The natural world exhibits an order that belies its evolution out of chaos.  Yet, millennia after its creation, we on earth still ponder and debate fundamental questions.  Which came first – the chicken or the egg?  When does life begin?  And, when does it end?  These and other questions still defy definitive explanations.

 

Upon his arrival on this planet, mankind inherited the air he breathed, the water he drank, and the food he ate.  Although scientists have posited a number of theories as to the world’s creation and its inhabitance by plant and animal life – man included, they, with each new theory, have opened the door to more questions than have been answered.

 

The creation of the world and how man came to be are not new subjects of inquiry.  Ancient man pondered these same subjects, and he too established theories.  These ancient theories came to be known as mythology and gave rise to polytheism – the worship of many gods derived from observations and associations of celestial objects and forces of nature with divine beings.

 

As polytheism gave way to monotheism, religion provided a definitive answer to questions about creation and mankind.  A supreme being, God, made the earth, the beasts of the land, the fish of the sea, and the fowl of the air – with his Creation culminating in that of man.

 

This last creation man, made in his image and endowed with inalienable rights, was given dominion over the earth and the creatures inhabiting it.  Armed with consciousness and advanced cognitive abilities, man has throughout his history questioned that which was unknown and pondered the seemingly imponderable.

 

The advance of knowledge has frequently placed man’s understanding of the universe in juxtaposition to the concept of a supreme being.  Today, many question whether human life on earth is the result of a divine Creator or extraterrestrial beings.

 

These theorists point to accomplishments of ancient civilizations in moving large stones over extended distances in creating many of the ancient Wonders of the World.  The pyramids of Egypt, Mayan ruins, Stonehenge, and the statues on Easter Island evidence an intelligence that may have exceeded the capacity of the indigenous populations at those times.

 

Some even question twentieth century advances including the development of the atomic bomb, manned space flight, and the advent of the information age, questioning whether those major advances may have been inspired by human contact with alien beings and technology in Roswell, New Mexico and other locations.

 

Now, mankind plans for travel and colonization of the planet Mars.  With the rapidity of advances of the last half century, one only wonders where man may be capable of traveling in the next 50 years?

 

And, if man discovers other worlds with less advanced life forms, will he be viewed by those life forms as a god?  Will he conduct experiments to hybridize those life forms with human DNA?  Will he provide assistance enabling those civilizations to rapidly advance and assimilate new technologies into their existences?

 

As we approach Thanksgiving Day in the United States, should we be giving thanks to God, an extraterrestrial race, or chance?  Perhaps someday, we may know the answers to these questions.  For now, it is enough to know that we owe a debt to a creator or creation force and to those who have come before us on this planet.

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.