David Kipping

I studied physics, which I've always been fascinated by physics as well, but I came back to astronomy because it was my first love and I was much happier doing research in astronomy than I was in physics because it spoke to that wonder I had as a child that first was the spark of curiosity for me in science.

It's just a ride.

We're on a roller coaster and we have no purpose.

It's an accident in my perspective.

There's no meaning to my life.

There's no objective deity who is overwatching what I'm doing and I have some fate or destiny.

It's all just riding on a roller coaster and trying to have a good time and contribute something

to other people's enjoyment of the ride.

Yeah.

I see no fundamental providence in my life or in the nature of the universe.

And you just see this universe as this beautiful cosmic accident of galaxies smashing together, stars forging here and there, and

planets occasionally spawning maybe life across the universe.

And we are just one of those instantiations, and we should just enjoy this very brief episode that we have.

And I think trying to look at it much deeper than that is, to me, it's not very soul-satisfying.

I just think enjoy what you've got and appreciate it.