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Why?

We seem to be the only creatures around who ask “Why?” Questions of What, Where, Who,
When, etc., are implicit in the lives of other animals as they forage, hunt, procreate, and socially
interact, but it’s not apparent that they pause in the midst of their actions to ponder, or
wonder.

Why?

After the first humanoids began questioning existence –asking “Why,” “Why Not,” and “What
if”– religious, philosophical, and artistic exploration evolved into the myriad forms that exist
around the world today. It's not apparent that this mental activity would have provided our
ancestors with any particular advantage in terms of their survival. Unless, perhaps, it connected
individuals in new and more profound ways, enhanced group solidarity, enabled larger groups
to coexist, encouraged more dialogue, discussion, ideation, creative solutions … joy.

“Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted.” –E.M. Forster

Lovers don’t ask Why – not in the beginning anyway.

Scientists don’t generally ask Why. They focus on What and How.

Each is passionate about something, about connecting, about connecting with another person,
or discovering the connections between some What and How.

But the passionate “Why?”

Why are some of us so passionate about questioning why we exist, or why we love, or why
someone dies, or why the universe is so vast, and we so small?

“Is it True?”

How do we know?
That my desk measures 30 inches by 60 inches is true. But how do I take the measure of
someone’s response to some existential question of being itself?
“Why” questions lead inexorably to question of Being. Essential questions, like “Is my one life
all there is?”; “Is there some kind of Divine nature to the universe?”; “Does Evil exist?”; “Is Love
more than a mere emotion?”; “How shall I live?”.

Our ancestors devised and collected set answers to many of these Why questions, formed them
into dogmas, creeds, moral codes and laws, philosophical tracts, institutions, liturgies, lectures,
guidelines, and beliefs.

The various ancient religious and philosophical traditions could be regarded as containing
signposts - questions of Why - questions that have led down various paths over millennia,
providing answers - many dated by their historical and cultural contexts, and always painfully
human in their limitations, if not in their aspirations – but the questions remain.

Many of us see ourselves and our cultural evolution at a crossroads where cosmology,
philosophy, theology, neuroscience, and other disciplines of study meet, or collide.

The old answers do not suffice, not in their traditional forms, and the plethora of new proposals
exist in a vast sea of Wikipedia pages. How we are to choose amongst the myriad answers can
be as vexing as the original questions themselves.

A friend’s child dies, and asks, “Why?”

A young child, listening to a fairy tale, rapt, full of passionate wonder, asks, “Is it true?”

How will we answer?

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