While listening to a lecture, a concept struck me quite a bit. According to the theory of the expanding Universe, galaxies seem to be drifting farther and farther apart. It is logical to suppose, then, that one day, in a distant future, they will be so spaced from each other that even the most powerful telescope on Earth will not be able to detect them. At this point, a question arises: If mankind will have no means to perceive the existence of other galaxies beside our own, if they will not have data to prove or even formulate such hypothesis, will they “imagine” or accept the possible existence of other bodies in the Cosmos? And if they still have books that describe such “bodies,” will they believe that they are true, or will they rather consider such descriptions as myths, as folk tales, as Science Fiction? Their “reality” will be dark, empty space surrounding our Milky Way and … nothing else. Scientists believe only in what they can see, in what can be proven by means of experimentation. This will not be possible. So? Does it mean that, to future generations, the existence of the billion galaxies we presently know of, will stop existing only because they cannot be seen?
This brings me to reflect, once again, about how “true” is what we “believe” to be true. How often are we (you, I, everybody else) totally sure that what we “see” is all there is? But … is it? If we take the above paragraph into consideration, and we admit that the “disappearance” of the galaxies from the future human knowledge is a real possibility, our convictions start to find themselves on shaky ground.
A curious anecdote about Albert Einstein recounts what he did during a scientific conference where he had proposed his theory of a four-dimension space-time continuum. His idea was not welcomed, his colleagues showed skepticism and criticized such hypothesis. So Einstein challenged them to solve the following problem: “Construct four equilateral triangles with six toothpicks.” All the scientists present tried to position the toothpicks in many ways, but no one succeeded. It is in fact impossible to achieve such result on a flat surface. At this point, Einstein constructed a tetrahedron (a solid having four plane triangular faces; a triangular pyramid) with the six toothpicks and said to his colleagues: “If you are not even able to use the third dimension that you experience every day, how can you think you can understand the fourth one?”
We may not have the brains of Einstein, but we should at least be able to grasp such concept: We don’t know everything! Unfortunately, we are still convinced that we do. Just for a moment, think about your opinions. Aren’t they “sacred”? Aren’t you always ready to defend them to the hilt? Don’t you often find yourself deep into arguments or discussions, trying to prove that “you are right”? Your belief is so strong that you immediately discard anybody else’s opinion that does not comply with yours. You have been raised with the conviction that “you” know better. You have been with parents, teachers, or mentors who used to declare “You do this because “I” say so.” Thus a belief was born about the right of the “I” to be always accepted as the dispenser of the law, as the owner and keeper of the truth.
Time has come for you (and for us all) to finally accept the idea that there are many things that you do not know, that a whole world of possibilities is out there, that there are things which — although they might sound absurd to your logical way of reasoning —– can nevertheless by possible, can even be true. And often are they proven to be true. Unfortunately, not everybody is endowed with the gift of “imagination,” i.e. the ability of the mind to be “creative.” Imagination makes one able to perceive what is normally not experienced through the human senses. But the five senses are not all. There is a hidden mysterious world we know nothing about. Let us endeavor to be open-minded and hope to be able, one day, to “see” beyond the horizon.
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