First things first.

There is nothing more repulsive than pure unadulterated ignorance.

I can accept differences of opinion. I know that people have different beliefs and views. Nothing, however, excuses the defenders of ignorance. Ignorance is the key to fear, fear is the key to hatred. When individuals are unwilling to ask questions they open their minds to ignorance.

There are things that I have no explanation for, but rather than fear them, I am driven to understand them. The origin and limits of the universe, the existence of life in that universe, these are things that have no complete explanation. Individuals are compelled throughout their lives, regardless of where they are born and live, to accept explanations based on faith, grounded in superstition and beliefs that are handed down from generation to generation. Questioning these explanations is not acceptable, and a fear of questioning is bred in the individual. Afraid of the unknown, and unwilling, or incapable of casting off the burden of lies that they have been told.

It is only when the individual faces their fears head on, and asks the questions that need to be asked, that they have a chance to beat their own ignorance. These questions must be asked, and the answers must be weighed carefully. The answer may not come at all, and an individual must learn to be content with this. Not knowing the answer to a question is preferable to accepting an incorrect answer just to make oneself feel better about it.

The question of the origin of the universe is one of the most compelling to me. There is extensive evidence of the existance of the universe, and from our perspective, it appears to be infinite. The concept of infinity is mostly incomprehensible to a human mind, and so limits are placed on it. There have been many attempts by scientists to explain the origin and extents of the universe. Based on mathematical formulas, physics, and experimentation, they have tried to get a better understanding of the nature and history of the universe. There is a widely held theory that they universe as we know it started with a gravitational singularity, and that it has expanded, with the passage of time. The immediate question I have is 'expanded into what?'. Attempts to research questions of this magnitude have launched some men into lifelong obsessions with understanding what most consider to be incomprehensible. Some make progress, and combined with the efforts of others, we continue to have a greater understanding of the makeup of the uinverse. We have sent probes and telescopes deep into space, and so far they have continually shown us one thing--if it isn't infinite, it's pretty damned big, and still doesn't show any obvious signs of how it got here or where it came from. Just more pieces in a massive puzzle.

Next Time: The Origins of Life in the Universe