Читать книгу Survival: The Ultimate Mission - Robert M.D. Skaf - Страница 11

(One tiny seed has the potential of propagating itself into a huge forest, the creative mind of a single human being is the equivalent of an infinite universe that never stops evolving. Our conventional life is but one phase of an infinite number of transformations. All what we are doing is continuously preparing ourselves for the next episode of a never ending play called existence. This may explain why most of us are obsessed with the next life. This may also prove that humans have evolved to the point where they are able to metamorphose from a biological life into a spiritual one and thus become immortal. The subject of the afterlife is not as important to most secular individuals, but it should be. On the other hand, it is of utmost importance to all sectarian cultures. Most human conflicts happen to be caused by religion. It is for this reason that the first part of this essay was devoted to this subject.)

The accomplishments of the human race are very impressive and astounding - particularly when one looks at the great discoveries and inventions of the twentieth century. However, when compared to those of any civilization that was able or will be able to colonize new planets, these accomplishments will only amount to tinkering. It takes the collective and genius minds of many scientists and engineers to build a rocket powerful enough to escape the earth gravity. The collaboration of thousands of workers is needed to make a tower soar close to nine hundred meters above the ground. However, it takes a miracle, the cooperation and collaboration of billions if not trillions of members of any particular species, and billions of years of evolutionary adaptation to create a humble living form capable of surviving and reproducing on its own. We may understand the anatomy of our body, yet our race - regardless of the degree of intelligence we may reach - will never be able to create something that can self-duplicate, a creature that can live and breathe, much less discover a way to produce from scratch a tiny little egg and program it to turn into a wonderful living form. However, the miracle of evolution does not end with the birth of biology, life and intelligent beings. As, we have seen, evolution never stops, nor does the process of continuous creation. We have demonstrated how biology is capable of creating forces of its own such as creative thinking, emotions, vision and subconscious. Next we are going to examine how mankind, through the evolution of arts and science, has been able to create something immortal, something beyond the physical universe which could be called the abstract, the invisible, or spiritual universe.

In view of the complex work and the endless efforts involved in creating a living form that is able of surviving and reproducing on its own, it is only logical to conclude that all living forms are compelled to keep their respective species alive, whether any particular species has or will be able to succeed is a matter that can neither be proven or denied. As humans, our obsession with the afterlife is only one indication of how this powerful force has programmed us to seek immortality. However, much to our determent, we failed to understand that we may only be immortal as a species and we may never be immortal as single individuals. In nature nothing stays alive on its own. All living things survive as a part of a huge ecosystem. It is for this reason that they do instinctively cooperate and collaborate with other elements or species - directly or indirectly - to keep alive this huge combination and complex body we call ecosystem. Based on this observation, one may easily deduce that things are not different when it comes to the invisible or spiritual universe. Our individual spirit cannot flourish on its own; it can only be part of a different huge and complex system - as is in a universal system. We all have a spiritual and mental side that exists in parallel to our biological form. The proof is simple: we all have thoughts, dreams and imagination. Yet still, on daily basis, we feel the need to connect intellectually and mentally with other individuals to feel alive. And one can safely conclude that this need is going to be greater in the spiritual universe or the afterlife.

It is for this reason that as humans we have always been wondering about ourselves, the other living things we share this planet with, and the universes that surrounds us. Our inquisitive mind keeps searching forever trying to unlock many perplexing puzzles which lie beyond the reach of physics and science. Insofar, we have not been able to find anything conclusive about the purpose of our existence and it is doubtful that we ever will. We still don’t know what role we are playing in this intense drama that’s taking place in a huge complex universe which itself is a mystery to us. With all the knowledge acquired over the years, we are still unable to figure out what goes beyond our short visit to this planet we call earth. Of course we are told by many religions to prepare every day for the moment of truth, the time when we meet our creator who will decide what’s to become of our souls. If you believe in this theory you have nothing to worry about. As a matter of fact, most people are satisfied with this explanation. They don’t concern themselves with the afterlife, the size of the universe, its shape or what lies beyond it. After all why should anyone of us grapple with questions that are unfathomable to us? Why should anyone put himself or herself in an unhappy situation? If you are not in water you don’t worry about drowning or being devoured by sharks - nor should you worry about what is after death if you’re not there yet. As long as this is the case, invest your energy on improving your existing conditions. If you are going to spend some time as a human being why not make the best of it. Forget the whole issue of eternal life and focus on learning as much as possible about life. Don’t be greedy, be thankful and think of life as a gift bestowed upon you from a supreme being. This could be the paradise you are longing for. Look around you, there are so many things to see and discover. You may be missing something that might provide you with the key to happiness and contentment. We should all be grateful for this opportunity to experience life even if it all ends with death. This is how most religious authorities want their followers to deal with death.

My answer to all of this is simple: although I value and appreciate life, I can’t help but think and believe in the afterlife; not only don’t I find an interrupted existence to be a complete waste, but more importantly because I am totally convinced that there is an afterlife. Not because of religious beliefs, but perhaps that I happen to be the only person who has a scientific explanation for the afterlife. Furthermore, from a logical perspective, it makes sense for an intelligent species to believe in the afterlife. Actually, even if the afterlife does not exist, it is only natural for any intelligent species to invent it. Without the hope for an eternal life, an intelligent species is bound to lose interest in the very physical life we all work so hard to preserve. An atheist or secular person should not be close minded nor feel embarrassed when discussing this topic. After all no one can be certain to prove or deny the existence of an afterlife. Later on, we shall observe how everything we do is somewhat connected to ensuring the survival of our species and as a result ensuring the survival of the abstract universe which is perpetual… which is immortality. Surviving is never easy. Only a minority of the world population is known to enjoy a happy trouble free life. Most people struggle and suffer for their entire life, yet, hoping for a better life keeps them going. There is no logical explanation nor is there any justice in subjecting anyone to this cruelty. The only justification would be in offering something better after this phase is over. Even when life is beautiful, without a greater outcome, there would be no meaning to it. What is the sense of going through all the trouble of living if everything is going to come to an abrupt end? There ought to be more to it than that. Yes some people may consider living even one day to be a gift from God, but when the time comes to part this earthly world, I don’t believe anyone is prepared to leave without a fight. The thing to remember is that without conscious and awareness - faculties thus far only acquired by humans - the whole universe does not make any sense at all. In the least there will be no one to know it even exists. Not only are we part of this Continuous Creation, we are also essential to its raison d'être. According to the Continuous Creation theory, nothing exists all by itself. In it, everything is connected to everything else and as long as one understands the logic of the Continuous Creation, an explanation can be found. Our creative mind, our imaginative thoughts, our hungry desires to invent, our compelling drive to discover, all that and more happen to be a spiritual version of the Continuous Creation, and we shall exist forever, because the continuous creation never dies. In a sense, we happen to be a continuous creation of a different sort. Another parallel of a multifaceted continuous creation. By having new ideas, by dreaming of new images, by longing for different desires, we are constantly transforming ourselves from one state to another and thus continuously re-creating ourselves. Even though, we face the prospect of biological death every moment, individually and collectively we manage to create new spiritual and intellectual eternal universes. Looking at thing from this perspective, we all know that as biological beings our lives will end and no one can escape death; yet, despite this fact, most of us still manage to be caring, helpful and creative. This type of activities may not seem much on the surface; however, a deeper look would reveal that this is all it takes to transfer a biological being into an eternal spirit. Thus, in a very bizarre and paradoxical fashion we transform - or at least attempt to transform - our perishing body into a spirit. I do strongly believe that as human beings, we are able to become spirits, by the same continuous creative force that enable us to convert biology into energy, and in turn transform energy into thoughts, imagination and dreams, as long as we can do that, we shall never die. For our creative thoughts, our imagination, our dreams, our longing for a better world…all of that and more… never die. In fact one can be certain that they can find home somewhere after the body perishes. Upon reflection, one might find that this continuous creation may need us as much as we need it. After all, we may be the only mean it has to be conscious of its existence. Or perhaps, the continuous creation itself is trying to create a universe by far better, by far more exciting and more beautiful than anything based on biology, chemistry and physics alone. In the infinite universe, clusters of galaxies are known to be in perpetual motion, they are in a state of continuous travel, and they keep transforming their shape and the structure of their mass by going through cosmic clouds of energy and dark matter. We are no different; indeed there is strong similarity between us and the universe. We are both destined to stay alive. We never die, we only travel from one place to another and transform ourselves from one state into a different one. In the grand scheme of things, there is no death. Though, in our limited time as human beings, we have been only able to observe what goes on in this short period of time, where death and life seem to be part of a circle. In the infinite universe, in the infinite existence of all things material and spiritual, there can only be life. There is only existence. Void, nothingness and death are not allowed in the infinite universe.

The reason people are constantly thinking about life after death is simple: We are greedy and we should never feel bad about it. Actually, as intelligent beings, it is only logical for us to believe in the afterlife, for a good reason, it would be very depressing to admit that all things end with death. Not only that, but in view of all the suffering and the agony we endure in living, not too many would be choosing to stay alive if it were not for this glimpse of hope provided by the belief of an eternal life. If this is greed than it should be classified as good greed. Though I do believe in the afterlife, I also realize that we have been going about it the wrong way, for we have been completely focusing on protecting and enriching the self and our lives as individuals without paying much attention to the survival of the entire species on this planet and beyond. We must realize that without an interactive civilization, an individual can only reach the stage of mechanical intelligence or biological programming. True, on occasion, our greed may lead us indirectly to help the human cause. For instance, many of us help others in need hoping for a heavenly reward. Yet as greedy as this may be, by doing so they end up enhancing the survival of the race - albeit unintentionally. Beyond that, we shall find that helping the species survive is not only confined to the rich and powerful. It is somewhat in-coded in our brains. Take arts for instance, on the surface, it seems only useful to nourish our mind, a deeper look, however, will reveal that arts are as essential to our survival as water and air. They are the subtle invisible tools designed to help us cling to life. Writers, singers, actors, performers and a whole army of creative minds, all share one thing in common, they never quit. Once they have a vision, a dream if you will, they become obsessed with realizing it, and often enough they succeed against all odds. This obsession that turns into an addiction is uncontrollable for a reason: the soul must be nourished and the mind must be entertained. Without arts, without music, poetry, and other exciting intellectual activities such as cinema and theatre, our lives would become dangerously dull and boring to the point where we may lose interest in life itself - worse yet contemplate suicide. An intelligent species requires intellectual pleasure. Owing to genetic randomness, the mission of creating these intellectual pleasures has been assigned to artists. Yes, sciences may be more important for our biological survival, but when it comes to the afterlife, only arts are able to introduce us to anything eternal. There is no greater mission than the one to keep human beings happy and interested in life; this task rests with artists. If in our short history on this planet we feel the need for excitement which has been generously provided by all kinds of artists, imagine how much more they are going to be needed in the future, millions or billions of years from now when the risks of becoming completely disenchanted with life are bound to increase dramatically. Furthermore, arts and literature can indirectly help science and technology. On the surface, science may appear to be more important than arts. A more profound assessment however, may dispel this perception. To their credit, scientists are more inclined to be logical and reasonable when compared to painters or poets. Their contribution to our survival can’t be denied. As long as the conditions we live in stay the same, their discoveries and inventions are of great help to us. However, we live in a changing universe where nothing remains constant or stable, a fact we are all well aware of. Here is a perfect example of what I am talking about. Scientists, engineers and technicians have perfected the art of auto production. Cars and trucks in particular, have lately been very useful to the economy of the world. The same can be said about the aviation industry. The question one must ask is who is going to be most helpful to the survival of the human race once the crude oil becomes a rare commodity in the coming decades. In my opinion, imagination and creativity are going to play a much important role in finding the right solutions and devising successful strategies to deal with this challenging situation, to a degree, where science could never hope to reach. Even when one is dealing with science, without imagination and creativity nothing can be advanced. They are always important regardless of the degree of sophistication reached because improvement can always be made. To better identify with my theory just take a look at the history of any invention and see for yourself how it evolved. From the car to the elevator to the refrigerator to the video camera, practically every gadget or invention one might encounter, they all went through numerous innovative steps to reach the present state they are in, and if anything one can be certain of is the fact that despite all these changes they will be going through more in the future. The conclusion to be drawn here is that without creativity and imagination this whole process would have not existed, including the initial discovery or invention itself. Now here is the case I am trying to make for poets, writers, painters and all artists. These people are always creating. Their imagination and ability to create are limitless. They may not be creating anything directly useful to the economy or the survival of the human race, but it is a fact that they have been improving the genes of imagination and creativity, it is the fact that without this pool of genes, very few scientists if any, would have been able to invent or discover anything of any use to the human race. One more thing. At the turn of the century, time magazine chose Einstein as the man of the century because he was a scientist. While I agree with their choice, one can easily see why I dispute their justification. The reason Einstein shines above so many bright stars like Edison and Bell is his ability to be creative, his courage to dare imagine what was beyond the obvious and his dreams of exploring past the limited confine of science. To me he was a sage poet as much as a scientist and if it was not for his poetic aspiration, I doubt if he would have accomplished much in the field of science. Science can enable a person to learn a craft. However, to invent, to discover, one would require the imagination and creativity of an artist. You would probably agree with this opinion once you realize that Einstein himself strongly believed that imagination and creativity were more important than knowledge.

Of course the primary goal of any artist is to establish a money making career. Of course many artists are vain enough to be motivated by the silly notion of fame and immortality. Nonetheless, all artists are subconsciously doing what they are predisposed to do which is simply the enhancement of the survival of the race. Frankly, I see nothing wrong with this ruse of nature - if one elects to classify it as such- since in the end, it is going to benefit our race. Intelligent life is not easy and will never be. We have emotions, feelings and aspirations that need nourishing. Without an active life, boredom sets in - posing a serious threat to our very existence. We should be grateful for anyone who helps us enjoy and appreciate life even when the effort is going to benefit the person involved.

Scientists, politicians, warriors and many others would also like to see themselves immortalized and many of them have easier time in achieving their goal than artists - since their contributions to humanity are more tangible than those of the latter ones. So like it or not, from the common person who performs a simple act of kindness to the genius whose work might change the way we think and live, the underlying motivation happens to be an innate obsession with immortality that is inherent to all human beings. Believing in an eternal life has less to do with religion and more with greed. We are using religion to get another shot at life. People who believe in such possibility are no different than the ones looking for a heavenly reward for their good deeds. They too want to stay alive - actually they even expect a better after life to which they feel entitled. As certain as one can be of the absence of such a life, one cannot deny how important this faint hope is for the survival of billions of people. Put into this context, even a person of science would find converting anyone who happens to believe in this theory to be self-defeating. After all, preserving life is the main goal of science. Regardless of the motivation, a good deed ends up helping simultaneously the giver and the taker survive - an achievement which is a benefit to the cause of humanity. Believe it or not, some researchers tell us that helping others trigger the brain cell to produce anti-depressant hormones such as dopamine. Scientists may be bothered a great deal by the fact that all religions including the most popular ones such as Islam and Christianity happen to flourish by appealing to the greed and fear of the populace, however, as long as science does not have all the answers, and as long as people’s faith helps the survival of the species, one ought to be careful not to denounce any religion. Although philanthropists may be helping their own cause by being generous to others, they will be glad to hear that their help to humanity outweighs by far their personal gains. For this reason, they should feel proud of their contribution even when they are going to personally benefit from such endeavour. My advice to any giver is as follows: don’t try or allow anyone to deny the fact that giving is gratifying - both on this earth and after - you have earned it.

At this point, I would like to explain my understanding of the afterlife compared to the eternal life as described by most religion. As a humanist, I have no problem believing in the afterlife, however, eternal life as promoted by religious leaders does not constitute life -at least, according to the continuous creation theory described in this essay. Also, according to the same philosophy, immortality is not achievable by one person alone, it requires several groups of souls who are able to interact, cooperate and dialogue among each other. Immortality is only possible for the entire species. One person alone would be bound to become stagnant and therefore expire, whereas an entire group or a species may be able to live forever. Earlier in this paragraph I have outlined how artists help the race survive, however, upon reflection, one will find that our entire life as individuals is also structured toward keeping the entire species alive. The individual you help stay alive could or is actually another copy of yourself. After all aren’t’t we all copies of the first human? The person who is going to be alive years after your death may turn out to be none other than yourself. We are only immortal as a species not as individuals. It is only natural to help others. As humans, we will always be givers and takers, this is our biggest advantage. Parents must be prepared to devote their entire life to pave a bright future for their children. Without this inborn instinct to give, to love and care, our race could not survive. Unlike other living forms our off springs require years of nurturing, devotion, and care; without a long term commitment, their fate would be doomed, and subsequently our species. The compelling force of your subconscious mind wants you to assist the human cause. By being generous and helpful you are connecting with the great human spirit and it is this contact that is giving you a reason to be at peace with yourself, or to experience a state of ecstasy. To not help and care for others is unnatural if not un-human. Help others and be happy and feel great about life. Helping your own children survive is instinctive, helping others may not be divine but is human and certainly way above instinctive. It is simply what sets us apart from all other species - intelligent or non-intelligent.

As far as I’m concerned I have come to the conclusion that death happens to be part of life. Without death, life would not even exist. If we were to live forever - not only would there be a risk of losing interest in life - but also as individuals we would be in no position to discern the difference between life and death. This may sound repetitive, but just look at things from this perspective: if everything that ever existed happened to be constant and absolutely permanent, how can anyone tell the difference between such a state and death. I have said it before and I am going to say it again, existence is more than just filling space. Even the matter knows it. This is why it keeps recreating itself. A simple atom can be more active than one might realize. As it fuses or splits it turns into a new element. Even an atom that has no feelings finds itself compelled to transmute - destroying itself in the process - for a good reason. Without this process, an atom would be the same forever and this forever would turn out to be nothing. However, the Continuous Creation does not allow this state of absolute stagnation to take place for it would be counter to the law of existence. The rules are clear and simple: to exist one must change. And there are no exceptions; we all must abide by them. Natural death has been devised to ensure that life should never lose its appeal. In one way, having to change is the only characteristic shared by anything that happened to exist … in any shape, size or form. This constant change happened to be the reason I thought that using the term Continuous Creation would be a better description of an infinite universe. In essence, there is no life or death, there is a continuous creation. It may appear to us as if matter and particles stay the same forever, but this is not the case at all. Every few billions of years or so, a star self-destructs and in the process old materials disappear and new ones are created. Although we may find this a little strange and far-fetched, scientists have been observing such events as they occur; they also inform us that even our entire universe will end up destroying itself sometime in the future. Billions of years mean nothing, since time only exist in an intermediary sense.

Death is part of the Continuous Creation which is made up of endless facets. If the continuous creation is life and if death is part of it, then one can be sure that a creative life goes beyond what is biological or physical. However, whether physically or spiritually, the Continuous Creation feels a need to recreate and reinvent itself and it achieves this goal through a myriad of methods. Whether we like it or not, there is nothing we can do to change this arrangement. And we should n’t - even if we could. It has taken the evolutionary process billions of years, if not forever, to bring us to the state we are in and what do we know in comparison to question its motive or purpose. Indeed, we have no say in the matter. For that reason, trying to determine whether life has a purpose or not is an exercise in futility. We cannot influence the outcome either way. None of us has decided on his or her own to be born, conversely, it will not be up to any of us to end it all. We can only exist, physically or spiritually, as a reflection if not an extension of this active process called the continuous creation. Like it or not, life be it spiritual or biological, in fact everything that exist physically or abstractly, is completely intertwined and inseparable from the process of creation. This is a law that everything in existence must obey - including us. Not only do we keep changing and reinventing ourselves through learning and discovering, but also we evolved to be creators on our own. With our numerous interests and limitless imagination we keep creating universes of our own. Every individual is a galaxy and every race is a universe. The abstract and intellectual universe is our creation. This universe is eternal, and by creating it, we in turn have become immortal. A new universe is born every time someone invents a new art form or a scientist makes a new discovery. Where does our thinking, imagination, creativity end … we shall never know. The greatest paradox of all times manifests itself in how an individual may amount to nothing, yet he or she could rise to be compared to the infinite universe once imagination and creativity are included in the equation, for they are also boundless. After death there is a world that is beyond our comprehension, just like ours is out of reach to any substance in contact with us. As living beings we depend on the symbiotic process of matter to survive. We rely on the sun for light and warmth whereas plants need it to grow. We breathe the air, drink the water, nourish our bodies from what the land produces and what the sea provides. All these elements support our biological life and are part of our existence - which makes us, part of them. Even the lifeless rock we stand upon is part of the mother earth that is the source of life for an endless number of things living. Everything on and around it happens to be made of matters which has been in existence forever. A substance might transmute every second or fuse or disintegrate but the matter itself never goes away. Even when a star blows itself to pieces, even if our entire universe self-destructs, the matter never dies. Perhaps this is how the matter is given a chance to morph into new wonders we call galaxies and new forms of life we call plants and animals. Perhaps this is how the matter renews itself - just as we do through death. Perhaps the whole purpose of our existence and that of any matter or living thing is to keep death and void from taking over. In a way one might say that the Continuous Creation is the antithesis of void, death and nothingness. Think of it: if the matter does not transmute, it would be much similar to something that does not exist at all, for the only way we can differentiate between a total nothingness and existence is by the way the thing that does exist renews itself. With regard to the matter, this renewal takes place in the form of transmutation. In our case the renewal happens to ensue after what is conventionally known as death. In any event, and regardless of our beliefs and convictions, and regardless of whether what I have said makes any logical sense, life and death will always remain a mystery to us. Just think of death as a completely different world that’s part of the Continuous Creation. It’s a world we are incapable of fathoming. Just as we cannot figure out what kind of world or worlds lie beyond our universe. According to science, the universe we are part of, stretches beyond our imagination and possibly contains trillions of stars and planets which spawn a myriad of forces and phenomena. Still, as humongous as it may be, some scientists tell us it does not stretch to infinity. In this case one would be tempted to wonder what lies beyond it. Whatever it is, it cannot be void and nothingness. For our universe to be contained in an empty hole is a possibility that defies logic and the law of physics. Yes, chaos may reign supreme in our universe, but think of it this way: a world of cosmos without forces, without chaos would be akin to a void, for this reason it would be impossible to imagine our universe to be hanging amidst nothing. A simple observation has convinced me of the existence of other universes: all galaxies are shaped like huge disks - in relative terms that is. Yes, occasionally they may slam into each other, but in general, they are always floating in this huge space we call the universe. Had this universe being of finite size or had there not been an infinite number of universes surrounding it, no galaxies would be able to form, for they would all clump together or disappear in this infinite void zone. It is obvious that there is a gravitational force pulling in the opposite direction and preventing them from collapsing, while on the other hand, the gravity of our own universe keeps them from disintegrating into another zone or universe. This balancing act can be observed by looking at the galaxies of our universe. One may speculate, that on a larger scale, this is how universes behave as well, the only difference is that we have a clear idea how galaxies are shaped, yet, we have no clue how a complete universe may look like. This knowledge will elude us until one day we successfully acquire the technology which would enable us to observe other universes. Actually, helped by data gathered by the telescope Hubble, some scientists believe that the dark energy is probably responsible for causing the universe to expand or the border galaxies to pull away from it, while the dark matter tries to bring galaxies closer to each other or hold them together.

Amazingly, not only do we have billions of galaxies, but except the odd anomaly, they all look like flat disks as well. This is the conclusion to be drawn here: this sort of formation can only exist in an infinite universe, for only an infinite universe would have an infinite gravitational center which would allow so many galaxies to be flat and maintain such a huge distance from all others. Although, no one knows for sure what lies beyond our known universe, there must be something out there, a different world we are unable to decipher. Nevertheless, it is part of the Continuous Creation that has always existed and which is not a subject to time. Time only makes sense to us at this stage of our existence- it means nothing for the matter that knows no life or death, nor does it mean anything to us in our perpetual existence. Scientists have been telling us that our universe was created by a big explosion they call the big bang. But even if we were to agree with them, the big bang itself does not explain to us where and how the matter that forms this universe had come from or how many times such a similar phenomenon has taken place before or might take place in the future. The big bang theory is not absolute science, it is fluid and murky. To my thinking if the universe has exploded once, nothing can stop it from imploding and once it implodes nothing can stop it from exploding again and this can go on to infinity, without us knowing about it - much less keeping track of it. We may never figure out how the Continuous Creation may look, but we can definitely be sure it exists everywhere and beyond everywhere. This should not come as a surprise to us. This situation already exists here on earth. For instance what is the highest or the lowest number? Just because no one knows does not mean that such numbers do not exist. Another puzzle: how do we measure knowledge and imagination? The same thing can be repeated here as well, just because no one can provide an answer is no reason to assume that it is impossible to one day define the boundaries of dreams and creativity.

Death, what it represents and what goes beyond it, is another world which is locked to us. We will never be able to understand what goes beyond our universe until we get there. Similarly, we may only know about the mystery of life and death after we complete the cycle. Yet even then, there is no guarantee that the mystery will be revealed. After all, life itself is full of mysteries and surprises. In this case why worry about something we have no control over? Let’s focus on living. At least in that respect, the more we discover about ourselves, the more understandable, fascinated, and respectful of life we would become. The first thing to realize is that we should not be embarrassed about our selfishness and desire to live and enjoy life. This is something which was said earlier and the same can be said about our desire for a longer life and our obsession with immortality. This is what every species longs for and strives to accomplish. In a way, as long as we survive as a race we can consider ourselves to be immortal. We may die as individuals but our genes and our spirit can live forever through others. To appreciate this concept, one must think of the human race as an ecosystem that depends on all members to survive. Although this perpetuity is more distinct with lower single cell life form such as bacteria where they simply reproduce by copying themselves through splitting or other means, in our case our genes and our thoughts are carried through new generations. This is why it makes sense to be living in a peaceful and pleasant world since we are the ones who will be alive through the upcoming generations. In a way we are all copies of the first human being who had started it all. Even when we are childless, all human genes have the same source, besides, our spirit never dies, particularly if we were able to touch the lives of many others whose children will ensure the survival of the species. Yes, life on this planet can be an eternity of some sort. Yet even if this was not to be the case, some billions of years from now, who is to say that eternity can exist without some type of origin - be it on this planet or somewhere else. And in this case it does not do us any good to worry about an afterlife that is not going to be there if we can’t preserve its origin. The afterlife itself implies the need for a life before for such a new form of life to materialize. No matter how one cuts it, we have a lot to gain from taking good care of each other and helping each individual lead a happy, fulfilling and peaceful life on this planet or any place else we may exist. For in the least, our advantage as humans over all other species lies in the way our thoughts can stay alive when imparted to others - in many cases this may be more important than genes, especially if one believes in a universe of thoughts and knowledge that coexists along our material world. Perhaps thoughts are immortal and in their own way do exist in their own unique world which we are yet to discover. The convergence of ideas and concepts where several researchers, inventors and thinkers arrive to the same conclusions is indicative of an intellectual invisible universe connected to us. Furthermore, who is to stay that recorded data of all types, visual or otherwise, are not able to spawn other creations of their own? The curious thing is that, regardless of how different this world is from all others, they all share one common thing, they all must change, recreate and reinvent themselves in one form or another. This is the only way to prove their existence. There are so many different types of particles that make our universe, yet scientists can only account for 1% to 4 % of all that does exist, the identity of the remaining 99% remains a mystery - for the time being at least. Having so many particles and substances floating around is a proof that the matter is not dormant; to the contrary it is always active trying to recreate and reinvent itself. Even the invisible universe is no different. In fact one may argue that our own thoughts and voices are energy which can be transferable. The transformation from matter to energy and vice versa is something that scientists have proved long time ago. Whether our thoughts and voices get to be recorded or stay afloat hovering around the physical universe is the real mystery. In so far, engineers have been able to record voices, images, light, and photon and perhaps one day they may be able to register thoughts as well, in which case, and one may be compelled to look at the invisible universe from a different perspective. There is no doubt that the intellectual universe exists. Every one of us leads a physical existence and an intellectual one. Indeed, duality is part of our daily life. Perhaps, artists and scientists are better connected to the intellectual universe than others, but no living person is completely detached from the intellectual universe. Personally, I am more alive in the intellectual universe than in the physical universe. What I find most fascinating about the whole process is how this Continuous Creation does not allow anything to be eliminated. Even the tiniest of atoms never disappears - not only that, but it also seems to have a place and a role to play in this infinite wonder called existence. Moreover, no matter how this atom is recreated or reinvented and no matter to what powerful or forceful phenomenon it is subjected to, it always manages to make a comeback of some sort. It is never obliterated or put to an end for there is no end and nor is there a void. If this is the condition of a tiny little particle, why should the fate of non-particle or our own life be any different? We may die but depending on how we view death, we may be in fact going through a phase of a new living experience. This is true particularly when we consider the Continuous Creation we are part of to be in a way the anti-void. We may not like what is happening, we may not appreciate how life tends to perplex us, yet we have no choice but to accept our fate.

In the same sense, every species can be immortal in flesh and blood. The individual being may die and become forgotten, however, in theory the species itself and to a greater extend life, can go on forever - at least in theory. May be this can explain why it seems so natural for us as a species to aim for immortality. Other species may also be destined for immortality. It could very well be that ours only happened to be equipped differently to go about it. For many reasons it appears to me that over the years, the methods we have developed to survive were by far more advanced than those of any life forms known to us.

Despite all the follies committed in the past we have still managed to attain remarkable levels of technology and acquire impressive wealth of knowledge to the point where we appear to be the only species on earth that is able to populate other planets - theoretically at least. It seems to me that somehow we can intuitively tell that this planet could turn hostile and inhospitable one day or even disintegrate with the rest of the solar system in the distant future. Planning ahead to survive against such an eventuality is taking place right now, even though we are not aware of it. But this is not so unusual about us or about any other species for that matter. We don’t know what is happening to us until our brain is completely developed, yet that does not stop us from evolving from tiny little eggs into intelligent beings. Our interest in the cosmos does not really make much sense unless it’s somewhat related to the species quest for immortality. Right now we are in no position to understand the significance of inter- space discoveries but our subconscious - which functions in a similar fashion to the memories stored in a microchip - knows what lies ahead. This microchip of ours is embedded in our subconscious mind - unlike anything else that helps us survive on a daily basis - it only directs our energy toward surviving beyond the confine of one planet or one solar system or even one universe. We all want to live longer for a reason. On earth it does not mean much to extend our longevity to one hundred years, but when it comes to space traveling, being able to live a few extra years or better yet a few extra decades can be translated into billions of extra trekked miles. These figures could even increase many folds if life expectancy were to reach two hundred years - as some scientists have been predicting. Aside from gaining time, there are other advantages. Growing old means growing wiser and more knowledgeable. Unlike other species, our survival does not depend solely on physical strength. In most cases, it is our brain power that saves the day. We should not feel embarrassed to use every mean available to us to extend our longevity. Physically, we can count on medical science to discover cures for the diseases that bring us premature death. However, to maintain a high interest in a long life, we also need the psychological components which include, among others, the spiritual uplift and the emotional satisfaction. This is where again arts and entertainment kick in to keep us happy and therefore longing to stay alive -the reason for my earlier comments about given arts the same credit given to science and technology in increasing our longevity. Arts, sports and entertainment are among the activities that help us stave off depression and thus maintain our desire to stay alive. The bottom line is that if we want to live longer, we should make ourselves aware of this reality and take advantage of it as much as we can.

You may or may not agree with any of the foregoing explanations and you may not get impressed with any of the forthcoming ones. However, this should not undermine the main point of our discussion which is to say that only by understanding who we are would we be able to improve our chances of survival - if not turn our human experience into a wonderful celebration of life. The first thing to realize is that in principle we have been programmed to ensure the survival of the species - a trait we share with all living things. From there, every species decides on its own how to best achieve this goal. On our planet, which happened to be a small dot in a huge universe, one can easily count millions of different types of life form. Each has developed its own strategy to survive, each is completely distinguished from all others and each is remarkably ingenious in its own way. What sets us apart is our ability to think beyond the obvious. In that we are always a step ahead of any species known to us. For instance ants, bees, and some rodents are very adept at gathering and storing food, yet rather than being satisfied with this ingenious arrangement, we went ahead and learned how to grow our own food and started the exploitation of other animals. How many species care for other species, tend to them, keep them healthy and then consume them. How much more ingenious than that can it get? Moreover, our constant quest for more knowledge has been very instrumental in helping us improve our methods of farming, enhance efficiency and increase productivity. Although our way of life is not always friendly to the ecology, one day it will be. It’s all part of the learning process we are accustomed to go through before doing the right things. Although destroying the environment does not help our image as a superior intelligent species, it could be a testimony for our great flexibility to adapt to any conditions. Animals in general do not do much damage to the ecology; they evolve according to the natural conditions in which they live. For this reason, they experience great difficulties whenever they are forced to adapt to new changes. Most of them are unable to adjust to any changes at all - at least in a short time. The threat facing the polar bears is a good example of how things could go wrong for a powerful species. Humans are completely different. We can practically survive anywhere on this planet. The problem is that in the process we end up changing everything around us to suit our needs. Eventually one day we will learn how to do that while preserving nature. The important thing is that we have started to become aware of our impact on the ecology and before long we will have no choice but to manage our resources wisely.

Yes, at the present time this may sound like wishful thinking. However, the reason I feel optimistic about the future of humanity has a lot to do with our triumphs and less with our failures. What is remarkable about our evolution is not just all the things stated earlier; the real miracle of our long journey is not just focused on how we had managed to morph from lifeless element, to mediocre biological bacteria, to thinking beings who were able to develop a vision and acquire emotion. Our true evolutionary miracle lies in our success in acquiring such unique spirits as imagination, creativity, innovation, invention, compassion, courage, inquisitiveness, endurance, patience and many more. Thanks to these spirits we were able to duplicate in relative terms, albeit on a tiny scale the forces of the universe. Fusing and splitting the atom were made possible by discovering how to manipulate the forces of physics which are known to us as the weak and strong forces. The electrical motor was created by controlling another force of nature: the electro -magnetic force. Understanding the force of gravity is propelling us into space. None of these accomplishments would have been made possible without the spirit of creativity, imagination and invention. Not only have we been able to duplicate the forces of nature, but more importantly, by giving birth to this spirit, we have created a new universe of our own. To me, this invisible universe of spirits, this abstract universe, this unique human spirit will never die. This spirit lives on forever as long as we aspire for a better world and as long as we try to create a more beautiful universe. And that is what has become immortal about us. The person who suffers hardship, regardless of nationality, may die young, but the spirits of endurance, stamina, determination, dedication, devotion, creativity, imagination, perseverance, patience and compassion will live forever. These spirits that were created by a single person will go on created new universes for the process of creation never stops. The human soul is not a delusion; it does exist and plays an important role in our endless journey, in our longing to create a beautiful universe. It is this soul that lives on, even if our biological existence is to come to an end. Remember when I urged people to think in terms of parallels, immortality could be better understood in these terms as well. It has been established in this essay that everything in this universe or the infinite universe is in a state of continuous creation. It was also suggested that only this force has been around for always and it will always be there. Our parallel world is no different. Our biology may evolve or may even perish, however, our inventive mind, our longing to create a better world and our human spirit will always live on. The joy of watching kids at play, the pleasure of listening to a great song, the satisfaction of accomplishing a mission, the fun of seeing a great movie or play, the fulfilling feeling of reading a great book, the anticipation of better things to come, the magic created by arts, the astonishments of scientific inventions, the simple pleasure of life, the happiness we experience spending time with friends… all of this and more, are universes of our own creation that are committed to eternity. Art and science may not be able to provide us with the proof for such an eternal life to exist, however, their transcending effect on us cannot be denied. In view of all what was said, one may conclude that humanity found its way to immortality by creating a force conventionally called spirit, which is eternal…which never dies. .

Millennia past, the classic Greek philosophers had concluded that beauty, justice and truth are eternal. The only thing I am going to say is that all the above are the creation of the human spirit which is eternal as well, for the human spirit is all of that and more. Whether life has a purpose or not is immaterial to our continuous efforts to be creative. We cannot stop being creative, because life is a continuous creation and living is the only choice. The best way to discover the role creativity plays in our lives is by observing how children behave. Without being taught anything about imagination and creativity, they are able to imagine different scenes and create their own little plays. Sad and depressed people would be well advised to take part in any creative effort. This is how we are able to create our own universe. There is no such thing as nothingness. Seeking a way out or a reason to condemn the whole process is an exercise in futility. Moreover, trying to find a purpose for it all is a waste of time. The best we can do is to focus on what we are able to accomplish. Many civilizations and cultures were able to offer their members many reasons to celebrate and enjoy life. There is no reason why all of us cannot succeed in duplicating the same feat. Some modern philosophers may discard the universe as pointless; however, even if this was the case, we have no say in the matter. The alternative to life is not death, there is no death, there is no life, and there is a continuous creation. The alternative to the universe is not an empty void; it is also a continuous creation. Whether we like it or not we have no choice but to play along, therefore, we may as well make the best of it. At any rate and regardless of any theories or beliefs, one can be sure that the process of creation and re-creation is not going to stop and as long as you have creation you have life, for life is a creation and creation is life, they are intertwined. Everything that exists in the physical or the invisible world happens to be a creation of some sort, which is compelled to keep transforming itself from one creation to another creation, which becomes a continuous creation. Stopping this process leads to serious problems in our lives, particularly among creative people. In essence, drinking is addictive because alcohol and chemical work as a mind altering hormone. If the real thing cannot do, why not try the artificial one. Just think of all the artists who drank themselves to death or committed suicide, most of them have lost their creative ability or were unable to handle its power. From Elvis to Legere to anyone who comes to mind. This phenomenon is best demonstrated in the short life of most famous singing bands, with the Beetles being the most successful of all. The success of any group of artists depends on the creative ability of its members. Once this ability vanishes, so does the spirit that kept the group together. Ironically, the memories become the creative source that keeps the band alive. Just like all of us, even when we are unable to create happy moments in the present, we can always recreate them from the past, either by remembering them or watching them on a tape. Not only are we predisposed to be creative, but curiously enough, we have also discovered that watching other creations can help us stay in a creative mode - alive in other word. We enjoy watching and listening to other creative people such as singers, musicians, actors and dancers because through their creation they can help us dream of wonderful places and universes unlike anything we are capable of creating on our own. We also celebrate the achievement of great athletes because they too help us dream of a world that is beyond our reach. Traveling, discovering and exploring happen to introduce us to new creations - from different sites, to different arts, to different people, to different experience and many other different things. Not only do we feel the need to create but we also long to be connected to other creations. This is as far as one can go to demonstrate the connection between life and creation. This is as obvious as it can get to prove that staying alive requires constant change. This is what we know about life, one is forgiven to assume that things are going to be the same in the afterlife. In that, whatever becomes of us in the afterlife turns into a continuous creation of some sort. Which leads me to conclude that the afterlife itself is not an end but part of a continuous process which I called the continuous creation?

All in all, looking at the broad picture of life, one can state that no matter what our beliefs are, writers will go on writing; musicians will go on playing; singers will go singing; artists will go on performing; painters will go on painting; scientists will go on inventing, and researchers will go on discovering; for by going through this process, not only are they creating joy and excitement for all of us and all the universes; more importantly, they are helping us find meaning to our existence. The reason we have no choice in being creative nor a choice in being immortal is simple: creativity means life, the process of creating is immortality, and the purpose of the continuous creation is to ward off death. We, as human beings, happened to be a reflection, a facet of this continuous and eternal creation. Think of it this way, the universe keeps creating parallel of itself, it is the way of the universe to stay alive, to be immortal, to be perpetual. It has no choice in the matter; there are no alternatives to existence. There is no such place as nothingness. As the creation of this universe, we are one of the many parallels it spawned. And as such, we found a way to become immortal; we did it by duplicating the physical universe. In that, we started creating new abstract universes. Only when we put things into this perspective do we find that our life has a purpose and a meaning. You may think that creativity is reserved for a small elite minority among us. Well, think again. Most of the seven billion people who happen to occupy this planet go on creating love, compassion, affection and care - and this is just to name a few creative universes, for if love, compassion and care are not universes, nothing else would qualify to become one. In fact an immortal creative universe is born every time a teacher imparts knowledge, thus creating literate society, or a care giver creates compassion, or a parent creates love and affection, or a lover creates romance, or a worker creates a commitment, or a dreamer inspires us to discover something new and beautiful, or a friend creates loyalty and devotion, or a farmer creates a new crop. Indeed, an eternal universe is created anytime this type of activities takes place or anytime a person creates or long to create a better world… anywhere on this planet, on any continent, in any city or village - regardless of his or her living condition, irrespective of his\ or her creeds and beliefs. Giving birth is the most obvious act of creation - if not the ultimate one, for it keeps our hope for a better world alive. Seeking immortality is the logical step in our evolution as an intelligent species. Observing how we live, how we create, how we invent…and how we dream is enough to convince most of us that we may be succeeding in our quest. Most scientists are skeptical about anything we claim to be unique about our species; our search for eternal life could very well be this ever elusive uniqueness that may set us apart from all other living things. True, we had no choice in coming to life, we have no choice leaving it, yet, and we somehow can create a purpose to go through it. Whether we want or not is up to us. And, as long as there are people who are able to imagine and dream of better and more beautiful universes; life will have a meaning, and as long as there are individuals who are capable of creating hope; our existence as a species will have a purpose. Not because finding a purpose in life may or may not bring us happiness, or because it may help us cope with all the setbacks and sufferings we all experience as human beings or as a species; but because we are the product of a continuous creation that refuses to die, since it has discovered long time ago that it does have a meaning and does have a purpose. If at the present time we are still unable to fully understand what this purpose is, one should not conclude that future generations won’t be able to solve this mystery. One needs only look at recent discoveries and inventions to realize that everything we dream of could become a reality. We have the ability to dream, imagine and create anything, why should the creation of eternal life be any different? Observing how some inventions have exceeded the imagination of science fiction writers, provides me with the proof to believe in this statement. However, this is not the whole story of immortality. According to this essay, nothing in the visible or invisible universe can be completely destroyed. Humanity happened to be part of all universes. The physical universe, whether willingly or unwillingly, produces invisible forces such as gravity and electromagnetic, where on the other hand, humans are able to dream, create, imagine and formulate thoughts. These dreams, these thoughts, these images…form a different universe of our creation. Without any doubts, this universe which is a facet of our humaneness is immortal. Intentionally or not, by creating this universe, we as humans became immortal. In previous sections we have demonstrated how invisible forces take a life of their own to the point where they are able to control the physical universe that has created them. In the biological universe, humans have demonstrated that humble species are capable of rising to such intellectual level where they could come up with new invisible by-products from invention to imagination. Actually, the mere fact that you and I and many others are capable of dreaming, imagining, creating, storing memories and thoughts, enjoying mental activities, appreciating intellectual endeavours, all of that and more are the evidence needed to prove the existence of an invisible universe. In fact, humans are forever living in the visible and invisible universe. In most cases, it is impossible to distinguish between the two. We are best compared to electricity. Its existence is invisible, yet its power is demonstrated in every gadget we use. In the biological universe, there is no death. Biological life will always exist in one form or another. Biology has no choice but to exist for there is no escape. As individual, we like to duplicate nature and live forever as well. Thankfully, nature did not leave matters of life or death to the single individual. Let’s face it, as individuals; we are too selfish to see beyond the obvious. As individuals we would never accept death as a new beginning. However, the fact that we have demonstrated how we happen to live in the physical and the abstract world at the same time in this stage of our endless journey should convince even the skeptic among us in our immortality. And from this perspective, there will be no death. Conversely, just like biology, we would have no choice but to take part in this never ending journey and go to wherever it may decide to take us. In that respect, there will be no escape for us either. Again, for nothing can be destroyed. Biological beings are able to evolve, rejuvenate themselves, morph… but they never disappear. Not only that, but things are no different in the invisible universe as well. The physical universe stays alive through the process of continuous creation and transformation and this why it never dies. Things are different with us. We may physically perish, but unlike the universe, we are able to create thoughts and dreams. Our creative thoughts, our dreams, our longings, our inquisitive minds…don’t disappear when we die - in a sense they are immortal. Like anything else in this continuous creation, they stay alive, for they have no choice: the invisible abstract universe is no different than the physical universe - there is no death, no complete annihilation. Even when a star is destroyed, its light keeps on travelling for billions of years. Our intellectual abilities, our artistic creativity and our inventive mind are but a proof that we are more than a mere physical or biological entity. We happen to belong to many universes, and like the infinite universe we happen to have many facets. As I see it, we keep morphing from one state to another, which could be essentially described as eternity, which could be construed as immortality. Furthermore, I do challenge anyone who disagrees with me on this subject to name one thing that does completely get wiped out or annihilated. At any rate, my answer for the likes of Becket and Sartre is simple; there is nothing to lose by believing in the afterlife even if one happens to be an atheist. Personally, I have been preparing myself for it, after all, what have I got to lose even if I happen to be wrong? I suppose, one may consider me to be a “creativist” as in someone who believes that creative thoughts and dreams make us immortal. By the way, this is completely different than what Proust said about God. Believing in God alone does not assure you a place in heaven. In fact, attempts to please God often lead to murder and genocide. As one shall find out, aspiring for a beautiful universe will. With this, we shall move on to the second part of this chapter.