[ExI] Enjoying being alive, and so late in human history

Damien Broderick thespike at satx.rr.com
Mon Jun 4 20:40:27 UTC 2007


ben quoth:

>spike splendidly wrote:
>
>  > who is in the mood for a little silliness on a gorgeous Sunday
>  > afternoon in June.  I hope ye are enjoying being alive this fine day,
>  > and think often of how lucky we are to have been born so late in
> >  in human history.

*Human* history, maybe. But how unlucky to have been born (and, very 
likely, die) so early in *sophont* history. Then again, those great 
minds might, after all, find something to envy in us: recall those 
haunting words of St. Arthur Clarke:

"They will have time enough, in those endless aeons, to attempt all 
things, and to gather all knowledge. They will not be like gods, 
because no gods imagined by our minds have ever possessed the powers 
they will command. But for all that, they may envy us, basking in the 
bright afterglow of Creation; for we knew the Universe when it was young."

Damien Broderick  




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