Who am I?
More to the point, why am I who I think I am?
John K. Nixon
T
he French philosopher René Descartes is
best known for his cryptic statement “Je
pense, donc je suis” (I think, therefore I
am) – Dubito, ergo cogito, ergo sum – which
has fuelled endless debate over what is real and
what is not. One logical extension of this statement is “If I exist, then for what purpose?” In
other words, what is the point of my life, and for
that matter, the existence of humanity and the
universe at large?
These and similar questions coursed
through my mind as I toured the Body Worlds
3 exhibit at Vancouver’s Science World. This
is one of four similar exhibits that have been
touring major cities around the world for the
past 10 years, and have now been seen by
more than 20 million people. In each there are
some 200 exhibits on display, ranging from
body parts, organs, etc. to many complete human bodies. There are cadavers which have
been injected with a plastic compound that
replaces all the water in the body and preserves organs and soft tissues in their original
colouring. The cadavers are typically partially dissected and mounted in various poses to
demonstrate the orientation of skeleton, muscles, ligaments, etc. Everything is on display
– blood vessels, nerves, muscles, tendons, internal organs, brains, genitalia, etc. – and is
very tastefully presented. Visitors who have
any reverence for life and respect for the incredible complexity of the Human Body, as I
have, will find this a thought-provoking and
humbling experience.
12
I am told that I consist of some 100 trillion
cells (that is, one followed by 14 zeros). Each cell
is invisible to the naked eye, yet contains in its
internal structure complete instructions that determine where, when and how that cell will develop in my body. This information is encoded
in a DNA molecule shaped like a twisted ladder.
If straightened end to end the DNA molecule in
each cell would stretch six feet, yet it is packed
into a space measuring only 1/2500 of an inch in
diameter.
At some point in my mother’s womb, my
heart started pumping. By the time I die this
mechanical device will have expanded and contracted over 2.5 billion times without ever being
shut down for periodic maintenance. There is no
machine that man has yet invented that can come
close to that! The human brain is the most complex entity known to Man, far more so than any
man-made computer. We are still exploring the
potential of our brains, much of which is never
used to full advantage.
So much for the complexity of my physical
being. I am evidently more than just a physical
body. What is known as my Soul encompasses
all the thoughts, feelings, emotions and intellect
that I possess, experience or demonstrate. Some
would call it my spiritual side. There are schools
of thought, particularly in some of the established
religions, that claim that only human beings have
souls, and that other forms of life, not having
the ability to reason and lacking self awareness,
cannot have souls. This I consider the height of
arrogance, particularly when we consider that
Humanist Perspectives, Issue 185, Summer 2013
Consideration of the
existence of a soul
naturally raises the
question of what
happens to my soul
after I die. For that
matter, where was
my soul before I was
conceived?
what distinguishes us from
other primates is less than
3% of our shared DNA. If I
possess a soul, then, in my
book, so does a flea or a
cockroach.
Consideration of the
existence of a soul naturally
raises the question of what
happens to my soul after I
die. For that matter, where
was my soul before I was
conceived? Here we are
confronting without a doubt
the greatest question of all. What is the meaning
of Life, and does the Soul continue after death?
Many of us seek comfort in Organized Religion
to explain, or even to answer, these questions. My
own scientific upbringing and agnostic persuasion
do not allow me to accept pre-ordained answers
that do not invite probing, debate or alternative
explanations.
Before I attempt to answer the questions I
have posed, it is worthwhile putting things in
perspective. I recall years ago seeing on television a demonstration of what is meant by geological time. The narrator started at the far end of a
45-foot long wooden walkway, representing the
moment when scientists believe that Earth was
formed about 4.5 billion years ago. Thus each
foot on the walkway represented the span of 100
million years. As he slowly walked toward the
camera he reeled off the significant events during the life of our planet. After walking ten feet,
the first primordial life emerged in the oceans.
By the time the narrator was ½” from the end of
the runway the first humanoids walked the Earth.
Finally, the entire span of recorded human history could be represented by the thickness of the
paint layer at the end of the runway. The complete life span of myself and of those reading this
would amount to the width of a few molecules
within that layer of paint!
Consider too, where that Earth that we spoke
of is situated. We are one of eight planets (if we
discount the recently discredited Pluto) revolving around our sun. Our sun in turn is one of
some 100 billion suns, or stars, in our galaxy.
Evidence is mounting that
our galaxy may be one of
untold billions of galaxies
in the Universe, which appears to our mortal brains
to have no physical limits.
These facts and observations are mind-numbing
to rational human beings.
The numbers involved are
beyond easy comprehension. All of this raises the
question, How did the
Universe happen? Was
this a series of apparently random events, or is
there some over-arching Grand Design at work?
How could this incredible scale and complexity
exist without some Intelligent Overseer, like the
Wizard of Oz behind a screen, pulling levers and
twiddling knobs?
Questions like these lie at the interface between Science, Religion and Philosophy. For
me the jury is out when it comes to seeking an
explanation. If indeed there is some Supreme
Intelligence at work, then, given my agnostic
leanings and considering the suffering and injustice that we see around us, I have difficulty
believing that this Supreme Intelligence or Deity
is imbued with all the human attributes (compassion, love, mercy, forgiveness, etc.) that we tend
to assign to Him or Her. Having said that, I do
not wish to disparage in any way the religious
beliefs of others who may read or hear what I
have written.
So the question remains, who am I and why
do I exist? My answer is, “I haven’t a clue”.
Perhaps, when I shuffle off this mortal coil, I will
find out, like my dear departed wife of 43 years,
just what it was all about. Until then I can only
speculate and wonder at the sublime complexity
and elegance of design that infuse the life I am
privileged to live.
John Nixon is a professional engineer living in West
Vancouver. Most of his career has been devoted to
consulting engineering in mining and metallurgy. He
holds a B.Eng. degree from McGill University and an
MBA from York University.
Humanist Perspectives, Issue 185, Summer 2013
13