I had an interesting philosophical conversation recently with a family member. They shared with me a thread of logic I’ve heard before, and even supported myself once upon a time. The argument goes something like this. "If you think about all the things that have to happen just right to sustain life on our planet there is no way this could all just be a result of randomness." This perspective is why my conversant felt God must exist. They went on to reason that the fact that we humans have yet to find another similar world that shows even more how rare such an existence is, and further shows how randomness could not have brought about planet earth and life.
On the first point I agree with my family member. From the almost infinite number of combinations of processes such as physics, chemistry, electro-magnetics, etc. that are required, and all the inter-dependencies among these combinations, the probability of random life is infinitesimally small.
From The Book of Mormon
Alma 30
43 And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words.
44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.
The second idea from my fellow philosopher in the family is where we differ. Again the thought was that since life outside this planet has not been discovered yet by science then it must be truly rare. It is this rarity, says the argument, that proves randomness alone could not cause life or we’d see more of it.
Here’s why I differ with this thought. Scientists rightfully argue that if a God we’re so engaged in creative activity, then why don’t we see more of it? Essentially these folks interpret the same data to an opposite conclusion. My family member thinks the scarcity of life evidence means God must be actively causing life. Much of the scientific world thinks the scarcity of life evidence means there is no God, and life is a result of random unplanned events.
Perhaps both are reach differing conclusions based on the same data because they both assume the data is correct. The premise of both positions is that there is no evidence of life beyond earth. I say that human kind has not discovered life beyond earth. Non-discovered life is not the same as non-existent life. Our ability to peer into the cosmos has been enhanced in recent decades, to be sure. At the same time, astronomers will still tell us how little we can see beyond the immediacy of our own solar system.
From The Pearl of Great Price
Moses 1
26 And lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days; for thou shalt deliver my people from bondage, even Israel my chosen.
27 And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the Spirit of God.
28 And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore.
29 And he beheld many lands; and each land was called earth, and there were inhabitants on the face thereof.
30 And it came to pass that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them?
31 And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.
32 And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.
33 And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.
34 And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many.
35 But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.
36 And it came to pass that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content.
37 And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.
38 And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.
39 For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
I believe that as our knowledge increases we will eventually find life in the cosmos either through technology, or because our "earth shall pass away... and another come". The low probability of random generation of life to me shows that life is created and not spontaneous. I also argue that an abundance of life in the cosmos would be more supportive of a purposeful creative God. Because the odds of randomness are so low that would bolster the argument that life should be rare without God. I believe life is abundant in the cosmos, but mankind has not been able to discover it yet through our advancing, but still limited technology. I believe the abundance of life is created by God.
On the first point I agree with my family member. From the almost infinite number of combinations of processes such as physics, chemistry, electro-magnetics, etc. that are required, and all the inter-dependencies among these combinations, the probability of random life is infinitesimally small.
From The Book of Mormon
Alma 30
43 And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words.
44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.
The second idea from my fellow philosopher in the family is where we differ. Again the thought was that since life outside this planet has not been discovered yet by science then it must be truly rare. It is this rarity, says the argument, that proves randomness alone could not cause life or we’d see more of it.
Here’s why I differ with this thought. Scientists rightfully argue that if a God we’re so engaged in creative activity, then why don’t we see more of it? Essentially these folks interpret the same data to an opposite conclusion. My family member thinks the scarcity of life evidence means God must be actively causing life. Much of the scientific world thinks the scarcity of life evidence means there is no God, and life is a result of random unplanned events.
Perhaps both are reach differing conclusions based on the same data because they both assume the data is correct. The premise of both positions is that there is no evidence of life beyond earth. I say that human kind has not discovered life beyond earth. Non-discovered life is not the same as non-existent life. Our ability to peer into the cosmos has been enhanced in recent decades, to be sure. At the same time, astronomers will still tell us how little we can see beyond the immediacy of our own solar system.
From The Pearl of Great Price
Moses 1
26 And lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days; for thou shalt deliver my people from bondage, even Israel my chosen.
27 And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the Spirit of God.
28 And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a soul which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore.
29 And he beheld many lands; and each land was called earth, and there were inhabitants on the face thereof.
30 And it came to pass that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them?
31 And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.
32 And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.
33 And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.
34 And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many.
35 But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.
36 And it came to pass that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content.
37 And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.
38 And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words.
39 For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
I believe that as our knowledge increases we will eventually find life in the cosmos either through technology, or because our "earth shall pass away... and another come". The low probability of random generation of life to me shows that life is created and not spontaneous. I also argue that an abundance of life in the cosmos would be more supportive of a purposeful creative God. Because the odds of randomness are so low that would bolster the argument that life should be rare without God. I believe life is abundant in the cosmos, but mankind has not been able to discover it yet through our advancing, but still limited technology. I believe the abundance of life is created by God.
RSS Feed