Part 3/15:
Vaknin emphasizes that science and rationality depict a universe driven by randomness, devoid of care or purpose, rendering humans "strangers in reality." This realization can be unsettling, prompting us to seek explanations that reflect a universe with intent or benevolence—concepts inherent in religious or supernatural beliefs.
He criticizes the modern tendency to anthropomorphize the universe, describing it as grandiose magical thinking—believing that the universe listens or guides us. This, Vaknin suggests, is often driven by primal mental schemas that compensate for the universe's indifference.