Where did we come from? It's a question as old as time. Apparently a human trait to wonder how it all began. Every culture has it's own explanation, story or legend which attempts to address this. Over time, many of these have come to be seen as less plausible and thus less popular but we are still at a point where a proven and universally accepted explanation seems a long way off.
On one hand we have the religious view. No disrespect is intended by grouping many complex and varied belief systems together but rather the intention is to recognise a similarity that many of the most prevalent faiths hold dear. That is the belief that humans were created, intentionally, by a higher being. Designed and brought to existence as we are today with a purpose.
Some may argue that this view is archaic and simplistic but it is undeniable that belief in a higher power provides many people the world over with a strength and reassurance they require. Seeing a purpose to all happenings lends to a positive disposition and goes a long way to explain the unexplainable. The greatest strength, and perhaps also weakness, to the legacy of this notion that it can be neither proven, nor disproven.
Then on the other hand we have the scientific theory which attributes the creation of all to a cosmic big bang. An event of such power that it gave birth to both time and space. It is quite difficult to get your head around the idea that before this event time did not exist. The theory leads on to Darwin's famous theory of evolution that proposes that species slowly change in response to their environment. This change is theorised to have lead humans to have evolved from primates. While this theory is widely accepted there is obvious difficulty in proving events from millions and billions of years ago.
What if these aren't the only two options? There are many less prevalent theories that don't fit into either of these categories but let me put a new one to you. What if the story of our origins, both as a species and the entire universe is too complex for us to understand? What if it is something lightyears beyond anything that physics or theology can explain or even beyond the capacity of our intellect?
We all hold an underlying assumption that as a species we can understand anything and that nothing is beyond our collective intelligence. Why do we assume this? What basis do we have assume that nothing is beyond our understanding. We have developed computers, formulas, measuring devices, theories and methods of translation which has, or is in the process of, made sense of everything we encounter but that doesn't mean it's boundless.
Here's an example: Get some time with your pet, if you don't have one then just imagine. Now teach that pet algebra. Take as long as you need and use whatever method you would like. I would dare say that however hard you try you won't be able to do it. That's not a sign of bad teaching or an unintelligent pet. They are simply incapable of such a complex theory. What I'm suggesting is to us as algebra is to your pet. Something too far past our power of comprehension.
I'm not offering this suggestion as the most likely scenario but merely as an alternative worth consideration. If we've spent tens of thousands of years to get to our current situation of continual war, environmental destruction and minimal space exploration are we really as highly intelligent as we like to believe?
*Images sourced from pixabay