I Am Learning

E. O. White: Pluperfect, Past and Present.

E. O. Wilson (see post below) studied ants to understand the emotional aspects of human behavior. In ant society every ant exists to support the colony and the colony exists to support the queen. There is no internal conflict until there is overcrowding; overcrowding produces the birth of a queen who leads an exodus to establish a new community.

We humans have tribal differences, I have learned from Professor Wilson. And primal tribal forces have each tribe seek to be supreme so our society is full of conflict.

Suddenly, gifted with the limited understanding I have through very limited exposure to his thinking, I may finally have an understanding of God. God serves (or could serve) us as the queen serves the colony by providing an undisputed leader for whom all exist to serve.

And we “made up” a leader to expect the best of us—in particular, God expects us to live a life full of empathy and altruism.

I have long loved the idea of God. Finally, I can say I believe because I believe in ethics. I believe that God is nothing more than a willing adherence to ethical behavior.

I want to worship in the church of Edward Osbourne Wilson because he has opened my mind and, like Oliver Sacks, improved the quality of my life profoundly.

(Post 997!)