Even as idle speculation, I'm not sure why the idea of a thinking or intelligent universe would be appealing. One ironic consequence is that the notion of human rights becomes meaningless - just as, within our own bodies, individual cells don't have rights. If we're all part of a larger thinking entity, then we essentially exist in its service. And if it turns out, for example, that all of Earth's inhabitants need to pass from the scene so that the universe could be 'healthier,' then so be it.
But as you say, this is not a biologically informed concept - and I'm not sure exactly what it's supposed to be!
So anything I want to believe, as long as it hasn't been proved impossible, can be slapped with the "scientifically possible" label and trotted out as something people should seriously consider? Well I guess have to start worrying about Cthulhu now because it's not scientifically impossible that an elder god sleeps in a sunken city in an unexplored part of the ocean and will someday awaken and devour us all. Maybe the universe telepathically sent messages to Lovecraft who just thought he was thinking this stuff up on his own? I mean it's not unscientific now, is it?
Even as idle speculation, I'm not sure why the idea of a thinking or intelligent universe would be appealing. One ironic consequence is that the notion of human rights becomes meaningless - just as, within our own bodies, individual cells don't have rights. If we're all part of a larger thinking entity, then we essentially exist in its service. And if it turns out, for example, that all of Earth's inhabitants need to pass from the scene so that the universe could be 'healthier,' then so be it.
But as you say, this is not a biologically informed concept - and I'm not sure exactly what it's supposed to be!
So anything I want to believe, as long as it hasn't been proved impossible, can be slapped with the "scientifically possible" label and trotted out as something people should seriously consider? Well I guess have to start worrying about Cthulhu now because it's not scientifically impossible that an elder god sleeps in a sunken city in an unexplored part of the ocean and will someday awaken and devour us all. Maybe the universe telepathically sent messages to Lovecraft who just thought he was thinking this stuff up on his own? I mean it's not unscientific now, is it?
Reminds of the lame-ish joke:
Rene Descartes goes into a bar. Barkeep asks him if he wants a drink.
Descartes says, "I think not."
And poof, he disappears.