one of its graces。
Of course； worldview consensus is forting； while clashes of opinion may be unsettling； and demand more of us。 But unless we insist； against all evidence； that our ancestors were perfect； the advance of knowledge requires us to unravel and then restitch the consensus they established。
In some respects； science has far surpassed religion in delivering awe。 How is it that hardly any major religion has looked at science and concluded； 〃This is better than we thought！ The Universe is much bigger than our prophets said； grander； more subtle； more elegant。 God must be even greater than we dreamed〃？ Instead they say； 〃No； no； no！ My god is a little god； and I want him to stay that way。〃 A religion； old or new； that stressed the magnificence of the Universe as revealed by modern science might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths。 Sooner or later； such a religion will emerge。
IF YOU LIVED two or three millennia ago； there was no shame in holding that the Universe was made for us。 It was an appealing thesis consistent with everything we knew； it was what the most learned among us taught without qualification。 But we have found out much since then。 Defending such a position today amounts to willful disregard of the evidence； and a flight from self…knowledge。
Still； for many of us； these deprovincializations rankle。 Even if they do not fully cant' the day； they erode confidence—unlike the happy anthropocentric certitudes； rippling with social utility； of an earlier age。 We long to be here for a purpose； even though； despite much self…deception； none is evident。 〃The meaningless absurdity of life；〃 wrote Leo Tolstoy； 〃is the only incontestable knowledge accessible to man。〃 Our time is burdened under the cumulative weight of successive debunkings of our conceits： We're Johnny…e…latelies。 We live in the cosmic boondocks。 We emerged from microbes and muck。 Apes are our cousins。 Our thoughts and feelings are not fully under our own control。 There may be much smarter and very different beings elsewhere。 And on top of all this； we're making a mess of our planet and being a danger to ourselves。
The trapdoor beneath our feet swings open。 We find ourselves in bottomless free fall。 We are lost in a great darkness； and there's no one to send out a search party。 Given so harsh a reality； of course we're tempted to shut our eyes and pretend that we're safe and snug at home； that the fall is only a bad dream。
We lack consensus about our place in the Universe。 There is no generally agreed upon long…term vision of the goal of our species—other than； perhaps； simple survival。 Especially when times are hard； we bee desperate for encouragement； unreceptive to the litany of great demotions and dashed hopes； and much more willing to hear that we're special； never mind if the evidence is paper…thin。 If it takes a little myth and ritual to get us through a night that seems endless； who among us cannot sympathize and understand？
But if our objective is deep knowledge rather than shallow reassurance； the gains from this new perspective far outweigh the losses。 Once we overe our fear of being tiny； we find ourselves on the threshold of a vast and awesome Universe that utterly dwarfs—in time； in space； and in potential—the tidy anthropocentric proscenium of our ancestors。 We gaze across billions of light…years of space to view the Universe shortly after the Big Bang； and plumb the fine structure of matter。 We peer down into the core of our planet； and the blazing interior of our star。 We read the genetic language in which is written the diverse skills and propensities of every being on Earth。 We uncover hidden chapters in the record of our own origins； and with some anguish better understand our nature and prospects。 We invent and refine agriculture； without which almost all of us would starve to death。 We create medicines and vaccines that save the lives of billions。 We municate at the speed of light； and whip around the Earth in an hour and a half。 We have sent dozens of ships to more than seventy worlds； and four spacecraft to the stars。 We are right to rejoice in our acplishments； to be proud that our species has been able to see so far； and to judge our merit in part by the very science that has so deflated our pretensions。
To our ancestors there was much in Nature to be afraid of—lightning； storms； earthquakes； volcanos； plagues； drought； long winters。 Religions arose in part as attempts to propitiate and control； if not much to understand； the disorderly aspect of Nature。 The scientific revolution permitted us to glimpse an underlying ordered Universe in which there was a literal harmony of the worlds （Johannes Kepler's phrase）。 If we understand Nature； there is a prospect of controlling it or at least mitigating the harm it may bring。 In this sense； science brought hope。
Most of the great deprovincializing debates were entered into with no thought for their practical implications。 Passionate and curious humans wished to understand their actual circumstances； how unique or pedestrian they and their world are； their ultimate origins and destinies； how the Universe works。 Surprisingly； some of these debates have yielded the most profound practical benefits。 The very method of mathematical reasoning that Isaac Newton introduced to explain the motion of the planets around the Sun has led to most of the technology Of our modern world。 The Industrial Revolution； for all its shortings； is still the global model of how an agricultural nation can emerge from poverty。 These debates have bread…and…butter consequences。
It might have been otherwise。 It might have been that the balance lay elsewhere； that humans by and large did not want to yaw about a disquieting Universe； that we were unwilling to hermit challenges to the prevailing wisdom。 Despite determined resistance in every age； it is very much to our credit that we have allowed ourselves to follow the evidence； to draw conclusions that at first seem daunting： a Universe so much larger and older that our personal and historical experience is dwarfed and humbled； a Universe in which； every day； suns are born and worlds obliterated； a Universe in which humanity； newly arrived； clings to an obscure clod of matter。
How much more satisfying had we been placed in a garden custom…made for us； its other occupants put there for us to use as we saw fit。 There is a celebrated story in the Western tradition like this； except that not quite everything was there for us。 There was one particular tree of which we were not to partake； a tree of knowledge。 Knowledge and understanding and wisdom were forbidden to us in this story。 We were to be kept ignorant。 But we couldn't help ourselves。 We were starving for knowledge—created hungry； you might say。 This was the origin of all our troubles。 In particular； it is why we no longer live in a garden： We found out too much。 So long as we were incurious and obedient； I imagine； we could console ourselves with our importance and centrality； and tell ourselves that we were the reason the Universe was made。 As we began to indulge our curiosity； though； to explore； to learn how the Universe really is； we expelled ourselves from Eden。 Angels with a flaming sword were set as sentries at the gates of Paradise to bar our return。 The gardeners became exiles and wanderers。 Occasionally we mourn that lost world； but that； it seems to me； is maudlin and sentimental。 We could not happily have remained ignorant forever。
There is in this Universe much of what seems to he design。 Every time we e upon it； we breathe a sigh of relief。 We are forever hoping to find； or at least safely deduce； a Designer。 But instead； we repeatedly discover that natural processes—collisional selection of worlds； say； or natural selection of gene pools； or even the convection pattern in a pot of boiling water—can extract order out of chaos； and deceive us into deducing purpose where there is none。 In everyday life； we often sense—in the bedrooms of teenagers； or in national politics—that chaos is natural； and order imposed from above。 While there are deeper regularities in the Universe than the simple circumstances we generally describe as orderly； all that order； simple and plex； seems to derive from laws of Nature established at the Big Bang （or earlier）； rather than as a consequence of belated intervention by an imperfect deity。 〃God is to be found in the details〃 is the famous dictum of the German scholar Abu Warburg。 But； amid much elegance and precision； the details of life and the Universe also exhibit haphazard； jury…rigged arrangements and much poor planning。 What shall we make of this： an edifice abandoned early in construction by the architect？
The evidence； so far at least and laws of Nature aside； does not require a Designer。 Maybe there is one hiding； maddeningly unwilling to be revealed。 Sometimes it seems a very slender hope。
The significance of our lives and our fragile planet is then determined only by our own wisdom and courage。 We are the custodians of life's meaning。 We long for a Parent to care for us； to forgive us our errors； to save us from our childish mistakes。 But knowledge is preferable to ignorance。 Better by far to embrace the hard truth than a reassuring fable。
If we crave some cosmic purpose； then let us find ourselves a worthy goal。
CHAPTER 5 IS THERE INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH？
They journeyed a long time and found nothing。 At length they discerned a small light； which was the Earth 。 。 。 ＇But＇ they could not find the smallest reason to suspect that we and our fellow—citizens of this globe have the honor to exist。
—VOLTAIRE； MICROMEGAS。 A PHILOSOPHICAL HISTORY （1752）
There are places； in and around our great cities； where the natural world has all but disappeared。 You can make out streets and sidewalks； autos； parking garages； advertising billboards； monuments of glass and steel； but not a tree or a blade of grass or any animal—besides； of course； the humans。 There are lots of humans。 Only when you look straight up through the skyscraper canyons can you make out a star or a patch of blue—reminders of what was there long before humans came to be。