Concerning the creation of the universe and man's place in it:
"But when the work was finished, the Craftsman kept wishing that there were someone to ponder the plan of so great a work, to love its beauty, and to wonder at its vastness. Therefore, when everything was done... He finally took thought concerning the creation of man... He therefore took man as a creature of indeterminate nature and, assigning him a place in the middle of the world, addressed him thus: "Neither a fixed abode nor a form that is thine alone nor any function peculiar to thyself have we given thee, Adam, to the end that according to thy longing and according to thy judgement thou mayest have and possess what abode, what form and what functions thou thyself shalt desire. The nature of all other beings is limited and constrained within the bounds of law. Thou shalt have the power to degenerate into the lower forms of life, which are brutish. Thou shalt have the power, out of thy soul's judgement, to be born into the higher forms, which are divine." (Pico 224-225)
I would change "to be born into the higher forms" to "to be borne into the higher forms" personally. While I do not agree with the postulate that there is a Craftsman (or that said entity created 'Man' or 'Adam' with a purpose), I do agree that:
*Humans collectively have the power to create an objective framework of Laws (under which to collectively dwell) which dictates, places limits on, and constrains 'all other beings'
*Humans individually have the power, by choice (in this case indicated by 'thy soul's judgement'), to degenerate or regress (in my view, regression from Human to an 'other being')
*Humans individually (and, uniquely) have the power to ascend (or, be 'borne into') into _A_ higher form (be that from 'other being' to 'Human' or indeed 'Human' to a so-called 'Post-human'), also by choice
I feel that humans are unique (in our capacities, which may or may not have evolved over time as a result of the biological systems we appear to be made up of and which may indeed present itself again - or already has), and gifted with one crucial gift: that of personal choice.
I would change "to be born into the higher forms" to "to be borne into the higher forms" personally. While I do not agree with the postulate that there is a Craftsman (or that said entity created 'Man' or 'Adam' with a purpose), I do agree that:
*Humans collectively have the power to create an objective framework of Laws (under which to collectively dwell) which dictates, places limits on, and constrains 'all other beings'
*Humans individually have the power, by choice (in this case indicated by 'thy soul's judgement'), to degenerate or regress (in my view, regression from Human to an 'other being')
*Humans individually (and, uniquely) have the power to ascend (or, be 'borne into') into _A_ higher form (be that from 'other being' to 'Human' or indeed 'Human' to a so-called 'Post-human'), also by choice
I feel that humans are unique (in our capacities, which may or may not have evolved over time as a result of the biological systems we appear to be made up of and which may indeed present itself again - or already has), and gifted with one crucial gift: that of personal choice.