Man the center of universe, is this an illusion?

Question

Related to philosophy, can anyone give any information about this topic?

I really mean seriously. Has anybody came across it while reading a philosophical book or in any website or anything? I possibly need it to be scientific, but anyway thoughts are welcomed too.

Answer 1

well mankind ego is big enough to pull the rest of the universe around itself. But going seriously this was old greek thought that placed man at center some of it is impregned on gnostic thoughts and thorugh literature in renascent. This idea is always pushed aside by the fact that God was set in the center of the universe for all true monoteist religion. Science also helped to erradicate this Idea since we are not in the center of our solar system, galaxy or even universe and humans ain´t by far the most complex organism on earth (genetically speaking)

Answer 2

Depends on who's asking the question.

(and I'm not trying to be funny.)

Omni D said exactly what I'm sayin'.

I am being serious, though perhaps not dry and academic. I don't think that you mean you need it to be scientific...because the answer to is man the "physical" center of the universe? is a resounding no...and it's not even a particularly interesting question.

I'm not sure, from your question, if you're looking for some precise bit of information, say a citation or a written work by some recognized "philosopher," or if you are looking for discussion.

If you're looking for a written work your task is not very difficult...most philosopher's, from Niesche on (and some before) have had something to say on the topic (or the topic of self) which is closely related. This even includes such fringe "pop" philosophers as Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenence and Lila) and Scott Adams (Dilber comic strip and God's Debris). I bet even Doug Adams had something to say on the topic.

If you're looking for discussion I think my original answer is valid. The answer and the definition of each word in your question (man, center, universe and illusion) are all dependent on the asker, or at least must be defined first. What does illusion even mean?

I read a book when I was very young...too young in fact (11 or 12...they wouldn't let me read Stephen King, but apparently weren't aware of the metaphysical dangers of existential philosophy)...called Man and the Universe (I think the author was Matthew Kunst, but it's been 25+ years...so my self might be making that up). This book began with a "brief" history of everything...from the big bang on and proceeded to discuss the impact of man and even individual men on all of the preceding events and the record of those preceding events...in any case it ruined my summer, plunged me into an existential "what's the point" depression and in the end I decided it was best not to think about things like this...the center of the universe can be a very lonely place.

Answer 3

First off we need to find out what we mean when we say the "center of the universe." There is no actual, physical, center. No spot where the Big Bang occured, as space expanded from that point as well, so in a way the Big Bang occured at all points within the physical universe. I doubt this is what you are talking about though...

The purpose, the "telos" (Greek - "end") of the universe... It seems to me that sentient life in this universe is the only thing that let's the universe ponder if it HAS a telos. If there is no sentient life, then there is no way for anything to sense the universe, to ponder the universe, to have an idea of the universe's existance. So, in a way, without sentient life, there is no knowing if there IS a universe. Humans, as sentient creatures, are therefore an important part of the universe. So the telos of the universe, that depends if there is any other sentient life in the universe. Then, maybe humans AND i.e. centaurians or other xenobiological creatures are the telos of the universe.

So, as far as we can see, yes.

Even if we are to be considered extremely important in this universe, does that mean we are important at all? If the universe is mindless and hostile to life, where does it get IT'S meaning? Now THAT'S a question...

Answer 4

I think that we can discuss it by two maybe similar points of view:

1) If someone simply states that Men is the center of the Universe reflects a enormous ignorance of our world around. When you know what is the situation of our Earth in relation with the whole of Universe you really can feel a sensation of disminished magnitude of our presence in the vastness of the space out there.

2) If it said simply as a statement of the relative importance that our business and concerns of the daily life represent to us, I guess that it is innocence what prevails in that thought.
I mean, it is in our nature to think that human being is the most important created thing in Universe because we are just seeing what we have in our minds in that precise moment letting out the rest of the events in this enormous Universe as an issue that can not solve our immediate worries and fears.

Answer 5

that is the biggest delusion of the entire earth. We are in no way the center of the universe, I just hope we figure it out soon so people stop killing eachother over religion. I bring religion in because thats where that whole concept came from. Almost every religion says that we are, not necessarily the center of the universe, but we are "gods chosen people" so it makes humans out to be this amazing being that has the grace of this all powerful all knowing being. It's all crap I can't wait until aliens come tell us that they were responsible for the big bang and that they created the earth.

Answer 6

no one which contains theoretical physicists ever says "singularities create" no one is conscious what the guidelines of the Universe have been earlier there replaced into the universe we now understand existed be taught so theology besides by way of fact the present techniques on physics

Answer 7

No, it's a frame of reference.

Useful for some considerations, vastly misleading for others. (You wouldn't drive your car using an astronomical frame of reference).

What we know of the universe is framed, coloured, by what mankind is, perceives, thinks. So to a certain extent, we are at the centre of *our* universe.

That we might hardly matter to the universe (it would seem, from the scale of it) gives a different perspective.
But it requires *us* to notice that!

Answer 8

Each person is the center of their own universe...

Answer 9

everywhere i am is the center of the universe.
as well as my 360 pg.

Answer 10

天地同根 Heaven and earth and I are of the same root,

萬物一體 The ten-thousand things and I are of one substance.

-Zen master