One of my favorite classroom posters was a sculpted-marble image of Socrates with the following inscription:
“The more I know, the more I know I don’t know.â€
It usually sparked lively discussions, but one year one of the students quipped, “If all we are doing is finding out how much we don’t know, then why bother?â€
Apparently, the student didn’t understand that Socrates was not inferring that knowledge wasn’t important, quite the contrary. He was suggesting that the more he learned, the more his sense of mystery, wonder and awe of the Universe grew.Â
Socrates could not have known that currently astronomers estimate our universe contains at least 70 septillion stars, 7 followed by 23 zeros, or roughly 10,000 stars for each grain of sand on Earth. Some scientists suggest that there are likely over 2 trillion galaxies. However, these estimates are problematic because they also claim that space is infinite (having no boundaries) and new galaxies are continuously being formed. If so, the Universe must still be in the process of creation.
Poet William Blake must have sensed this mind-boggling mystery when, in 1803, he wrote:
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
All of these thoughts converged when I was watching some “Jesus Bugs†walking on the water of a nearby stream. Socrates was probably not aware of the cosmic interrelationship with water striders; they are a blend of water—stardust and starlight.
Later, in a wonderful synchronicity, I discovered Matthew Miller’s edifying podcast: 7 Cool Facts About Water Striders.
Water striders are common residents of ponds, streams and marshes throughout Europe and North America. There are about 1700 known species and some live in ocean ecosystems. Although, to the casual observer, striders are interesting because they are among the few animals that can walk on water, ergo Jesus Bugs, however, for inquisitive minds there are mysteries and wonders invisible to human eyes.
Every strider is made up of approximately 500 million cells. Each cell is made up of 20 trillion atoms, which is 100X the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. All of these trillions of atoms have to be organized to perfection in order for the strider to survive. The atoms are arranged into molecules, cells, tissues, organs and at least 10 systems that allow the animal to react to stimuli; eat, breathe, drink water, excrete waste and mate.
However, the overarching Socratic question is, “What do these animals know?†Or, more precisely, what level of consciousness and or free will do they possess? Are the striders totally preprogrammed by the mostly unknown phenomenon called instinct? If so, what is the origin of the controlling organizational force? Biologists have made huge strides in describing the role of DNA in creating biological structures, however, almost nothing has been discovered as to how DNA can be pre-programed to organize perhaps terabytes or exabytes of incoming sensory impulses. This astronomical amount of information must be processed in nanoseconds and “decisions†must be made in order to direct another astronomical number of motor responses necessary for the striders to survive.
Striders have highly developed communication skills (including the ability to attract mates) by tapping their feet on the water. Although nearly all biological functions are accomplished independently, mating offers unique challenges because two animals are involved. Females have a prophylactic shield that they have to move in order to allow mating. Does this mean that they can be selective in choosing the best mates thus improving species survival?
Miller describes that, during mating, the female is forced into underwater submission and speedy mating to hopefully avoid being eaten by predators. Curiously, he describes strider mating as, “one of the most disturbing mating rituals on earth.†I wonder why? Is he inferring that striders have rudimentary human traits of values, consciousness and free will and therefore females are physically abused during mating? This may not be true especially since it is well known that female striders can secret a pheromone that serves as a repellant to predators.
As for, “one of the most disturbing mating rituals on earth?†Honey bee and praying mantis males do not survive their one and only nuptial rite.
[As an aside, many beekeepers have discovered that their bees can learn to recognize their face, thus allowing the keeper to tend the hive without the need of gloves, a protective suit or smoker.]
This leaves us with two fundamental questions: Are the water striders, with all of their complex and wondrous structures and functional behavior, totally unaware automatons that evolved through a process of random chance and competition? Or perhaps, paraphrasing anthropologist Loren Eiseley; are the striders the result of, “the eternal mystery, the careful finger of God?â€
It is both humbling and scary to know that when the Earth is engulfed by the Sun it will be as cosmically insignificant as a grain of sand vanishing from the Universe.
The fact that each of us is a once-in-a Universe creation, capable of pondering the quintessential Mystery, may be the greatest miracle on Earth.
Ergo; “The more I know, the more I know I don’t know.â€Â Â