Nuclear forces, quantum events, gravity, electromagnetism, entropy and natural selection are all unconscious processes. Some temporary, local, negative entropy is naturally selected for consciousness and that is the extent of the cosmic role of consciousness as far as we know.
In Poul Anderson's Technic History, the supernova that blasted out the supermetals coating the surface of Mirkheim occurred 500,000 years ago. Briefly, Baburites and human beings wage war for possession of Mirkheim.
In Anderson's "Iron," a dwarf star and its five planets have wandered through the universe for fifteen billion years. See Fifteen Billion Years. Briefly, kzinti and human beings fight in that planetary system.
Which is more dramatic: the long unconscious processes or the brief conscious conflicts?
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul! I can see a certain glacially slow majesty in natural processes needing 15 billions to reach what we see in "Iron." But the conflicts, quarrels, wars, etc., of conscious beings ARE more dramatic.
Ad astra! Sean
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