My blogs often use analogies in order to make abstract and/or difficult topics understandable. Examples: ants vs humans (eg, societies), balance & symmetry (eg, beauty), boredom vs curiosity (eg, inspiration), brain vs Universe (eg, similarities).
Recently, I had a weird thought: can black holes in the Universe be compared to the human definition of Life (eg, eating, digestion, pooping) in the Universe? Our definition excludes viruses on Earth but matches black holes (eg, SA-2025).
The notion of viewing the Universe as being alive is ancient:
Yes, the idea of a “living universe” or a universe with intrinsic life is an ancient concept found in various philosophical and religious traditions, predating modern science. Ancient Greek philosophers like Plato and the Stoics viewed the cosmos as a single, interconnected, living entity. This concept is also reflected in Eastern philosophies like Indian Vedanta and Taoism, as well as in the idea of panpsychism (everything is alive) and animism (belief in spiritual forces in nature) found in many traditional religions.
Source: Google AI Overview
In this context, black holes might then also be wormholes, a “hypothetical structure that connects disparate points in spacetime”.
How did ancient civilisations come to such an analogy??
Ancient civilizations conceived of a “Living Universe” through concepts like the universe’s emergence from a primordial, fluid state (e.g., Egyptian cosmology), the idea of an Earth-centered cosmos with celestial bodies governed by divine will, and the notion of a universal, intelligent force or consciousness behind the cosmos, as seen in various cultures’ myths and philosophies. They did not view the universe as a sterile, empty space but as a dynamic, interconnected entity with a divine or inherent purpose, where humanity played a central role.
Source: Google AI Overview
Hence, a similar notion like heliocentrism and about 2,000 years before Galileo Galilei (1564-1642).
I started visualising the above in my mind until I realised that a conscious, living Universe could, should and would represent a Supreme Being (eg, Yahweh).
A conscious, living universe can be understood to represent a Supreme Being, particularly within the framework of pantheism and related philosophies where the universe itself is God. In these views, the cosmos is an immanent, all-encompassing, and intelligent entity, making it supreme by virtue of being all existence. However, this is a specific philosophical and spiritual interpretation, not a universally accepted concept; some belief systems differentiate between the universe and a transcendent Supreme Being, while others do not involve a Supreme Being at all.
Source: Google AI Overview
“I believe in the Supreme Being, in a Creator, whatever he may be.” A quote from Madame Bovary (1856) by Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), a French novelist.
The Creator Has A Master Plan (1995) by Brooklyn Funk Essentials
band, lyrics, video, Wiki-band, Wiki-album+song
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless in quotes or stated otherwise.
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