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Chosenpeople,chosenplanet?AJewishsearchforE.T.
LimmudConference2015Friday(Shabbat)9.00–10.00pm
ShoshanaZ.Weider@SZWeider
1
SciencebackgroundExtrasolarplanet(‘exoplanet’):planetthatorbitsastarotherthanourSun.
• Firstconfirmeddetection:1992• Firstdetectionofa(giant)planetorbitingaSun-likestar:1995• Onlysomeexoplanetshavebeendirectlyimaged;mostaredetectedindirectly
(e.g.,viatransitorradial-velocitymethods)• NASA’sKeplerspacetelescope:activefrom2009to2013.Identifiedafew
thousandcandidateexoplanets(over1000confirmed).One-in-fiveSun-likestarshaveanEarth-sizedplanetwithinthehabitablezone.
Searchforextraterrestrialintelligence(SETI):collectivenameforallscientificactivitiesinvolvedinthesearchforintelligentextraterrestriallife(e.g.,searchingforradiosignalsfromothercivilisations).
Drakeequation:Probabilisticargumentusedtoestimatethenumberofactive,communicativeextraterrestrialcivilisationsinourgalaxy.Someestimates:>10,000civilisationsintheMilkyWay!
Astrobiology:studyoftheorigin,evolution,distribution,andfutureoflifeintheuniverse(bothextraterrestriallifeandlifeonEarth).Involves:
• Searchforhabitableenvironmentswithin,andoutside,ourSolarSystem• Studyofextremophiles(organismsthatcanthriveinphysically/chemicallyharsh
conditions)• Detectionofextraterrestriallifethrough‘biosignatures’
LikelyplacesformicrobiallifeelsewhereinourSolarSystem:Mars,Europa,Titan.
ScanningelectronmicroscopeimageoftheAllanHills84001meteorite.FoundinAntarcticain1984,originatedfromMars.Fossilisedbacteriaornon-biogenicmaterial?!
Chosenpeople,chosenplanet?AJewishsearchforE.T.
LimmudConference2015Friday(Shabbat)9.00–10.00pm
ShoshanaZ.Weider@SZWeider
2
TheJewishangle(1)Devarim14:2 כי עם קדוש אתה ליהוה אלהיך ובך בחר יהוה להיות לו לעם סגלה מכל העמים
אשר על פני האדמה:
ForyouareaholypeopletotheLord,yourGod,andtheLordhaschosenyoutobeatreasuredpeopleforHim,outofallthenationsthatareupontheearth.(2)Bereshit2:18
ויאמר יהוה אלהים לא טוב היות האדם לבדו אעשה לו עזר כנגדו:
AndtheLordGodsaid,"Itisnotgoodthatmanisalone;Ishallmakehimahelpmateoppositehim."(3)Bereshit1:5
לאור יום ולחשך קרא לילה ויהי ערב ויהי בקר יום אחד ויקרא אלהים:
AndGodcalledthelightday,andthedarknessHecallednight,anditwaseveninganditwasmorning,oneday.(4)BereshitRabbah3:7RabbiJudahbarSimonsaid:itdoesnotsay,‘Itwasevening,’but‘Anditwasevening.’Hencewederivethattherewasatime-systempriortothis.RabbiAbbahusaid:ThisteachesusthatGodcreatedworldsanddestroyedthem,
saying,‘Thisonepleasesme;thosedidnotpleaseme.’RabbiPinhassaid,RabbiAbbahuderivesthisfromtheverse,‘AndGodsawallthatHe
hadmade,andbeholditwasverygood,’asiftosay,‘Thisonepleasesme,thoseothersdidnotpleaseme.’
(5)RabbiJosephH.Hertz,AdditionalNotestoGenesisA:Thecreationchapter(ThePentateuchandHaftorahs,Soncino,1981),p.193Now,whilethefactofcreationhastothisdayremainedthefirstofthearticlesoftheJewishCree,thereisnouniformandbindingbeliefastothemannerofcreation,i.e.,astotheprocesswherebytheuniversecameintoexistence.
Inthefaceofthisgreatdiversityofviewsastothemannerofcreation,thereis,thereforenothinginherentlyun-Jewishintheevolutionaryconceptionoftheoriginandgrowthofformsofexistencefromthesimpletothecomplex,andfromthelowesttothehighest.TheBiblicalaccountitselfgivesexpressiontothesamegeneraltruthofgradualascentfromamorphouschaostoorder,frominorganictoorganic,fromlifelessmattertovegetable,animalandman;insisting,however,thateachstageisnoproductofchance,butisanactofDivinewill,realisingtheDivinepurposeandreceivingthesealoftheDivineapproval.
Chosenpeople,chosenplanet?AJewishsearchforE.T.
LimmudConference2015Friday(Shabbat)9.00–10.00pm
ShoshanaZ.Weider@SZWeider
3
(6)Sanhedrin37a…Thereforeeverysinglepersonisobligedtosay:Theworldwascreatedformysake(7)AryehKaplan,ExtraterrestrialLife(essay)(http://www.torah.org/features/secondlook/extraterrestrial.html)ItisanaxiomofJudaismthattheentireuniversewascreatedforthesakeofman.Inoneplace(Berachot32b),theTalmudreckonsthattherearesome1018starsintheobservableuniverse,andexplicitlystatesthattheywereallcreatedforthesakeofman.(8)Rambam,TheGuideforthePerplexed,3:25Knowthatthemajorsourceofconfusioninthesearchforthepurposeoftheuniverseasawhole,orevenofitsparts,isrootedinman’serrorabouthimselfandhissupposingthatallofexistenceisforhissakealone.Everyfoolimaginesthatallofexistenceisforhissake…butifmanexaminestheuniverseandunderstandsit,heknowshowsmallapartofitheis.(9)RabbiChasdaiCrescas,OrHashem,4:2
• Talmudicteaching(AvodahZarah3b):Godfliesthrough18,000worlds• Concludes:nothinginJewishtheologytoprecludetheexistenceoflifeonother
worlds(10)RabbiYosefAlbo,SeferIkkarim
• Sincetheuniversewascreatedforthesakeofman,noothercreaturepossessingfreewillcanexist
• Anyextraterrestriallifewouldthereforeneitherhavefreewillnorbeabletoserveacreaturethathasfreewill(e.g.,animalsandplants)
• Suchlifeformswouldbesuperfluousandthereforeextraterrestriallifecannotexist
(11)RabbiYehudahbenBarzilai,commentaryonSeferYetzirahAllofthemarefullofgloryofGod,likethisworld,butitispossiblethatthisworldismorebelovedbyHim.ForitmaybethatHedidnotgivethemTorah.Andevenifwesaythatthese18,000worldsdopossessTorah,itmayyetbethatthisworldismorebeloved.Itmayhoweverbepossiblethatinthoseworldstherearenosinfulcreatures,theymaybespiritualbeingscreatedforHisglory.However,wehavenodefiniteauthorityforanyoftheseexplanations.Itseemsclearonarationalbasisthattheseworldsarenotpartofourownworld,buteachofthemisratheracompleteuniversewithearthandspheres,unrelatedtoourown.
Chosenpeople,chosenplanet?AJewishsearchforE.T.
LimmudConference2015Friday(Shabbat)9.00–10.00pm
ShoshanaZ.Weider@SZWeider
4
(12)Shoftim5:23 אורו מרוז אמר מלאך יהוה ארו ארור ישביה כי לא באו לעזרת יהוה לעזרת
יהוה בגבורים:
‘CurseMeroz!’saidtheangeloftheLord.‘BitterlycurseitsinhabitantsbecausetheycamenottotheaidoftheLord,totheaidoftheLordagainstthewarriors’.(13)Shoftim5:20
מן שמים נלחמו הכוכבים ממסלותם נלחמו עם סיסרא:
Fromtheheaventheyfought,theverystars(planets)intheirorbitsdidbattlewithSisera.(14)RabbiPinchasEliyahuofVilna,SeferHabritHashalem
• Takesopinion(MoedKatan16a)thatMerozisastar/planetasproofthatextraterrestriallifedoesexist
• Shouldnotexpectthecreaturesofanotherworldtoresembleearthlylife,anymorethanseacreaturesresemblethoseofland
• Althoughextraterrestrialformsoflifemaypossessintelligence,theycertainlycannothavefreedomofwill
(15)Vayikra25:2(Shmita)
ני ישראל ואמרת אלהם כי תבאו אל הארץ אשר אני נתן לכם ושבתה דבר אל ב הארץ שבת ליהוה:
SpeaktothechildrenofIsraelandyoushallsaytothem:WhenyoucometothelandthatIamgivingyou,thelandshallrestaSabbathtotheLord.
• VaykiraRabba(29:11):thereareseven‘earths’(thelast/oursis‘tevel’)• IbnEzra:thesearethesevencontinents• Zohar:theyareseparatedbyafirmamentandareinhabited
(16)RabbiNormanLamm,Thereligiousimplicationsofextraterrestriallife,(Challenge:TorahViewsonScienceanditsProblems,1976)Itistruethatthedoctrineofman’screationintheDivineImagebestowstranscendentvalueuponman,liftinghimoutoftheorderofthepurelynatural;butthisisbynomeansnecessarilyanexclusivistprinciple.Itisquitepossiblethathomosapiensonthisplanetandotherequivalentraceselsewhererepresenttheinterpenetrationofthenaturalandthesupernatural.Whethertheideaof“thedivineImage”isinterpretedrationalisticallyasintelligence,orethicallyasfreedomofwill,ormysticallyaspossessingcreativepowers,thereisnothinginit(thatis,intheBiblicaldoctrineperse)thatinsistsuponman’ssingularity…AllhumanbeingsarecreatedinthisdivineImage,despitethefactthatpeoplearebornunequal,somewithsuperiorendowmentsand
Chosenpeople,chosenplanet?AJewishsearchforE.T.
LimmudConference2015Friday(Shabbat)9.00–10.00pm
ShoshanaZ.Weider@SZWeider
5
somewithatragicpovertyofbothtalentandopportunity.Inthesamemanner,racesofintelligentbeingsthatdifferfromeachotherasradicallyasanidiotfromagreatgeniusmaybothbeimpressedbythedivineImage,bythesummonstotranscendthemerelynatural.IftheImageoftheAbsolutelyOneGodcanbeimpresseduponthemanifoldindividualswithinthehumanrace,itcanbesimilarlybestoweduponamultitudeofraces.(17)Tehillim8:4–9
כי אראה שמיך מעשה אצבעתיך ירח וכוכבים אשר כוננתה: מה אנוש כי תזכרנו ובן אדם כי תפקדנו:
ותחסרהו מעט מאלהים וכבוד והדר ת עטרהו: תמשילהו במעשי ידיך כל שתה תחת רגליו:
צנה ואלפים כלם וגם בהמות שדי: צפור שמים ודגי הים עבר ארחות ימים:
WhenIseeYourheavens,theworkofYourfingers,themoonandstarsthatYouhaveestablished,whatismanthatYoushouldrememberhim,andthesonofmanthatYoushouldbemindfulofhim?YetYouhavemadehimslightlylessthantheangels,andYouhavecrownedhimwithgloryandmajesty.Yougivehimdominionovertheworkofyourhands;Youhaveplacedeverythingbeneathhisfeet.Flocksandcattle,allofthem,andalsothebeastsofthefield;thebirdsoftheskyandthefishofthesea,hetraversesthewaysoftheseas.(18)RabbiNormanLamm,Thereligiousimplicationsofextraterrestriallife,(Challenge:TorahViewsonScienceanditsProblems,1976)Hereaconsiderationofcelestialgrandeurpointstoman’sinsignificance;yetman’scentralworthissalvaged,andproofisadducedfromhissuperiorityoverotherterrestrialcreatures.Whatwearegivenhereisnotahesitation,anuncertainty,butamarvellousparadox.Manisbothimportantandinsignificant,centralandperipheral,worthyandtrivial.Inthecontextofthevastcosmos,manshrinksalmostintonothingness;intheframeworkofhisownhabitationheissupreme,worthy,extremelyimportant.Botharetrue.Theyoungmanwholeaveshishomeandfamilyforthefirsttimetomakehislonelywayinthewideworld,experiencesthesameambivalenceabouthimself:intermsofhishomeandfamily,heisofvitalimportance;intheoutsideworld,heisunknownandignored.Itisonlywhenhecanretainhisinnerdignityevenwhenapparentlymockedbytheindifferenceoftheunfriendlyworld,thathehasachievedmaturity.Mankindtoday,onthethresholdofthisvoyagetothefar-outreachesofthecosmos,experiencesthesameparadoxdescribedbythePsalmist.
Chosenpeople,chosenplanet?AJewishsearchforE.T.
LimmudConference2015Friday(Shabbat)9.00–10.00pm
ShoshanaZ.Weider@SZWeider
6
(19)RabbiMenachemMendelSchneerson(LubavitcherRebbe)(http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/aid/2436891/jewish/The-Rebbe-and-the-Scientist-Looking-for-Life-on-Mars.htm)DrGreene,lookforlifeonMars!Andifyoudon’tfinditthere,looksomewhereelseintheuniverseforit.BecauseforyoutosithereandsaythereisnolifeoutsidetheplanetEarthistoputlimitationsontheCreatorandthatisnotsomethinganyofhiscreaturescando!(20)RabbiNormanLamm,Thereligiousimplicationsofextraterrestriallife,(Challenge:TorahViewsonScienceanditsProblems,1976)Theuniquenessofmanisnotaracialdoctrineorbiophysicalphenomenon.Itreferstothespiritualdignityofcreaturesendowedwithreasonandfreewill.Onearth,onlymanfulfilstheseconditions.Ifweshoulddiscoverotherfreeandrationalspecies,weshallofcourseincludetheminthecommunityoftheuniquelybio-spiritualcreatures.Stillexcluded,willbethemultitudesofothercreaturesfrombacteriathroughelephants,andthevariousinferiorbiologicalformsthatmaypopulateotherglobeselsewhere.Sowhyhaven’twefoundE.T.?Fermiparadox:apparentcontradictionbetweenhighestimatesforDrakeequationandthelackofevidenceforintelligentcivilisations.
Somepossiblereasons:• RareEarthhypothesis:originoflifeandevolutionofbiologicalcomplexity
(e.g.,sexualreproduction,multicellularorganisms,intelligence)requiresimprobablecombinationofastrophysicalandgeologicaleventsandcircumstances.
• Greatfiltertheory:intelligentlifeisincapableoftechnologicallyadvancingenoughforlong-distancespacecommunicationortravel.Abarrierorcatastrophewillinevitablewipeoutcivilisationsorcausetechnologytodevolve.
• Unidentifiablesignals:noreasontobelieveextraterrestriallifeevolvedinthesamewayasonEarth.Wejustcannotrecogniseotherlifeforms.
(21)RabbiJonathanSacks,TheGreatPartnership:God,ScienceandtheSearchforMeaning(Hodder,2011)p.97Faithisnotcertainty.Itisthecouragetolivewithuncertainty.Faithisnevereasy.Thegreatheroesofmorallife,likethegreatartistsandscientistsandthinkers,likeanyonewhohasundertakentolivealifeofhighideals,knowfailureafterfailure,disappointmentafterdisappointment.Whatmadethemgreatisthattheyrefusedtodespair.
