I am unfamiliar with the source of the comment, but the idea is certainly familiar to me, though I have no idea where I picked it up. (I doubt it occured to me spontaneously.) It is accurate to say that a portion of the universe is looking at the whole universe, but that is rather different from the wording you have reported. That hints at some
presence for which we would constitute a conduit for our observations, like an ant contributing to the
hive mind, individuals being analagous to neurons in a brain. A little too New Age for me. (I don't think that is what you were suggesting, its just my take on the wording.)
I don't understand this. Did you mean:
- It is just a whimsical observation with no testable means to verify it.
- It is just a whimsical observation with no means of predicting/determining consequenses if it is true.
- Something else.
Given my naturalistic world view I think the observation is of primary importance. It is stunning that conscious, (allegedly) intelligent beings could arise and be able to acquire detailed knowledge of their origins and much besides. Since we do not know how common life may be in the universe it behoves us to protect and nurture the one instance we currently know of. Unfortunately we have demonstrated only limited competence thus far. I would grade us
C+, could try harder.