Which way we will go is uncertain.

Consider how it is that anything exists at all. The only reason that atom's, stars, and galaxies can exist is because the physical constants of nature are fine tuned to a razor's edge. And on top of that the physical constants are even more micro-tuned to allow life to emerge, much less intelligent, conscious life.

So given the miracle of our existence, we look around to see that the physical world appears to be meaningless, with no sign of caring or purpose. But who can dispute the beauty of the universe, earth's biosphere and human love and ingenuity?

In fact, the beauty and pain of our existence are nearly balanced, they appear to carry surprisingly similar weights.

While any individual person may experience more than her share of horror and pain, another individual may experience love, joy and harmony. What do we make of this? What will tip the scales?

It seems to me that the only variable is the human capacity for conscious choice, coupled with human feelings for moral and ethical values, along with rational evaluation.

In a world so closely balanced between good and evil, so finely tuned between opposites, what else can tip the scales? Even if you extend the capability for conscious, ethical choice to some other animals (whales, dolphins, primates, elephants, crows?) or even to hypothetical alien life forms, the basic argument stays the same.

We conscious moral agents are poised to help tip the balance one way or the other.

Consider within human society and history, how so many key variables have been poised between good and evil. Has religion been more good or more evil, on balance, over human history? Have humans been loving and kind or cruel and evil?

No matter how meager our powers, no matter how limited our options; no matter how balanced our propensities for good and evil; we carry the ability to tip the balance of human activities one way or the other and, given the precarious knife's edge on which the universe teeters, we actually have the ability to move the needle to perhaps 50.001% good, versus 49.999% evil.

So, I choose, no matter how much evil my sinful self my harbor, to strive to do more good than evil, even if it is by a small amount. So should we all strive to tip the balance at towards the 51% goal.

I choose to believe in and to pursue a world with more good than evil, with more purpose than nihilism, with more beauty than pain. Why we are poised on such a precarious and unlikely cliff I do not know; but I recognize the possibilities, the importance, and the moral imperative of positive choice, decisive action, and unlikely faith.