Senescente mundo

A few hours left in 2007. I am awaiting the arrival of company. I am ensconced on my couch, glass of port and cigar and cheddar by my side, soft lighting, warmth, listening to Baroque music.

Why is there something, rather than nothing?

That there is anything at all, much less ourselves...

The Book of Genesis describes Elohim calling things into being and over six days the basics of the world were made. Hard work. He had to take the Seventh Day off.

Now our scientists tell us that in fact the universe is about 15 billion years old and that it exploded into being from a speck of "infinitely" dense something smaller than an atom. Thus were space and time born.

Of course, I want to know what was going on 15 billion and 1 years ago. How did that speck get there?

And the implication of this theory is that what makes me up, and you, matter and energy wise, was also present somehow in that speck.

It was Pliny, I believe, who used the phrase "senescente mundo homines et senescunt", "the world having grown old, men grow old as well." I'm sure he had no idea how.

Happy New Year.