Most life forms we have seen do not build their own niches; they develop to fit niches that already exist.

Humanity seems to be unique because we appear to be able to evolve to fit higher order ecological niches within the universe.

Even now, we appear to be ready to slip into an ecological niche conducive for space traveling organisms.

This is an exciting time for our species.

But as exciting as it may seem, we do not want to lose track of the concept that we may also be evolving into understanding what lies beyond the boundaries of our universe.

Is it just a coincidence that these two leaps, space travel and an understanding of a universal philosophy, are evolving at the same time or is it possible one cannot occur without the other?

If it is imperative that we have a universal understanding of the significance of our lives as well as the lives of others before we explore the existence of other life forms, then we should not ignore this development.

On the other hand, if this understanding is not a prerequisite of space travel, perhaps we should give it serious thought anyway in order to prevent our past from repeating itself at the expense of innocent life forms we may encounter.

End