Newton or Hawking?

 

 

Thus says the Fool
(by R.P.Edwards)

Something from nothing
O, to believe
Nerons and genomes
No magician
Or sleeve
Just blind chance mutation
Complexity…come
Direct indirection
No difference or sum
O wonder!
O beauty!
Of no one’s design
O perfect imperfect
Yet, perfect in kind
Yes, I see it!
I see it!
As I’ve known from the start
I’ve proved there’s no God
Says the fool…from his heart

In the news, Stephen Hawking (a really smart British physicist), has teamed up with a like-minded American brainiac, Leonard Mlodinow, and produced a book titled, “The Grand Design.”  According to the article I read, Mr. Hawking has modified his view of God….thus:

"Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist…It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going.” 

Honestly, it’s a terrible thing to take people out of context, but just the thought of reading coming tome wearies me. So, for the moment, I’ll presume that the writer of said piece (Michael Holden) has it right. 

So…wanting to comment on the subject, where do I go?  Well, since Mr. Hawking had, for decades, occupied the distinguished chair (Cambridge Universities Lucasian Professor of Mathematics) once occupied by Sir Isaac Newton, I thought I might contrast Isaac’s “yes God” view with Stephen’s “not necessary” declaration.  Nah.

Then I thought I might try and wrestle with the evolutionary mechanisms that somehow caused a reptiles scale to turn into an eagles feather; or how and why asexual reproduction…turned sexual.  And, for a time, I did some research.  But this too, wearied me.

And…since this site is supposed to be only a moments diversion, may I simply conclude by suggesting to my “naturalism or bust” friends that they, like I (a resolute believer in God); that we both walk in the ethereal realm of…faith?  Indeed, one of the most famous scriptures in Christendom defines it:  “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.  The evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)  So, when you (my Darwinist pal) see the backwards flying hummingbird, won’t you admit by the smallest degree, that you don’t fully understand why that happened and how an unknown or planned for “advantage“…became a destination?  And, more concretely, when your small daughter smiles at you and squeezes your leg and your heart melts just a bit; don’t you, just a tiny step, wade into the ocean of “belief?” For why, when emotions can be so disadvantageous--as far as survival goes-- why, as you pick her up and press your moistened cheek against hers…are we so full of them?

To wrap up:  Macroevolution?  I just can’t see it.  However, I will grant you this; that, when an incredibly complex human mind is free to dream, and explore, and propose, and ponder; well…almost anything’s theoretically possible.  And, acquiescing here, I wonder; yes, I wonder what the was the evolutionary impetus…to produce such a mind?

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