Human beings Essay

As human beings, we sometimes wonder why some things are the way they are. These questions come as a result of us being curious about what is around us. Man has to be aware of himself and his immediate environment. Generally, one of the basic characteristic of human beings is self-awareness and self-discovery. Man finds himself doing some things and wonders why he is doing such things the way he/she is doing them. Thus, in order for man to function properly in his society, he must understand some things about himself in order to unlock the mystery behind his behavioral pattern. This becomes important because self-discovery is the only way to understand one’s place or position in the universe. Personally, I have sought to know how my life fits into my environment. For one, I believe that things don’t just happen and that man is not just created to fill an empty space. This has made me embark on a quest to understand what the world actually is and how I fit into this mysterious world. I am a proponent of the purposeful universe and I believe, as opposed to the idea of Charles Darwin, that the world is essentially created to fulfill a purpose and that it is part of a â€Å"master plan†. Therefore whatever happens in this life, as I believe, is to fulfill a purpose and come from intent. The question here is who is the purposed the world and who is the master planner? In her book titled, â€Å"The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos†, Brian Swimme maintained that the world is not a series of puzzle but an amazing mystery that shows the presence of God in each passing phase. This essentially deviates from the theory of evolution. For Brian, we as humans are at the center of the universe and our discovery of this fact will determine make us appreciate the world we live in the more. He believes that not only is the universe a work of the divine, it is also supported by the will of the divine. Therefore, we will be making a categorical mistake by conceiving that things or occurrences in the world are merely a product of chance. From my point of view, I think that Brian Swimme has a point. This is because some things can not be explained from the point of Darwinism. For instance, as a child, I have always wondered which came first between the chicken and the egg. If eggs hatches into chickens and chickens lay eggs, then which one will we say came first? Although science can be credited for a lot of things that they have sought real explanations to, there are some things that transcend scientific explanation. This is accounted for in the thought of Huston Smith. In his book titled â€Å"Why Religion Matters; The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief†, he claims that scientism has taken over all spheres of our lives and we will be committing a mistake if we believe that its explanations are the only valid explanations. I believe that the world is a masterpiece and it is sustained by the master planner – the silent onlooker who sees and sustains the universe with his power and in his might. Furthermore, I believe that since the world is created for a specific purpose, then man as an integral part of this universe is also created for a purpose, which is to be the representative of the divine here on earth. Consequently, this should make us pursue some values that will facilitate the purpose of the divine in this world. I believe that the divine has given man the power to make choices but that power should be tailored towards the achievement of the divine purpose. Liberty, as I believe, is not the right to do what we â€Å"want† but we are at liberty so that we can do what we â€Å"have to do†. As a result of these, I live with the consciousness of the fact that I have to fulfill my purpose. Personally, I believe that we as humans should value the equality of humanity and should treat each man as Immanuel Kant said; we should treat each man as an end in themselves and never as a means to an end. I believe that we should strive for whatever will be considered virtuous by the divine. As human beings, we must seek to value each other by being truthful and faithful to one another. This, for me, is the greatest form of respect that we can give one another. Reference: Huston Smith, â€Å"Why Religion Matters; The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief† Harper Collins 2001 ISBN 0-06-067102-5, 14. 95 Brain Swimme â€Å"The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos†, Orbis, 1996 (1999, ISBN 1570752818)