Saturday, July 27, 2019
Thursday, July 25, 2019
The question whether science makes God obsolete
To the question whether science makes God obsolete , the answer is: definitely not.
Some basic findings of contemporary science are not only compatible, with belief in God but become pointers towards the transcendent cause of all finite reality. One must consider not only some isolated arguments, but see the totality of the whole picture of modern science, and philosophical implications of it , plus the philosophical arguments already discussed in this part. If one would superficially only take the dogmatic statement of atheism then one would miss the vision of the whole. From all modern sciences there is some evidence pointing to the transcendent first cause:
(1) In cosmology the argument begins with the obvious statement that whatever begins to exists as it cause . If one follows this reasoning one arrives at the existence of the first cause.
(2) The universe had a beginning (the big bang theory) points to the necessity of some creative source of reality.
(3) The evidence from physics and the anthropic principle point to the fine tuning of the Cosmos and it’s energies as if planned for the production of life and human beings.
(4) The evidence from biochemistry points to the intrinsic purposive orientation of all entities and especially the living beings .
(5) The evidence from biological information , the DNA inside everyone’s body consists of trillions of cells each containing in four-letter code all information necessary for the structure of the body.
(6) The evidence of human consciousness , awareness of self , sensation, thoughts , emotions, desires, beliefs and free choices make humans self-conscious animated subjects .
The appearance of the universe, the development of life and the miracle of human consciousness all are stages in the designed development of the known universe. If this is so, then there must exists a timeless, personal immaterial being with freedom of will and enormous power. Such being in religious language is called God, although our knowledge of this being is analogical and in some respect transcends the ability of the human mind to understand.
If one rejects the above one must accept some contradictory and illogical consequences :
(1) nothing produces everything.
(2) Chaos produces information,
(3) Unconsciousness produces consciousness and
(4) Non-reason produces reason.
Those reflections can be perhaps illustrated by a little story about a mouse and the grandfather clock.
Once upon a time there was a very wise mouse.
She had lot of respect from other mice because
they considered her very educated and
very professional mouse. She delivered
lectures in many institution of the mousy-world-of-learning.
One day she wondered into the apartment of some people
and was terribly scared when she heard very heavy steps
approaching . In panic. looking for escape, she hid herself
in the frame of the grandfather’s clock . She looked at the various
wheels and chains inside and realized that each wheel moved
another wheel and this one still another and so on. The whole
thing was booming producing even music and regularly
ticking and ticking away. “Oh” said the mouse to herself,
“I can see now how this whole machinery works here , it is really very
simple , I will have to deliver a lecture about it to the others.”
It never occurred to the mouse to ask the question : Why is there such a thing like a grandfather’s clock and what is the purpose of the whole structure. Her little mind was too small to ask such extravagant and metaphysical questions.
Recommended readings:
The Courage to Think for Yourself. The Search for Truth and the Meaning of Human Life.
**************************
Finality and Intelligence. Is The Universe Designed?
Some basic findings of contemporary science are not only compatible, with belief in God but become pointers towards the transcendent cause of all finite reality. One must consider not only some isolated arguments, but see the totality of the whole picture of modern science, and philosophical implications of it , plus the philosophical arguments already discussed in this part. If one would superficially only take the dogmatic statement of atheism then one would miss the vision of the whole. From all modern sciences there is some evidence pointing to the transcendent first cause:
(1) In cosmology the argument begins with the obvious statement that whatever begins to exists as it cause . If one follows this reasoning one arrives at the existence of the first cause.
(2) The universe had a beginning (the big bang theory) points to the necessity of some creative source of reality.
(3) The evidence from physics and the anthropic principle point to the fine tuning of the Cosmos and it’s energies as if planned for the production of life and human beings.
(4) The evidence from biochemistry points to the intrinsic purposive orientation of all entities and especially the living beings .
(5) The evidence from biological information , the DNA inside everyone’s body consists of trillions of cells each containing in four-letter code all information necessary for the structure of the body.
(6) The evidence of human consciousness , awareness of self , sensation, thoughts , emotions, desires, beliefs and free choices make humans self-conscious animated subjects .
The appearance of the universe, the development of life and the miracle of human consciousness all are stages in the designed development of the known universe. If this is so, then there must exists a timeless, personal immaterial being with freedom of will and enormous power. Such being in religious language is called God, although our knowledge of this being is analogical and in some respect transcends the ability of the human mind to understand.
If one rejects the above one must accept some contradictory and illogical consequences :
(1) nothing produces everything.
(2) Chaos produces information,
(3) Unconsciousness produces consciousness and
(4) Non-reason produces reason.
Those reflections can be perhaps illustrated by a little story about a mouse and the grandfather clock.
Once upon a time there was a very wise mouse.
She had lot of respect from other mice because
they considered her very educated and
very professional mouse. She delivered
lectures in many institution of the mousy-world-of-learning.
One day she wondered into the apartment of some people
and was terribly scared when she heard very heavy steps
approaching . In panic. looking for escape, she hid herself
in the frame of the grandfather’s clock . She looked at the various
wheels and chains inside and realized that each wheel moved
another wheel and this one still another and so on. The whole
thing was booming producing even music and regularly
ticking and ticking away. “Oh” said the mouse to herself,
“I can see now how this whole machinery works here , it is really very
simple , I will have to deliver a lecture about it to the others.”
It never occurred to the mouse to ask the question : Why is there such a thing like a grandfather’s clock and what is the purpose of the whole structure. Her little mind was too small to ask such extravagant and metaphysical questions.
Recommended readings:
The Courage to Think for Yourself. The Search for Truth and the Meaning of Human Life.
**************************
Finality and Intelligence. Is The Universe Designed?
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