dewinthemorning | Of Strange Objects and Meaning in the Universe @dewinthemorning | Uploaded February 2011 | Updated October 2024, 3 hours ago.
How can we say which is a natural object and which is an artefact? We recognize artificial objects (machinery, arrowheads), because we, ourselves, make objects with a purpose. Objective criteria for judging artificial objects from structure and shape are: 1/ regularity (natural objects don't have flat surfaces, right angles) and 2/ repeatedness. By them, though, living beings would be judged artificial objects, too. Living beings are strange objects, they alone in the universe, have teleonomy - purpose, intent. That purpose, intent, is preservation and multilication. This comes about from the chemical properties of stereospecificity of proteins, for example. (All is biochemistry!). Another basic characteristics of living beings is invariance (DNA), and it is primary to teleonomy. Humans falsely think that inanimous objects also have teleonomy, or that there are gods that created them. Humans always are looking for meaning, but they are the only ones in the universe, who have meaning and can make meaning.
I closely follow Jacques Monod's essay "Chance and Necessity". There are other things that can be said from it, in another video.
Sorry about the many cuts, but you try to explain such a basic idea fluently in a foreign language, and not with slogans, like Craig does! :)
"The Absurdity of Life Without God" William Lane Craig:
youtube.com/watch?v=rWRoJ9myovY&feature=channel_video_title
How can we say which is a natural object and which is an artefact? We recognize artificial objects (machinery, arrowheads), because we, ourselves, make objects with a purpose. Objective criteria for judging artificial objects from structure and shape are: 1/ regularity (natural objects don't have flat surfaces, right angles) and 2/ repeatedness. By them, though, living beings would be judged artificial objects, too. Living beings are strange objects, they alone in the universe, have teleonomy - purpose, intent. That purpose, intent, is preservation and multilication. This comes about from the chemical properties of stereospecificity of proteins, for example. (All is biochemistry!). Another basic characteristics of living beings is invariance (DNA), and it is primary to teleonomy. Humans falsely think that inanimous objects also have teleonomy, or that there are gods that created them. Humans always are looking for meaning, but they are the only ones in the universe, who have meaning and can make meaning.
I closely follow Jacques Monod's essay "Chance and Necessity". There are other things that can be said from it, in another video.
Sorry about the many cuts, but you try to explain such a basic idea fluently in a foreign language, and not with slogans, like Craig does! :)
"The Absurdity of Life Without God" William Lane Craig:
youtube.com/watch?v=rWRoJ9myovY&feature=channel_video_title
