Project Vision 21

When I was still in elementary school (not that many decades ago) we were taught that one of the differences between humans and "animals" was the ability of humans to create and use tools. Later, with greater knowledge and with advances in zoology and biology, that "difference" disappeared, since there are several "animals" that use tools.

That is one of the many examples that could be given of that crazy and senseless search for something that confirms that humans are “superior” and the “best” and that, for that very reason, we are at the pinnacle of existence. In fact, as some even dare to say, perhaps we could even be the reason for the existence of the universe. 

Pure nonsense bordering on (almost) pathological self-deception.

Until about 2,400 years ago, to give another example, it was believed not only that the earth was the center of the universe, but also that the entire universe was reduced to a sphere (with the earth at the center) with a radius of about 20 miles from the surface of the earth. That sphere was solid (“firmament”) embedded with stars (fire).

Skipping centuries ahead, Copernicus, Galileo (“E pur si muove”) and others helped show that neither the earth nor the sun were at the center of the universe, but that “movement” did not dethrone humans as the apex of creation. For that, the subsequent intervention of Darwin (evolution) and Freud (unconscious) was needed.

Then, at the beginning of the last century it became clear that humans do not occupy any special place in the universe or on earth and that, despite whoever may, we are not as rational as we believe (as Freud and the world wars demonstrated) and that chance and some mutations are enough to explain our presence.

Despite all that, two elements of our supposed superiority persisted: our (also supposed) intelligence and the fact that (it was believed) the Milky Way was the entire universe.

In other words, although we were no longer at the center of the universe and there was no design for our existence, we were still privileged by our intelligence and our galaxy.

Now, obviously, we know (thanks to Andromeda) that the Milky Way is not the entire universe, but just one (almost insignificant) galaxy among countless others. And it is suspected that our universe is neither the first nor the only one: the multiverse could well be real.

Furthermore, it could well happen that artificial intelligence outperforms (perhaps consciously) human natural intelligence (it doesn't take much intelligence to do that), as experts in the field warn. Or maybe we'll meet intelligent beings from other planets (or maybe we already have, according to Avi Loeb.)

However, regardless of millennia of historical blows to our misguided narcissism, we still insist on believing ourselves to be the only ones, the best ones, and the superior ones. How much longer? Until the AI, ET and even the orangutans laugh at us? Let’s stop this nonsense and get our senses back!