hist. 21 Research Journal entry #1
this isn't an official entry, technically, because i am not doing any kind of research about a specific topic relevant to History 21. but i have been thinking independently for the past couple of days, and have come up with several questions with very broad and universal (no pun intended) implications. this explosion of such weighty questions prompted me to put them down in a Word document so i could really organize my thoughts. since i cant make an attachment to journal entries (but instead can embed media from other websites...), ill cut and paste Life Questions
• Why did those in the New World differ from those in the Old World so drastically in ideologies ranging from religion to politics and seemingly everything in between?
• What influences causes at least an appearance that some ethnicities and cultures are superior to others (Whites compared to Native Americans/African/African-American)?
• Did all humanity evolve from one place (such as the Rift Valley), and how did the different directions in which those early humans spread to have an effect on the aforementioned superiority and ideological differences?
• Does scientific evidence from this one origin and spread of humans really dispel the facts presented in the Old Testament of the Bible, specifically the Book of Genesis?
• For that matter, does scientific evidence about the origin and expanse of the Universe also disprove to origin of life expressed in the Book of Genesis?
• Did all life on Earth come as a result of all the elements that we know of being released over a period of billions of years by the explosions of early novas and supernovas?
• If that is the case, how can a spiritual power such as God play a role in our existence, since our existence would be purely scientific?
• Does religion exist simply to make people feel comforted whenever they come across thoughts of insignificance and worthless on account of the grand scheme of the Universe and our minute role in it?
• If there really is no God or any kind of supernatural spiritual force, how could everything we know come out of nothing?
• Likewise, if there is no God, what meaning and purpose would there be for the creation and evolution of life? How could all that we know, from plant photosynthesis to the organization of stars in a galaxy, all be orchestrated by nothing?
• If there is a God, what purpose does he have us here for? What are we expected to do that will make the rise and fall of the human race serve any purpose or have any lasting meaning?
• Why is the current ecological standing that humans are superior to all other forms of life? Were the Native Americans more correct in the belief that humans must live in interdependence with nature instead of dominate it?
• Is there not even any right or wrong answer to anything; does everything occur and development by random?
o The problem is, it can’t all be random because there is cause and effect; with cause and effect there will be different outcomes from different paths. This deliberate flow in existence suggests the role of a supernatural force influencing the process of life.
o Another example of the existence of some kind of supernatural being are the differences in all walks of life- between humans, trees, cats, etc. For what purpose is diversity encouraged? Will all the minute differences in humans or any other current form of life later translate into entirely different species? Does the ever-changing diversity have an end objective or destination?
o Is there a purpose in giving humans the sole characteristic of having free will to question everything that they don’t understand?
o Why are all humans given different qualities that make them all unique? Does this also apply to all animals and the extent of this just isn’t known to humans?
o Why do all humans have a desire to feel special and stand out in some way, and does that have to do with the controversy and conflict in the world?
o Is there a realistic role of the Oedipus Complex in the kind of person we fall in love with?
o Stereotypes do not advance civilization- only those that go outside the box have the chance to change humanity. Bad stereotypes of a group of people only destroy civilization, but good stereotypes only maintain civilization- yet is hard to determine good from bad stereotypes sometimes.. i would really like to be able to apply at least one of these questions to my research topic... probably better said than done
• Why did those in the New World differ from those in the Old World so drastically in ideologies ranging from religion to politics and seemingly everything in between?
• What influences causes at least an appearance that some ethnicities and cultures are superior to others (Whites compared to Native Americans/African/African-American)?
• Did all humanity evolve from one place (such as the Rift Valley), and how did the different directions in which those early humans spread to have an effect on the aforementioned superiority and ideological differences?
• Does scientific evidence from this one origin and spread of humans really dispel the facts presented in the Old Testament of the Bible, specifically the Book of Genesis?
• For that matter, does scientific evidence about the origin and expanse of the Universe also disprove to origin of life expressed in the Book of Genesis?
• Did all life on Earth come as a result of all the elements that we know of being released over a period of billions of years by the explosions of early novas and supernovas?
• If that is the case, how can a spiritual power such as God play a role in our existence, since our existence would be purely scientific?
• Does religion exist simply to make people feel comforted whenever they come across thoughts of insignificance and worthless on account of the grand scheme of the Universe and our minute role in it?
• If there really is no God or any kind of supernatural spiritual force, how could everything we know come out of nothing?
• Likewise, if there is no God, what meaning and purpose would there be for the creation and evolution of life? How could all that we know, from plant photosynthesis to the organization of stars in a galaxy, all be orchestrated by nothing?
• If there is a God, what purpose does he have us here for? What are we expected to do that will make the rise and fall of the human race serve any purpose or have any lasting meaning?
• Why is the current ecological standing that humans are superior to all other forms of life? Were the Native Americans more correct in the belief that humans must live in interdependence with nature instead of dominate it?
• Is there not even any right or wrong answer to anything; does everything occur and development by random?
o The problem is, it can’t all be random because there is cause and effect; with cause and effect there will be different outcomes from different paths. This deliberate flow in existence suggests the role of a supernatural force influencing the process of life.
o Another example of the existence of some kind of supernatural being are the differences in all walks of life- between humans, trees, cats, etc. For what purpose is diversity encouraged? Will all the minute differences in humans or any other current form of life later translate into entirely different species? Does the ever-changing diversity have an end objective or destination?
o Is there a purpose in giving humans the sole characteristic of having free will to question everything that they don’t understand?
o Why are all humans given different qualities that make them all unique? Does this also apply to all animals and the extent of this just isn’t known to humans?
o Why do all humans have a desire to feel special and stand out in some way, and does that have to do with the controversy and conflict in the world?
o Is there a realistic role of the Oedipus Complex in the kind of person we fall in love with?
o Stereotypes do not advance civilization- only those that go outside the box have the chance to change humanity. Bad stereotypes of a group of people only destroy civilization, but good stereotypes only maintain civilization- yet is hard to determine good from bad stereotypes sometimes.. i would really like to be able to apply at least one of these questions to my research topic... probably better said than done