Monday, January 30, 2012

Ruminations on Physics and Faith...

Doing the Math, World is a Unique Place for Life

webdaymural
Mural by Laney Riley depicting the wonder of sea life.

"The strengths of the basic forces and certain other fundamental parameters in our universe appear to be 'fine-tuned'," Professor Lightman explains, "to allow the existence of life." -- Rabbi Avi Shafran


My Mother was a physicist. She studied the subject at Westhampton College (now part of the University of Richmond) and later at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Mom, when I was young, always saw wonder in the construction of the mathematical formulas that described the very workings of nature. That wonder, learned at my Mother's knee, must be considered as one of the greatest influences on my becoming a person of faith.

In an article entitled Blind Faith and Physics [click to read], Rabbi Avi Shafran explores the implications, not only of that order, but of the rare 'coincidence' that our Universe, capable of supporting life, really is.

Building on the work of noted physicist Alan P. Lightman, Rabbi Shafran explores the implications of what science may be teaching us beyond basic observation.

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" -- Romans 1:20










ht/Laney

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