation for life.

In it, if I understand correctly, a Supreme Being invented all the ingredients the earth needs to sustain life and then let said ingredients have at it. In short, we're SB's science project.

It is a much broader view than either creationism or evolution, but it still stops at us. All three views have one thing in common: they are earth centric.

We're it. Not only have we either evolved as far as we're going to go, we're the top end of creation. For as vast and endless a being as SB's reputation would have it, we are as far as he got.

It's possible. We could be his latest work, but I have a hard time buying that we're his only like design. I am sure there are other people out there. I mean people in the broad sense of critters with whom we can identify including, but not restricted to Romulan, Gorn, or Ferengi.

This is what bothers me the most. Are our egos so fragile that we have to think we're the best? Or is it plain old gut –clenching fear?

Space does not end. Neither does it begin. Same with time. How can it?

What was before time? What was before space? Does it exist? Or do we have these measures as a way of coping with the infinite?

And may be that's what it is. My puny mind cannot conceive of many abstract concepts.

I can handle eternal because I see an implicit beginning to it. For me to cope I have to believe that eternal has a starting point. I can deal with no end if I have a beginning.

Infinite gives me trouble as there is no implicit beginning or end. It is impossible for me to put in words. I cannot conceive of no beginning

Perhaps that is why we like the evolution explanation. It gives us concrete measures. We can figure back to a beginning.

Maybe that's why we like to talk about the end of the world. It gives us a place to stop.

And maybe that's why both sides can't compromise on intelligent design. It gives an unfathomable infinity to science while taking away the infinite from creation.

I haven’t decided about it but it appeals to me for two reasons.

The first is it's a good compromise.

The second is we have a saying in the news business: if you get both sides mad at you, then you are doing something right.