In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, how can the human race sustain another 100 years?
So ask Britain's most significant scientist since Isaac Newton. Dr Stephen Hawking posed the question but admitted that he does not have the answer. 25,000 people reportedly weighed in on the question. My take on this issue although it is now closed in Yahoo Answers?
The human race has sustained thousands of years through wars, natural disasters, famine and political intrigue more complex than today's. Some social upheavals in the past are even more revolutionary than today's, yet history has shown that these ebb and flow with the sands of time, many discredited and forgotten, only to be resurrected under another name in another time. As King Solomon, the wisest man that ever walked the earth was to write, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, that
Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:2
He made the observation that
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after. Ecclesiastes 1:5-11
Solomon's answer to the question posed by Dr Hawking, is that, yes, God willing, the human race can be sustained for another 100 years, 1000 years even. We give too little credit to the creator with this so-called conundrum. Let us not over-rate Dr Hawking here at the expense of the Almighty.
The discussion:
Yahoo answers on the conundrum
The rest of the chatter
Image origin: http://library.thinkquest.org/
