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Watchmen - Confused regarding Dr. Manhattan's stance on miracles
Posted on 2/21/12 at 11:38 am
Posted on 2/21/12 at 11:38 am
I'm just paraphrasing here, but he has a nice line on mars where he says, "Miracles are, by their definition, meaningless. Only things that CAN happen do happen."
I thought it was a brilliant line.
Then, a few moments later, he basically says its a miracle that each of us are born how we are.
"In each human coupling, a thousand million sperm vie for a single egg. Multiply those odds by countless generations, against the odds of your ancestors being alive, meeting, siring this precise son; that exact daughter...until your mother loves a man ...and of that union, of the thousand million children competing for fertilization, it was you, only you...(it's) like turning air to gold...thermodynamic miracle."
So, what made Dr. Manhattan change the definition of the word, "miracle"?
There are 2 basic definitions of mircale:
1. An event which breaks the laws of nature
2. An event which is divine, caused by god.
He goes from def 1, to def 3 (an improbable event), which isn't a miracle at all.
I thought it was a brilliant line.
Then, a few moments later, he basically says its a miracle that each of us are born how we are.
"In each human coupling, a thousand million sperm vie for a single egg. Multiply those odds by countless generations, against the odds of your ancestors being alive, meeting, siring this precise son; that exact daughter...until your mother loves a man ...and of that union, of the thousand million children competing for fertilization, it was you, only you...(it's) like turning air to gold...thermodynamic miracle."
So, what made Dr. Manhattan change the definition of the word, "miracle"?
There are 2 basic definitions of mircale:
1. An event which breaks the laws of nature
2. An event which is divine, caused by god.
He goes from def 1, to def 3 (an improbable event), which isn't a miracle at all.
Posted on 2/21/12 at 12:07 pm to GonzoLeslie
I think it's just a different way of looking at the same outcome. I forget the exact number, but two people have 4 or 7 trillion genetic combination possibilities for offspring. You could make the case that the fact that you're here is a miracle, because the odds were against it.
Posted on 2/21/12 at 12:08 pm to Patrick O Rly
Happy Mardi Gras!!
I'm drunk b!tches!!
I'm drunk b!tches!!
Posted on 2/21/12 at 12:13 pm to GonzoLeslie
I don't think one contradicts the other. I think it's a very poetic way of saying that complexity does not make something a miracle.
You have to remember, that he was there because he was confused and frustrated.
You have to remember, that he was there because he was confused and frustrated.
Posted on 2/21/12 at 12:19 pm to Green Chili Tiger
quote:
You have to remember, that he was there because he was confused and frustrated.
Exactly. He was trying to find his place in the world. He was a God like being who was just pure energy with a conscience. He existed at all points in time. He was trying to come to grips with that especially because of what he was accused of. And in a bigger way, it was that Mars deconstruction of himself, and the Universe that lead to him being able to take the blame for the events orchestrated by Ozymandias (in the movie version at least).
Posted on 2/21/12 at 12:23 pm to Pectus
i think i may read the novel. does it go into much more detail about dr. manhattan?
Posted on 2/21/12 at 12:41 pm to GonzoLeslie
Since this is a Watchmen thread let me be the first to mention the blue dong.
Posted on 2/21/12 at 12:48 pm to Lacour
Oh yeah. I want one. A blue dong that is. On me, not IN me. You know what I mean.
Posted on 2/21/12 at 12:53 pm to GonzoLeslie
It's pretty much the same exact thing except for the means in which Ozymandias fulfills his plan, which sligthly alters the ending.
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