Читать книгу The Expanse and Philosophy - Группа авторов - Страница 21

When we confront the infinite in the form of the dynamically sublime, we could be forgiven for thinking that a good hiding place is the best response. What can an animal do during a big storm or during an earthquake? Only obey instinct. The forest is intensely silent just before a thunderstorm—every creature alive in the vicinity goes to its home. Except human beings, we just might want to hang around and feel what happens. However, if you wanted to, you could stand out in a field during that thunderstorm. You could dance a jig in the middle of the street during an earthquake, if the impulse so moved you.

That option, of staying around and feeling what happens, is an experience of our own freedom in direct contrast to our instincts. All of the animals have gone to ground because that is what their programming demands. We can face the infinitely powerful, defy our instincts, and in the confrontation with the sublime, experience a pure intuition of our own freedom. Yes, we feel wonder and awe. These are the emotions that arise, not from the challenge of the infinite and infinitely powerful, but from the recognition that we are free. For Kant, because we are free, we are greater than the whole of the power of nature.

Holden, as he descends alone in his space suit to the Ring station, discusses why he is doing what he is doing with Miller. Miller says with a smile, “You are following your program, just like me.” Holden replies, “I always had this crazy notion about free will.” Miller replies, “Then how come it is that every time there is some clusterfuck shitstorm situation in the universe—there’s James Holden?! Shrugging his shoulders, saying, ‘How the hell did I end up here?’” (“Dandelion Sky”). Holden has the correct intuition of his own freedom. He just does not have Kant around to tutor him on what to say to Miller. But Holden has had the experience of the sublime—repeatedly. Ironically, his conversation with Miller is set within the mathematically sublime experience of space.

You are free and responsible for that freedom. The experience of the sublime is one proof of your freedom. Because you are free, you are different from the rest of creation. You are significant. The absence of your ability to know the significance of what you do in the context of the infinite does not diminish the significance of what you do. The characters of The Expanse know this. They act because they know they must, and they have faith that what they do matters.

It may seem strange to end with a quote from Amos, whose amorality is more on display in the show than his morality. But the truth is, Amos spends the show looking for guidance and slowly, but clearly, articulates the moral situation the characters are in. In a heated exchange with Alex, he says, “Do you want me to say this is some weird shit? Yeah, it’s some weird shit!” Alex replies, “Thank you! We are playing way out of our league here!” Amos finishes, “That’s been true ever since we’ve been sharpening sticks and going after lions, but we’re still here” (“Dandelion Sky”).

Look again at The Expanse. You will find the cinematography, the art direction, and the film direction, all try to bring the sublime into artistic representation. That feeling you have when you see infinite space represented on screen that tickles you at the back of your psyche may be an intuition of your own freedom.

It may be proof that you are more than the infinity that is the setting of The Expanse.