John W Burgeson <burgytwo@juno.com> wrote (Sun, 18 Nov 2001 16:41:42
-0700):
> Peter wrote: "But biology, consciousness, and spirituality are _not_
> reducible to physics, unlike chemistry and astronomy."
> While I agree with this, I need to see more than a simple claim to that
> effect. On what grounds would you argue this?
You are right: a simple claim is not enough. On the other hand, I have
argued these claims repeatedly on this list and in various papers in
Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith (PSCF). But I'll try and
formulate a short answer here. The arguments are partly scientific,
partly theological/philosophical, as I am trying to harmonize the two
realms.
In "How has Life and its Diversity been Produced?" PSCF 44/2 (June
1992), 80-94, I presented a model calculation showing that an
evolutionary random walk towards a minimal novel functionality (i.e. a
functionality not yet available in the biosphere, and before natural
selection can set in) could not be reasonably expected to succeed for a
requirement of more than two specific amino acid replacements, hitting
transastronomical improbabilities. Yet minimal specificity sets as small
as this are unknown in biology. Of course, once normal evolution with
selection sets in, such improbabilities can no longer easily be shown to
apply, although they might occur.
As God has created us in his image, as responsible persons, I believe he
will not force us to believe in him. Therefore, I think he hides his
footsteps in creation by directing extremely improbable mutational paths
through "hidden options" (cf. my paper "Creative Providence in Biology",
PSCF 53/3 (Sept.2001), 179-183), rather than through interventions
possibly detectable by science.
I consider the creation narrative in Genesis 1-2 as primarily
theological. But as it is also a revelation by the Creator, I am not
surprised that there are striking parallels between the Genesis text and
what we know from modern science. Thus, I consider it reasonable to try
to trace the harmony between the two information sources, rather than
simply degrading the initial Genesis chapters to myth. Armin Held and I
tried to formulate such a harmony in "Genesis Reconsidered", PSCF 51/4
(Dec.1999), 231-243. In particular, we see special creative acts in the
origins of the psychological and spiritual dimensions (i.e. higher
animals (soul) and humans (spirit), respectively). Even though God's
usual method apparently is evolution (combined with "hidden options"),
clearcut miraculous interventions creating new dimensions seem to be
indicated in these unique events.
Finally, I'll add some new considerations, which have grown mainly
through the discussions on this list. Both these definitely creative
acts and the hidden options imply miraculous divine interventions. But
neither of the two types of intervention violates any natural laws. The
hidden options, which by definition are invisible to science, occur as
specific selections from sets of possible outcomes, God having specified
beforehand the properties, e.g. genuine randomness, of such sets as a
whole. Thus, both genuinely random events and specified contingencies
among them are fully under God's control and direction, while permitting
the creatures (non-living and living) to exercise the sets of freedoms
designed for them. The "big" creative acts, on the other hand, produce
new dimensions which did not exist as yet, which therefore were not
covered by the previously existing laws of nature. Thus, these physical
laws of nature will be neither violated nor changed by the new
dimensions and their specific laws, God being able to provide for their
full compatibility in the augmented system.
Peter Ruest
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