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            od is the explanation that man has always used to explain anything that he could not otherwise explain. God fills the gap between those things we know - or think we know - the how and the why of, and those things we do not. But as science, and our understanding of the universe, advances that gap apparently gets smaller and smaller.

        Is there any room left for God?

       The Earth is no longer the centre of the universe. Evolution, it is said, explains the progress of life from an accidental beginning through to the extraordinary capabilities of Man. Every day we learn more about atoms, and the smallest particles and energies which are the fundamental building blocks of everything we see about us. What we do not know now surely we will know in the future. Including the answer to the big question – where does everything come from anyway?

 

       However, even someone who does not believe in god - an atheist - will accept that there remain many things that we do not know the how and the why of. They object to the use of the word “God” to cover the gap, because God implies some kind of positive external causation. They prefer to believe in a random happenstance, which we just do not yet fully understand.

 

        However unlikely it might seem, is there any evidence for there being some kind of positive external causation operating on the universe?

 

        It is certainly easier to explain certain phenomena if there is. Atoms, for example consist of protons, neutrons and electrons. Different elements have different numbers of protons in their atoms. Hydrogen, for example, consists of one proton atoms. An oxygen atom has 8 protons. A gold atom has 79 protons. The number of electrons matches the number of protons, but the number of neutrons is variable. Whilst each proton, neutron and electron is considered essentially the same as every other proton, neutron and electron, there are fantastic differences in the characteristics of the different elements. Why should adding another proton make such a difference? It is bit like having an apple, adding an identical apple, and then having a brick.

 

         It is, to say the least, extremely convenient that elements work this way.

 

        And what of the human body?  Can the design and construction be totally explained by DNA and its 3 billion base pairs? There is certainly a direct relationship between the DNA “code” and the characteristics of the body. Every body starts off as a single cell – but is what that cell contains, and what the DNA contains, really complex enough to account for an adult human body? The average adult body is reckoned to consist of 10 trillion cells. The position and construction of each of those cells must be programmed in the original cell. That one cell must not only contain a complete blue print, but also the machine to construct the body as well. It is truly remarkable if this is the case.

 

         Whilst the physical universe appears to be made of solid and real material, the closer we look at it the less of it there is. Quite apart from the vast voids of space in space, even a single atom is now considered to consist almost entirely of space. And the little actual matter an atom contains, in its protons, neutrons and electrons, has very peculiar qualities. In fact it is considered to be some kind of condensed energy. What kind of substance is it really?

 

         Other energies also appear to lack any real substance. What is gravity? Why do two bodies pull towards each other when there is nothing evidently between them? What is magnetism?

 

         Visible light is now considered to be something called an electromagnetic wave, covering a certain range of wavelengths. Radio waves, x-rays and microwaves are all electromagnetic waves, but with different wavelengths. When we see something as red or green, it is not because it is “red” or “green”; it is because electromagnetic waves of a certain wave length hit our eyes coming from its direction. Sight consists of being able to detect a small band of wavelengths – and we are able to interpret different wavelengths as different colours. Most wavelengths of electromagnetic waves we are not able to pick up as sight, but perhaps we detect them in other ways. Prolonged exposure to the wavelengths that constitute x-rays are known to cause cellular damage.

 

         Sound is another wave that we can detect. Sound consists of waves of particles (usually of air) hitting our eardrums and causing a vibration, which we interpret as sound. Different sounds have different wavelengths. For example the note middle C has a wavelength of about 130 centimetres. Once again there is only a fairly narrow band of wavelengths of sound waves that we appear to be able to register. Other animals hear a different range of wavelengths.

 

         And so it is with all of our perceptions. Our bodies are apparently bombarded with different energy waves, and we are able to detect certain of these within certain ranges of wavelengths.

 

         And none of these energy waves, even when we are talking about apparently solid matter, really appear to have real substance. There is just energy it seems – whatever that is?

 

         Where does this energy come from? And, why does it behave in such an orderly fashion? To suggest that it is the result of positive external causation is simply to beg the further question – how do you explain a positive external causation?  Which brings us back to the God question. God does seem to have plenty of room after all.

 

        Is what we consider to be life simply an accidental product of physics and chemistry? Is it simply an extraordinary combination of the physical universe energies and energy particles (matter)? Perhaps there is a different kind of energy, also existing in the physical universe, which we can call, for want of a better term, “life energy”. Or perhaps life is the best evidence of all of positive external causation.

 

        Let us assume for the moment that life consists only of physical universe energy and matter. What then is consciousness? If you think of a dog, who or what is looking at that mental picture of a dog? We tend to think of a mental picture as not really existing. But wait a minute – you can really see a dog. If all that exists is the physical universe then that picture of a dog must actually exist in some physical universe form. What is more, most people can also conjure up mentally the smell of a dog, the feel of a dog and the sound of a dog.

 

         Assuming all of this “thought” to actually exist in the physical universe, that is to say to be an arrangement of physical universe energies which you can perceive, then you must be capable of arranging physical universe energies in what might be described as a god-like fashion. You are actually capable of arranging physical universe energies so that you can see, hear, smell or feel a dog – or indeed anything else you care to think about.

 

         How is this done? And what, or who, are “you” in all of this?  Are you a particular part of the brain? Or are “you” something that could be considered external to the physical universe, but capable of influencing, and being influenced by the physical universe. You are perhaps a part of the positive external causation? Perhaps “you” and your consciousness are the best evidence of God.

 

         Perhaps in the end it comes down to this. Decide to touch the top of your head. Then touch the top of your head. Did you decide to do it? Or did “you” have no choice in the matter? Was it all just physics and chemistry, and the inevitable movement of energy particles simply following the laws of the physical universe? If you decided - then God exists, if it was the physics and chemistry - God does not exist (or may not exist). Moreover if you believe that you decided, then you believe in God – however much you want to protest to the contrary.

 

 

Did you like this article? The author would be interested in hearing your views. Please send any comments to him at peter@horizonsnew.com 

 

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