our entire universe no more than one atom in a blade of grass?

Question

One might take the tip of the pencil and magnify it. One reaches the point where a stunning realization strikes home: The pencil tip is not solid; it is composed of atoms which whirl and revolve like a trillion demon planets. What seems solid to us is actually only a loose net held together by gravity. Viewed at their actual size, the distances between these atoms might become league, gulfs, aeons. The atoms themselves are composed of nuclei and revolving protons and electrons. One may step down further to subatomic particles. And then to what? Tachyons? Nothing? Of course not. Everything in the universe denies nothing; to suggest an ending is the one absurdity.
Could it be that everything we can perceive, from the microscopic virus to the distant Horsehead Nebula, is contained in one blade of grass that may have existed for only a single season in an alien time-flow?
Just Think how small such a concept of things make us.

Answer 1

It depends on the perspective one takes when observing the world. It is from a very subjective point of view that one describes how they see the world around them, and the parts of the universe that we can not readily see, and still haven't discovered yet. Yes, all things great and small are still made up of smaller and smaller parts. That is what makes things so wondrous and beautiful. To know that all the most perfect bits and pieces were put together to make a flower, a blade of grass, the sun, the moon, the materials to build your house, it is so fascinating. And having that open mindedness is a true gift, and in philosophy, the root of so many questions and discussions. To know that there is always something we still have to learn about this, that and the other, lets us know that we're not done learning. It also lets us know that there are many possibilities for us to explore and keep learning, and that, like life, takes a journey, and it makes being alive a true miracle, and a reason for living.

Answer 2

Yes, your concept does make us 'small' ... but we are just as 'large' to those who may live as atoms in our blades of grass, as they are small to us, so are they large to atoms in their blades of grass. We give names to things that we can 'see' (even with an electron microscope, it doesn't become 'real' until we can 'see' it and name it), but when does that end? Does it go on getting larger and smaller into infinity?
I have a question for you about Heaven. If you and your child were standing at the gates of Heaven, and the Archangel Michael came and said to you 'There is only one place left in Heaven, so you tell me who should I take, you or your child who is standing next to you?
I would say take my child ... because I know that in Heaven 'infinity' has NO END, and by giving my place to my child, I am also guaranteeing my own place in Heaven. No, I don't 'know' what Heaven will be like, nor do I really want to ... because without that 'wonder' of 'where, when, and how' we will get there, what would be the POINT of 'life' in the here and now?
Okay, so I think you are wrong ... we aren't atoms in a blade of grass, but atoms in some germs on a doorknob, and be careful, because the janitor is coming, and he has a big bottle of disinfectant ...

Answer 3

When you compare all the universes in the material worlds they are just an infinitesimal spark compared to the Unlimited Eternal World. -
We are not this material body, IE; Race, color, nationality, Religion, mind, intellect, senses, job, etc. We are all eternal spirit souls, part and parcel of the Supreme Soul, also known as Krishna, Allah, Jehovah, Vishnu, etc. We never die, only this mortal body dies.
This material world is not our real home, it is called Maya (illusion) and is temporary and full of misery, only one fourth of the souls come here, (the less intelligent, (that's us))and the rest are enjoying blissful eternal loving relationships with our Maker named above. There are innumerable planets just in this Galaxy what to speak of the whole creation. We can understand all things in Truth through the ancient Vedic wisdom. Those who are intelligent, take up the process of self realization (Bhakti Yoga), which gives one real peace, happiness and reality. Then at the end of life they can return to the eternal Kingdom where there is no more birth, death, old age, or disease and be eternally happy.
For info. Go to harekrishnatemple.com Read Bhagavad Gita- As it is by Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada asitis.com you can read it on line.

Answer 4

So if our Solar system is an atom and our universe is a blade of grass for example, does that mean a blaze of grass in our 'atom' (universe) have a little race on it to? hmmm I guess. I think it could be taken into consideration but as a more Theological person I think we are a specialy designed universe.

Answer 5

Dude you are no philosopher or at least at the moment a bad one. I think you do not understand the meaning a the word "solid". And most things are not held together by gravity. You are forgetting about electromagnetism, weak and strong forces. And whatz the deal with "one blade of grass that may have existed for only a single season in an alien time-flow" WHAT? are u listening to yourself? does that even make sense to you? Dude philosophy is not your thing.

Answer 6

Spot on.

But - (sorry, being slightly pedantic) protons and electrons do not revolve around the nucleus. Protons exist within it and electrons (weirdly) sort of exist around it. They don't orbit it like a planet round the sun, they kind of manage to be at every spot around it at once.

But you're right - all this shows us that our perception of reality is flawed. What we think we know about our eviroment is wrong.

Reality as we understand it probably doesn't exist.

And yes, we could exist within an atom on a piece of grass. Or on a piece of dust in the pocket of a scientist. Or at the bottom of a test tube.

:-)

Answer 7

their is a theory that an atom or anything else only has size when we measure it so an atom could be the size of the universe and tiny at the same time its part of Brane theory (membrane)

Answer 8

That's physics not philosophy.

The concept of aliens does not make me feel small, the concept of God makes me feel small, because He created this wonderfully complex and yet strangely simple universe.

Answer 9

Yeah - it's quite humbling isn't it ?

It always makes me think how unimportant our pathetic squabbles and wars are in the grand scheme of things. We could conceivably wipe out our own race and nothing else in the universe would change.

Answer 10

Great fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite 'em,
And little fleas have lesser fleas, and so on ad infinitum.
And the great fleas themselves, in turn, have greater fleas to go on;
While these again have greater still,
and greater still, and so on.

Augustus De Morgan