Descartes could have been wrong. He's human.
Quote Originally Posted by PaleRider View Post
Aren't we convinced from Descartes', "I think, therefore I am" treatise that we actually do exist, and have a consciousness that is more than just the musings of some other sentient being? I know that I have a consciousness that is more than just a manipulation of someone else, and that this reality does exist -- it's not just a "dream" or the invention of some other Super-Genius being. (You'll have to read Descartes' proof yourself if you don't believe me). There is a past, present, and a future. We can't describe "time" in a perfect way (it is beyond our understanding), but we know it exists. We know there is more than a present moment, because we can empirically prove that there is cause and effect beyond just this moment, and we have an intuitive understanding that this planet was here here one second ago, and may (probably) will be here one second from now.

Now, cause and effect, coincidence, the fabric of how all these things tie together, "purpose", destiny, what is thought... these are all metaphysical and philosophical discussions that are exciting to consider, with lots of different religious and philosphical explanations. I don't believe we will ever possess the brain or mind power to ever fully understand these things (in this life). What is the nature of time? Of the universe? Is it endless or finite? When did existence begin? How did the universe come to be, didn't something or someone have to create it? If that's true, how did that thing come to be? What is infinity? Is there a soul?

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, man has just enough intelligence and insight to contemplate these questions, but not enough knowledge to ever figure them out! But isn't it enough to know that you DO exist, you DO have conscious thought, and that there is more out there than we know or understand, without completely understanding it? Even though as a Christian I have beliefs/answers for many of these metaphysical questions, I still could not possibly comprehend them all. For example, I cannot possibly understand God or where He came from.

By the way, I completely agree about coincidence (to a point) -- there are some things that are probably random, and others that are not! I flip a coin, is it "random" about whether it will be heads or tails? But we're real, and we know that.