by Alex Bond

Created on: June 09, 2008   Last Updated: June 23, 2009

I look up at the night sky and I am overwhelmed by the ever-expanding universe spiraling out into infinity. Although, I can only see a small portion of its vastness from my vantage point on Earth, I am still amazed. When you look at the stars at night you realize how infinitesimal you really are compared to the whole universe. How can you care about what clothes you will buy next time you go shopping, or which sports team won last night? If you are anything like me, you can't. The stars give you a sense of perspective, showing you that not only is there an unimaginably large universe out there, but that you can't even see most of it.

After the initial realization that trivial matters such as material goods or social status don't matter, what can you talk about? Nothing. At least at first. For a few moments, there is usually a moment of silence, introspection, or reflection.

Following that, you realize that there are many topics that are intellectually stimulating to talk about, topics which include questions of origin, ethics, values, and reality. How do we know that we are not stuck with our heads in place watching shadows on the wall and assuming it is reality? How can we measure things using a universal time when it is relative? Can we ever accurately observe something if the mere act of observation changes its properties?

Once a person starts verbalizing their thoughts on philosophical matters with another, it can snowball into a large and more in-depth conversation. Whether you continue to speak from multiple viewpoints on one topic or delve into tangents of other topics, it feels quite fulfilling.

To have some of the greatest philosophical debates, one must be willing to take the opposing side's point of view. For if you can see what your adversaries see, you can find the flaws and weaknesses within your own point of view. Of course not all philosophical discussions turn into debates. In fact, some philosophical discussions will build off of each other to create an axiom which otherwise would not exist.

Time is an exemplar of the aforementioned type of discussion. Time and its existence and relativity can be discussed at length with a fellow conversationalist. But no matter what your conclusion is on the state of time, it takes time to get to that conclusion... Or does it?

I wonder, were there more great philosophers from the past because there were less distractions. Is it possible that having nothing better to do than look up at the sky and wonder what might be out there is responsible for the esoteric ideas which our descendants devised? Without media and distractions, would we think for ourselves more? Mayhap one day we will return to such a serene and pure state of existence such as this...

Learn more about this author, Alex Bond.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.