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Science in Theological Perspectiveby Professor John Byl, Ph.D.
Much of the perceived conflict between Scripture and Science is due to the erroneous belief that science has no need of any metaphysical or epistemological assumptions. It is widely believed that science is factual, rational and objective, whereas religion is mythical, irrational and subjective We may prefer theories that are simple or beautiful but why should simple or beautiful theories be more likely to be true? Ultimately, we construct and choose theories that best reflect our basic beliefs, right or wrong, about the nature of the world. In short, science is by no means worldview neutral. What is widely perceived as a conflict between science and religion is in actuality usually a clash between two opposing worldviews, generally naturalism versus theism.
Abstract Or Page Go to All Abstracts
Christian Perspectives on Science 01 A Christian Perspective on Math 02 A Christian Perspective on Physics 05 Does Mathematics Need a Worldview? 23 Theism & Mathematical Realism 09 Mathematical Models and Reality 10 Models and Presuppositions in Science and Theology
Science, Religion, and the Will to Be 06 Free Will and Responsibility 07 Indeterminacy, Divine Action and Human Freedom 08 Instrumentalism: A Third Option 03 Can Science Dispense with Religion? 11 Naturalism, Theism, and Objective Knowledge 24 The Role of Belief in Modern Cosmology
18 On Scientific and Theological Method 22 Special Relativity via Electro-Magnetic Clocks 12 On Deriving Special Relativity / Electromagnetic Clocks
20 On the Natural Selection of Universes 14 On Michael Ruse and Reductionary Illusions 16 On Pascal's Wager and Infinite Utilities 17 On Resolving the Littlewood-Ross Paradox 19 On the Kalam Cosmological Argument
01 A Christian Perspective on Math What does math have to do with God? Many people see no connection. Aren't logic, numbers and geometry the same for Christians and atheists? Math is thought to be the hardest subject to integrate with Christianity. Yet, there are very close links between math and God.
02 A Christian Perspective on Physics How does a Christian perspective make a difference in physics? Answering that question is the prime objective of this chapter. We shall see that worldviews play a major role in physics. I believe a Christian worldview has significant implications for our understanding of both the power and the limitations of physics. First, however, we shall briefly discuss what we understand by physics, the importance of studying physics, and how physics works.
03 Can Science Dispense with Religion? The specific form of religion2 that I shall be defending here is theism as formulated in traditional Christianity. Central to the Christian worldview is the notion of a sovereign, all-knowing, tri-personal God, Who has revealed Himself through the Bible. This God is the creator of everything, including logical and moral absolutes. Everything that happens unfolds in accordance with God's eternal plan. In this divine plan man, who was created in God's image, plays a major role serving and glorifying God.
I argue that indeterminism does not solve the problems of human freewill and responsibility, nor does it solve the problem of evil. An indeterminist universe is difficulty to reconcile with the orthodox Christian view of God's omnipotence, omniscience and providence. A deterministic universe does not rule out human choices and responsibility. On the contrary, a compatibilist view of human freewill stresses that we willfully make our decisions for sufficient reasons, in accordance with our nature, beliefs and desires. This leaves God linked to evil but there can be good reasons why evil exists in God's plan.
05 Does Mathematics Need a Worldview? It is widely thought that mathematics is strictly rational, that it needs no beliefs, and that it strongly supports naturalism. Yet, in actuality, one's view of mathematics and, hence, what one considers to be valid mathematics, depend heavily on one's worldview. The educational institutions of a free and just society should therefore pay more attention to how presuppositions from various worldviews impact mathematics. In this paper we shall examine, in particular, the implications of naturalism and theism for mathematics.
06 Free Will and Responsibility This article examines the idea that God created the world to be inherently indeterministic. It is argued that ontological indeterminism is scientifically unwarranted, philosophically objectionable and theologically, inconsistent with a strong view of divine sovereignty and providence. Quantum mechanics does not require indeterminism. Neither do human freedom nor moral responsibility, both of which are more plausibly viewed in compatibilist, rather than libertarian, terms.
07 Indeterminacy, Divine action and Human Freedom This article examines the idea that God created the world to be inherently indeterministic. It is argued that ontological indeterminism is scientifically unwarranted, philosophically objectionable and theologically, inconsistent with a strong view of divine sovereignty and providence. Quantum mechanics does not require indeterminism. Neither do human freedom nor moral responsibility, both of which are more plausibly viewed in compatibilist, rather than libertarian, terms.
08
Instrumentalism: A Third Option
09 Mathematical Models and Reality This paper examines the nature and function of mathematical models, using illustrations from cosmology, space geometry and atomic physics. Mathematical models enable us to make precise calculations and predictions; they serve as analogies and conceptual frameworks that lead to new discoveries; and they bridge the gap between appearance and reality. Their success implies that the universe has a mathematical structure. However, one must be careful not to confuse models of reality with reality itself. A variety of models can represent the same data; any model can be given different physical interpretations. The choice of a model and its interpretation depends largely on one's worldview
10 Models and Presuppositions in Science and Theology The world in which we live is very complex. To simplify the study of reality, both science and theology often make use of models. This paper examines the role of models in acquiring scientific and theological knowledge. We shall examine particularly the connection between models and worldview presuppositions. This subjective link suggests that conflicts between science and theology may be largely resolved by adopting worldview assumptions that are sufficiently broad to support a mutually complementary science and theology.
11 Naturalism, Theism, and Objective Knowledge We explain our varied experiences in terms of our worldview. The rational defense of any worldview requires the prior acceptance of the existence of other rational minds, mental causation and free will, an objective language, and objective logical and rational standards. A worldview is self-refuting if its defense necessarily presumes entities that are explicitly denied by the worldview. This essay maintains that, on these grounds, various forms of relativism and naturalism are self-refuting. Theism, on the other hand, provides the epistemic and metaphysical basis to fully account for our diverse knowledge. Liberal arts education is in a crisis due to the fragmentation of knowledge and loss of purpose caused by the combined action of pragmatic deconstruction and scientific reductionism. Only by regaining a full appreciation of the depth and comprehension of the Christian worldview, particularly in comparison with its competitors, can we adequately recapture the cohesive unity in diversity of a genuine liberal arts education.
12 On Deriving Special Relativity from Electromagnetic Clocks Using only classical physics, the basic special relativistic effects are derived by examining the effect of motion on a number of simple electromagnetic clocks. This paper improves upon an earlier derivation by proving, rather than assuming, that clock periods are independent of orientation.
Abstract: The possibility of extra-terrestrial life and intelligence is examined. It is found that the scientific case for extra-terrestrial intelligence is very weak; theological considerations render it improbable, but not definitely impossible. The case against more primitive extra-terrestrial life is much weaker.
14 On Michael Ruse and Reductionary Illusions Michael Ruse's defence of reductionism (see the issues of February and May, 2001), though very vigorous, is rather ironic. Ironic, because his arguments for reductionism seem to work, if at all, only within the framework of a rather full-blooded dualism. Consider, for example, his assertion that "morality is a collective illusion of humankind, put in place by our genes in order to make us good cooperators"
The apparently very large numbers of Israelites at the time of the Exodus, as recorded in the book of Numbers, have been a subject of much debate. This paper examines the recent suggestion by Prof. C.J. Humphreys that the Hebrew word אלף can mean "troop" as well as "thousand". It is found that his approach encounters some significant problems. On the other hand, the numbers taken at face value, with אלף consistently translated as "thousand", indicate a relatively small proportion of Israelites under the age of 20. This may have implications for explaining the low number of first-born males. Also, it suggests that the total number of Israelites was about 1.6 million.
16 On Pascal's Wager and Infinite Utilities In this paper I discuss some objections to Pascals' Wager based on the notion of an infinite utility. It is alleged that infinite utilities result in decisional and mathematical indeterminacies that invalidate Pascal's Wager. Although various resolutions to these objections have been proposed, these in turn have shortcomings. It is argued that the indeterminacies can be readily avoided by treating the infinities as limits. It is suggested that, in situations where only one bet can be placed, the expected utility should be replaced by the most probable average utility. By this standard the Wager is found to fall short if the probability of God's existence is taken to be small.
17 On Resolving the Littlewood-Ross Paradox In this paper the author discusses the Littlewood-Ross paradox. He raises some questions regarding the most common resolution of this paradox and proposes an alternative resolution. The eminent mathematician J.E. Littlewood described the following paradox of the infinite (Littlewood [1953], p.26). Balls numbered 1,2,... are put into an urn as follows. At 1 minute to noon the balls numbered 1 to 10 are put in, and the number 1 is taken out. At 1/2 minute to noon numbers 11 to 20 are put in and the number 2 is taken out. At 1/3 minute to noon 21 to 30 are put in and 3 is taken out. And so on. How many balls are in the urn at noon?
18 On Scientific and Theological Method: Preliminary Considerations Can a Christian living in the space age still believe in heaven, angels, and life after death, or has modern scientific knowledge disproven such naive notions? Does the big bang theory provide evidence for a Creator, or does it cast doubt upon Genesis? Christians are being increasingly confronted with such disturbing questions. The aim of this study is to examine some of the deeper issues lurking behind these problems.
19 On the Kalam Cosmological Argument This paper examines the Kalam cosmological argument, as put forward by William Craig. Craig infers the existence of a personal God from the supposedly finite past of the universe. The temporal finiteness of the universe is based upon philosophical arguments for the presumed impossibility of an actual infinity of past events and is confirmed by two lines of scientific evidence. The arguments against an actual infinity - if valid - prove too much, placing undue limitations on God. Moreover, the arguments themselves are dubious. Although the concept of an actual infinity may lead to conclusions that are counter-intuitive, the impossibility of the actual infinite has not been demonstrated.
20 On the Natural Selection of Universes It has recently been proposed that our universe, with its finely tuned physical constants, has come to be via a process of natural selection, wherein intelligent beings in parent universes create offspring universes. It is argued that this proposal does not give an adequate explanation of why the physical constants have their observed finely tuned values or why the universe is comprehensible to the human mind.
In a recent pair of articles in WTJ under the title "Scripture in the Hands of Geologists,"1 Davis Young discusses the question as to how to relate Scripture and science or, more specifically, Genesis and geology. He examines in detail two approaches among geologists that have been popular over the last 300 years. The purpose of this paper is to examine Young's analysis of the earlier approaches, to point out a number of difficulties with Young's proposed solution, and to suggest an alternative that is more in line with the traditional view of Scripture.
22 Special Relativity via Electro-Magnetic Clocks The basic special relativistic effects of length contraction, time dilation, and mass increase are all simply derived by examining the effect of motion on a number of electro-magnetic clocks. The derivations are based on classical mechanics and electromagnetism plus the assumptions that there exists an ether and that any time dilation due to motion is the same for all electromagnetic clocks.
23 Theism & Mathematical Realism This paper examines connections between theism and mathematical realism. Mathematical realism, which offers the best account of mathematics, strongly supports theism. Theism, in turn, supports mathematical realism. Theism readily explains the intricate relations between mathematics, matter, and mind. The attributes of the biblical God provide a justification for classical mathematics. What does mathematics have to do with God?
24 The Role of Belief in Modern Cosmology An examination of the role played by beliefs in modern cosmology. Due to limited observations, cosmological models necessarily involve the making of a number of theoretical assumptions. Some of these are very basic, such as the validity of induction and the Cosmological Principle. Others concern more detailed physical matters. Such assumptions are very difficult to verify. Many of the basic features of big bang cosmology are inherently untestable. Particle physics has been applied to overcome various observational shortcomings of big bang cosmology. However, most of the proposed scenarios are decidedly ad hoc. Furthermore, the observed celestial phenomena can be explained within the frameworks of a variety of different models. Proposed criteria for theory selection are largely subjective. Thus religious beliefs do play a role in the creation, assessment, and selection of cosmological theories. A crucial epistemological question concerns the weight that should be given to divine revelation. Essential ingredients for religion include the existence of a spiritual realm and its interaction with the physical world.
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