The overall tone of the
new Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey TV
show seems to be optimistic about certain humanistic values. In particular,
these values are focused on finding out that our place in the Universe is
largely insignificant. Nevertheless, learning more about our place in the
Universe has been informative to me. In Neil deGrasse Tyson’s discussion on the
origins of life, he articulates:
Nobody knows how life
got started. Most of the evidence from that time was destroyed by impact and
erosion. Science works on the frontier of knowledge and ignorance. We’re not
afraid to admit what we don’t know. There’s no shame in that. The only shame is
to pretend that we have all the answers. Maybe someone watching this will be
the first to solve the mystery of how life on Earth began.
In regards to this quote, Neil deGrasse Tyson suggests
the science can be used to further our understanding of the origin of life on
Earth. As a result, using scientific knowledge to figure out the nature of
Universe can bolster some humanistic values by discerning the reason why humans
are able to utilize logic and reason. While watching the first episode of Cosmos, I became aware of the limits of
our understanding of the observable universe and the unique properties that can
be used to conceptualize the notion of a multiverse. When Dr. Tyson theorizes
that our observable universe “is but one tiny bubble in an infinite ocean of
other universes… a multiverse”, it caused me contemplate on magnitude of such a
statement. My contemplation was brought about by the concept of an “infinite
ocean”, such an idea brings about a sense of wonder and awe when imagining what
can be achieved in such a place.
