In a message dated 12/12/01 9:38:59 AM, hvantill@novagate.com writes:
<< Suppose that in an earlier epoch H2O molecules had the abilities to form
only the solid and vapor configurations; they did not have the formational
capability to form liquid water. Then, in the spirit of your proposal, God
at some instant chooses to give H2O the additional formational capability to
form the liquid state. I am saying that such an addition of a new
formational capability necessarily entails a substantial change in the
structure and/or the interactive properties of H2O molecules, which in turn
entails some substantial change in what you are referring to as the "laws of
nature." Such a change could not, however, be confined to the properties or
interactive capabilities of H2O alone. The character of the entire universe
would be modified.
All formational capabilities of material configurations are intimately
interrelated with the character of the entire universe. A new formational
capability cannot simply be added without modifying the character of the
whole system.
Howard Van Till>>
Sorry, Howard, but I do not feel obliged to respond to your example, since it
has nothing to do with my view of how God acted. Your example is not in the
spirit of my proposal, notwithstanding your saying so. I know you are using
it just as an example to simplify and illustrate the point of your question.
It's not that I don't get your question, I just don't accept your conclusion,
namely that "The character of the entire universe would be modified" if new
formational capabilities to form a living cell were added to prebiotic
creation. The course of the stars would not be changed, galaxies would
continue to form, the physical constants would remain constant.
Since you raised the question, and apparently see something I don't see, let
me ask you to explain further why and how you think physical or chemical
laws throughout the universe would be modified as a result of cellular life
forming on planet earth. Are you stating a brute fact? Are you
extrapolating from you poisition to mine? How do you justify your statement?
What I see as a better example of my posiion is buildinng a house. The
founndation is laid (prebiotic universe). Now it is ready for the next stage
-- building the frame and the rest of the house (cellular life, complex life,
etc.). When building the superstructure on the fondation, the character of
the entire foundation would be not need to be modified. It has its own
inegrity, and does what it was designed and built to do-- hold up the rest of
the house.
----------
On the lighter side:
Since you live in Michigan you would appreciate what I saw on TV the other
night--maybe you saw it too. In a comedy program the question was raised,
Why did the Taliban lose the war in Afghanistan? Answer: because they used
the Detroit Lions playbook.
Regards,
Bob
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Dec 13 2001 - 08:34:44 EST