What are we? Why are we?

[Bot]

I have been having this thought for some time now and I would like to know what do you guys think about it....So here it goes....

As we all know that Earth is a part of the Solar System and the Solar system System is present in the Orion Arm which is one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy comes under the Local Group which is one of the small group of galaxies that comes under the Laniakea Super Cluster which consist of approximately 1,00,000 galaxies...Milky Way Galaxy being one of them.

This keeps going on and on i guess...My question is where is the end...Is there an end?
If there is an end then another question comes to my mind why there is an end?

It is said that our Universe is expanding...expanding inside what?
This particular question makes me think...Are We Real?...and also leads me to many other questions like reasoning our existence.

 

[billslugg]

The universe is not expanding inside anything, there is no end to it. If you went far enough in one direction you would end up where you started. It is the three dimensional equivalent of the two dimensional surface of an expanding balloon. Every spot is the center, there is no edge.

 

[murgatroyd]

Why would you "end up where you started"? Doesn't that presume a "curved" rather than a "flat" universe?

Can we ever know how much bigger than the observable universe the universe is ... or find proof that it is infinitely large?

 

[rod]

"Why are we?", I did not see any answers provided to this question.

Another statement, "Are We Real?...and also leads me to many other questions like reasoning our existence."

 

[billslugg]

Why would you "end up where you started"? Doesn't that presume a "curved" rather than a "flat" universe?

Can we ever know how much bigger than the observable universe the universe is ... or find proof that it is infinitely large?

Yes, returning to your starting point assumes a curved universe with density greater than an an amount that would cause an eventual Big Crunch.
However, measurements in 2013 show the Universe to be flat with an uncertainty of 0.4%, so it is undetermined which it is.

This article in 2020 leans towards "curved".
The universe might just be curved | Hub (jhu.edu)

The answer to this question would determine the size of the universe, either finite or infinite.

As for "Why are we here?", it presumes the existence of an intelligent being outside the universe that put it here, and us in it, for a purpose.

That would require us to look at a time before the universe was created which is not possible due to we cannot see before Planck time because our physics prohibits it.

 

[Helio]

This article in 2020 leans towards "curved".
The universe might just be curved | Hub (jhu.edu)

The answer to this question would determine the size of the universe, either finite or infinite.

IMO, what we eventually learn about DE (Dark Energy) will have great impact on the curvature question. The CMBR is very old data () and we’ve learned that DE is having greater influence today than it did billions of years ago, apparently. Not knowing what DE is, or having confidence in just what its behavioral characteristics are, limits the future picture we can form for our future universe.

As for "Why are we here?", it presumes the existence of an intelligent being outside the universe that put it here, and us in it, for a purpose.

I agree with this opinion, but, FWIW, this is answering a question never asked in the OP, or did I miss it?

That would require us to look at a time before the universe was created which is not possible due to we cannot see before Planck time because our physics prohibits it.

Yes, science can only inform religion and philosophy when there is overlap between them. Near t=0, science is limited to suppositional points only.

 

[billslugg]

"I agree with this opinion, but, FWIW, this is answering a question never asked in the OP, or did I miss it?" - Helio

I was bouncing off Rod's comment in post #4 which he made in response to post #1:

"This particular question makes me think...Are We Real?...and also leads me to many other questions like reasoning our existence." - Post #1

"Why are we?" - Post #4

 

[Helio]

"I agree with this opinion, but, FWIW, this is answering a question never asked in the OP, or did I miss it?" - Helio

I was bouncing off Rod's comment in post #4 which he made in response to post #1:

"This particular question makes me think...Are We Real?...and also leads me to many other questions like reasoning our existence." - Post #1

"Why are we?" - Post #4

Right, that's why I included "FWIW". I thought perhaps Rod was quoting a question that was asked, then deleted. But if not, then even Rod wasn't asking the question, only misquoting the OP.

It's still an important question as it helps delineate science from religion/philosophy.

 

[billslugg]

Just noticed, the question "Why are we?" is in the title of the thread.

 

[Helio]

Just noticed, the question "Why are we?" is in the title of the thread.

Ah, that explains things.