"On a cosmic scale, our life is insignificant, yet this brief period when we appear in the world is the time in which all meaningful questions arise"

This quote by Paul Ricoeur talks to the idea that, while our lives might be insignificant on a cosmic scale, the brief amount of time that we live is the most essential. This is since it is during this time that we are able to ask significant concerns and search for answers. Ricoeur is suggesting that, although our lives may be brief and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, it is during this time that we are able to ask questions and look for answers that can help us to understand the world around us. He is stressing the importance of benefiting from the time we need to ask significant concerns and search for responses, as this is the only time we need to do so. Ultimately, Ricoeur is recommending that, although our lives may be insignificant on a cosmic scale, the time we have to ask significant questions and look for answers is important.