Not an easy question to answer. It depends on what you mean by conscious life and also what you mean by universe. If we define consciousness as something requiring a degree of self-consciousness, and ability to reproduce, along with being originally organic, then something conscious means a life form like those we know of, at least. Who knows what other forms of body there may be in the material world?
And if we determine the parameters of our known world, then we might use the term universe, though there may be other better terms, like multiverse. Or at least the known space as seen by the James Webb telescope, or whatever biggest telescope we have that can see as far back as light will allow. That is the known cosmos I presume and it is bigger than we might dare to even imagine, with many galaxies and light years. Why would so much space be so empty of consciousness or life? It seems odd that our planet is the only one with organic life when there is so much space.
Even if Earth is the only habitable planet in this solar system, being in the Goldilocks zone, where it’s not too hot and not too cold, still there could be other solar systems with habitable planets. Such exo-planets are likely to hold conscious life. But that is just a speculation. Why are there no signs that are obvious and clear to humanity that extraterrestrial beings exist?
The Vedas talk of the denizens of the other planets, which are more heavenly than ours. And this is still said to be in the material world, not the usual meaning of heaven, but more residents of planets where life is longer and much better. The Vedas of ancient India also tell of how these denizens of the heavenly planets used to visit earth on occasion, particularly when mighty rituals and ceremonies and offerings were performed to invite the people from the other higher planets.
But apparently today these beings are no longer keen to visit us any more since civilization has deteriorated to such a degree over the millennia, that it is not worth visiting. Who knows what the real story is. Some talk of PlanetX Nibiru and tell of it being inhabited, and that they pass by once every 3600 years. Let’s see...
The vastness of space implies to me that the odds are there is another intelligent life form out there somewhere. We just haven’t come across them yet. Have they been watching us unknown to us? It’s possible. But that’s another story. Ultimately this is a hypothetical or rhetorical question. No one can say conclusively at this point whether there is life out there, or whether we are all the life there is in all this massive space.
If that is the case and we are all there is, then it immediately makes us super rare and thus super valuable. Like nothing else in the cosmos. Vedanta continues to describe earth as not the only place with life, but that human life is one of the most valuable for perfecting our existence in the cosmos, because it is a window to enlightenment, and no rebirth. That sounds like another reason to add value to the human form of life. Who can say really? I guess it depends on how each one of us values ourselves. Or knows about our potential. So remember how valuable you are and every one of us is. We should all be respected and seen for the rare gem we are, a true key to the goal of it all.
(images Pixabay; poster - canva.com)
Posted using Proof of Brain
