Author notes

OBJECTION TWO: THE PUDDLE IN THE DESERT

alschroeder

on April 20, 2014

Sorry about the skip week. Between the stitches and the oral surgery, and buying a new computer system, it definitely has been an interesting couple of weeks.
Originally used by Douglas Adams (love his many books!) in this speech here. Often used to refute the anthropic coincidences, but seen in context, was used to argue of how the conception of God came about.
He seems to be more complaining about the sort of believer who fights climate change, because we're "destined" to be here, and God won't let us disappear.
And these are often the same people who believe in the story/parable of Noah as literal truth. In which humanity was almost wiped out entirely.
Not all theists are like that; many see the environment as a trust given by God, like the workers in a vinyard that Jesus uses in parables. That we should take care of the trust given to us, knowing we will someday be held accountable. We also don't reject the consensus of the scientific community on climate change.
Many see this "puddle" analogy…maybe Adams did himself–that life will adapt to any conditions around it, and consider any adaptation as remarkable. I hope I've demonstrated…and will give a few more demonstrations—that such is NOT the case…that we live in a large landscape of
possibilities, most of which would not allow intelligent life to evolve at all.
We live in a very isolated puddle indeed, no matter how temporary we are.
(For those who have been drawn here for the first time, perhaps by the mention of Douglas Adams, if you look at past strips, you'll see what I mean about changing the constants, the number of spatial dimensions, etc.)
Oh, and for those who are so inclined…
Happy Easter.