This post is - confession! – mostly a matter of possibilities and imagination, and not science. It works directly from my previous post in which I admitted I am now a deist.
When scientists do calculations on an atomic level, they – for the most part – disregard the gravitational force. The reason for this is that the gravitational force is so tiny compared to the forces that are at work on an atomic level that the force is – for all practical purposes – undetectable at that scale.
However, recent discoveries (forgive my laziness, you’ll have to look them up yourself) have found that a similarly related effect happens when measuring the gravitational force. There is an almost imperceptible tertiary influencing factor at work in the theories of relativity and gravity. As gravitational pull weakens on an object, time also changes on that same object relative to the gravitational pull. As such, satellites have to have their clocks regularly adjusted to align them with clocks on earth because the strength of gravity at such heights is less. I don’t know about all the details, but bear with me – the exact and numerically accurate nature of this effect is not necessary for my point.
However, I’ve seen articles that show they have discovered hitches. Over time, the calculations no longer add up. There is this tiny – almost imperceptible – problem with the calculations we have today. There is obviously some sort of minute force at work out there, almost as imperceptible at the level of planets, moons, and stars as the gravitational pull is at an atomic level.
My point should be quite clear. The forces or – dare I say – even concepts at work in that which exists are not necessarily scientifically testable because they may not always be perceptible. Our own ability to measure and perceive possibilities are as limited on a solar system level as they would be if – say – we existed on the surface of a quark.
So.
Quite simply, I have restored in full my sense of awe at the possibilities of that which may exist. My belief in God extends quite naturally from this – in that even though we may be able to scientifically show that belief in gods is a completely natural phenomena and unfounded (including my own), there is still room for recognition of the incomprehensible which, when comprehended by our limited understanding, takes the natural formulation in the human mind of a Being. In other words, I recognize from the start that my comprehension of this Thing is wrong, and yet somehow find that a belief in it is closer to the truth – despite my recognition that I will be in error no matter how I describe this – than somehow attempting to ram all the data in my head into a singular category of scientific and mathematically predictable calculations.
The God I believe in is to that which I know what consciousness is to brains or the gravitational force is to atoms. It is subtle, sublime, and – from the start – incomprehensible. However, I must confess that the simple recognition of the possibility is quite settling of the spirit. Somehow being able to say “this [the universe as we know it] cannot be it” has renewed my spirit.
I now have an Entity upon which I can fix my spiritual gaze for the time being, rather than destroying over and over the old conception of God which had worn out its welcome like an old wineskin that had already burst.
I’ll stop beating my dead horse and get a new one, even though this one is bound to die someday too.
- Josh
Josh, I’ve had similar thoughts for some time. Suppose, for example, we were sentient before we evolved the sense of vision. Light would exist, but we simply would not have the machinery to detect it.
Could this be the case with paranormal phenomena? Forces exist; but we simply can’t determine them (yet)?
It seems, however, that our epistemic arrogance precludes us from recognizing that our knowledge is incomplete.
Good post.
Oz, I think that is exactly my point. Our mind recoils at the possibility that there is data we cannot account for. That’s why the problem of evil should bother Christians so much. It is a piece of data which they are forced to invent a solution to or to simply ignore.
But, I have to somewhat agree with Einstein when he implied that he thought atheism was the rebellion of theists against antiquated ideas. From experience, it sort of is. Nothing wrong with that at all. It is a way of fighting ideas that are ‘more wrong’ than the ones we currently have. It’s a natural reaction.
As far as paranormal phenomena goes, I would probably form my argument like this: all paranormal phenomena is 100% natural. However, it would be foolish to argue that all paranormal phenomena can be explained by the data humankind presently possesses.
We should neither commit ourselves to a belief in a supernatural agent of a particular definition (invention / anthropomorphizing) nor assume that our present knowledge is sufficient to account for all the data (fundamentalism).
Take for example the stories of preemptive dreams, where a person has a dream before an event occurs. There seems to be three explanations humans make:
1) It was coincidence.
2) It was not coincidence, although the cause or correlation cannot yet be determined. Only problem is we can’t reproduce it predictably so we cannot scientifically test it.
3) It was supernatural, and the force can be described by [insert supernatural force here].
All I’m saying is that I tend to lean toward (2) now, rather than (1). (3) strikes me as selling a product, not searching for truth.
Josh,
I’ve been following your recent posts- so you really are a deist? Have you thought about Taoism? Not that it is perfect, but I like some of it’s ideas. Nice posts. I also think their is something out there, that is why I am an agnostic and not an atheist, but I know my former religion fell far from explaining it.
“As far as paranormal phenomena goes, I would probably form my argument like this: all paranormal phenomena is 100% natural. However, it would be foolish to argue that all paranormal phenomena can be explained by the data humankind presently possesses.”
Precisely. If we went to a planet whose inhabitants had not yet developed flight, it would seem supernatural to them. Until we understood about microbes and pathogens, illnesses were attributed to God or the Devil, because we just didn’t understand the natural laws by which they operate.
Ultimately, the main issue is that we don’t know it all. We don’t know how much there is to know, and how much of the total we know. But I think science is our best bet.
I’ve not done much reading on the the limits of science, but my working thoughts are along these lines: Say you are born in a sealed box. Eventually, you explore all the walls and corners of the box. Do you then have ‘absolute truth’ about the box? I’m inclined to say no, because you don’t know what’s OUTSIDE the box. But from your perspective inside the box, is there even such a thing as ‘outside’?
You gave me your number once, but we didn’t get to talk. I’ll give you call soon. I’m currently working on my deconversion testimony. Boy, have I got some stories to tell
Oz
4riozs brought it up too. Learn of the Tao. Methinks you’ll like it.
I’m looking into Tao… it certainly is interesting so far…
Hmmm…
Tao Te Ching- if you say you unterstand the tao- it really isnt tao. It really is interesting. I don’t know if I am a taoist, but by applying some of it’s principles I have found a sort of peace with the world. I like it’s philosophy or way of looking at events.
My cat is totally Toaist. Half black, half white. If you pick him up, he goes boneless. Flop him over and rub his belly, he just lets you. Lift his hind legs and walk him like a wheelbarrow, he goes with it. I’m learning from him.
Lol. That’s awesome. I wish my dog was a Taoist. He goes against the Tao.
So Leo do you consider yourself Taoist, or are you just interested in the aspects of their beliefs?
When I was Christian I thought that if I ever did adopt any other religion, it would be Taoism. I like the balance of it; the ‘give when pushed, go when pulled’ way of following the flow of life. I’m not really a Taoist since I’m not bothering to take on any religion. (Don’t feel the need.) Still, I like it and it’s probably the closest religion/philosophy I come to. Existentialism would be the other one that would also come close.