The Best of Making Sense with Sam Harris cover image

#22 — Surviving the Cosmos

The Best of Making Sense with Sam Harris

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Exploring the Gap between Knowledge and Achievability

There are gaps between what is knowable and what is actually known or achievable. The laws of nature create restrictions, like the many universes interpretation of quantum theory or the finite speed of light. Our limited knowledge also restricts what we can do. However, there is no reason to believe that there are fundamental limits on what we can achieve, like never being able to leave the solar system. It is like the creationist argument that the Earth is only 6,000 years old, which cannot be proven or disproven. My argument is based on explanation rather than assumptions, showing that if certain things did not exist, something bad would happen. This is different from the flawed ontological argument for the existence of God.

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