Physics, philosophy, and theology: a common quest for understanding

415 Pages·1997·7.8 MB·English

by  Robert J. Russell

EDITED BY
R O B E RT J. R U S S E L L, W I L L I AM R. S T O E G E R, S . J .,
AND G E O R GE V. C O Y N E, S . J.
T H I RD E D I T I ON
1 9 97
V A T I C AN O B S E R V A T O RY - V A T I C AN C I TY S T A TE
© C o p y r i g ht 1988 -
VATICAN OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION
S E C O ND E D I T I ON
© C o p y r i g ht 1995 -
VATICAN OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION
T H I RD E D I T I ON
© C o p y r i g ht 1997
- VATICAN OBSERVATORY FOUNDATION
D i s t r i b u t ed (except in Italy a nd V a t i c an C i ty S t a t e) by:
UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME PRESS
N o t re D a m e, I n d i a na 46556
U SA
D i s t r i b u t ed in Italy a nd V a t i c an City S t a te by:
L l B R E R IA E D I T R I CE V A T I C A NA
V - 0 0 1 20
CITTA D EL VATICANO
VATICAN CITY STATE
I S BN 0-268-01576-7
( p b k .)
ISBN 0-268-01577-5
C O N T E N TS
Preface by 11
S .J
G E O R GE V. C O Y N E,
M e s s a ge of H is H o l i n e ss P o pe J o hn P a ul II 15
List of P a r t i c i p a n ts 17
I. H I S T O R I C AL A ND C O N T E M P O R A RY R E L A T I O NS
IN S C I E N CE A ND R E L I G I ON
I . G. W a ys of R e l a t i ng Science a nd T h e o l o gy
BARBOUR:
I n t r o d u c t i on 21
1. C o n f l i ct 21
1.1 Scientific M a t e r i a l i sm 22
T
1.2 Biblical L i t e r a l i sm 25
2. I n d e p e n d e n ce 27
2.1 C o n t r a s t i ng M e t h o ds 28
2.2 Differing L a n g u a g es 30
3. D i a l o g ue 33
3.1 B o u n d a ry Q u e s t i o ns 33
3.2 M e t h o d o l o g i c al P a r a l l e ls 37
4. I n t e g r a t i on 40
4.1 D o c t r i n al R e f o r m u l a t i on 40
4.2 S y s t e m a t ic S y n t h e s is 42
E. N a t u r al Science a nd Belief in a C r e a t o r: H i s t o r i c al
M C M U L L I N:
N o t es
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 49
2. J e r u s a l em 49
3. A t h e ns 53
4. A u g u s t i ne 55
5. H ow C o u ld a C h r i s t i an Be an A r i s t o t e l i a n? 59
6. T he R i se a nd F a ll of P h y s i c o - T h e o l o gy 63
7. C o n t e m p o r a ry N a t u r al Science a nd Belief in a C r e a t or . .. 68
8. T he W a ys D i v i de 71
M . J. S.J.: T he N e w t o n i an S e t t l e m e nt a nd t he O r i g i ns of
BUCKLEY,
A t h e i sm
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 81
2. P o s i ng t he Issues: M e c h a n i c s, M a t h e m a t i c s, a nd T h e o l o gy . 82
3. F r om M e c h a n i cs to t he F i r st C a u se 84
4. M e c h a n i cs as a F o u n d a t i on for T h e o l o gy 87
6 CONTENTS
5. T he H i s t o r i c al C o n t e xt of t he N e w t o n i an S e t t l e m e n t. . .. 91
6. Beginnings of t he D i v o r c e: Physics a nd T h e o l o gy 94
7. T he Beginnings of A t h e i sm . . 96
8. T he C o n s e q u e n c es for R e l i g i on 97
W . N. S.J.: Is a N a t u r al T h e o l o gy Still P o s s i b le T o d a y?
CLARKE,
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 103
2. R e l a t i on to Science 103
3. P h i l o s o p h i c al O b s t a c l es 105
4. C l e a r i ng t he O b s t a c l es 106
5. C o n s t r u c t i ng a N a t u r al T h e o l o gy I ll
6. P o s t s c r i p ts on D e r i v i ng t he D i v i ne A t t r i b u t es 120
O. C h r i s t i an Belief a nd t he F a s c i n a t i on of Science
PEDERSEN:
1. Science Itself 125
2. Scientific S t a t e m e n ts 126
3. T he F a s c i n a t i on of Science 128
4. T he R o le of M i nd 130
5. T he F u n d a m e n t al R o le of M a t h e m a t i cs 131
6. T he F u n d a m e n t al Scientific E x p e r i e n ce 132
7. F i n d i ng a nd G i v i ng 133
8. S i g n p o s ts in N a t u r e? 135
9. U n d e r s t a n d i ng C r e a t i on 136
10. P o s s i b le I m p l i c a t i o ns 137
M. Scientific R a t i o n a l i ty a nd C h r i s t i an L o g os
HELLER:
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 141
2. F a i th in R e a s on 142
3. F r om T h e o l o gy to Science 144
4. T wo S t r e a ms of K n o w l e d ge 145
5. W h at S h o u ld Be D o n e? 146
6. T he C h r i s t i an L o g os 147
R . J. S.J.: C r e a t i on in t he H e b r ew Bible
C L I F F O R D,
I n t r o d u c t i on 151
1. T he A n c i e nt N e ar E a s t e rn B a c k g r o u nd 151
1.1 M e s o p o t a m ia 151
1.2 C a n a a n i te ( U g a r i t i c) C o s m o g o n i es 154
2. Differences Between C r e a t i on in A n c i e nt N e ar E a s t e rn a nd
M o d e rn U s a ge 155
2.1 P r o c e ss 155
2.2 P r o d u ct or E m e r g e nt 155
2.3 M a n n er of R e p o r t i ng 156
2.4 C r i t e r i on of T r u th 156
CONTENTS 7
3. T he Bible 157
3.1 T he P s a l ms 157
3.2 S e c o nd I s a i ah 158
3.3 W i s d om L i t e r a t u re 159
3.4 W i s d om L i t e r a t u r e: J ob 160
3.5 G e n e s is 1-11 . . 164
4. T he D i s t i n c t i v e n e ss of Biblical C r e a t i on 166
5. C o n c l u s i o ns 166
I I. E P I S T E M O L O GY A ND M E T H O D O L O GY
J. K n o w l e d ge a nd E x p e r i e n ce in Science a nd R e l i g i o n: C an
SOSKICE:
We Be R e a l i s t s?
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 173
2. M o d e ls a nd M e t a p h o rs in Science a nd R e l i g i on 174
3. T he A r g u m e nt for R e a l i sm 177
4. T h e o l o g i c al R e a l i sm 179
5. R e l i g i o us E x p e r i e n ce a nd A u t h o r i t a t i ve O t h e rs 180
6. C o n c l u s i o n s: R e v e l a t i on R e v i s i t ed 181
i
M . B. P h y s i c s, P h i l o s o p h y, a nd M y th
HESSE:
1. H u s s e r l 's Objectivized Science 185
2. R e a l i sm a nd M a t h e m a t i c al S t r u c t u re 187
3. T y p es of C a u s a l i ty 189
4. R e d u c t i o n, E x p l a n a t i o n, a nd C h a n ce 192
5. " M a ny W o r l d s" H y p o t h e s es in Q u a n t um Physics 192
6. A n t h r o p ic P r i n c i p l es 194
7. Single L aw E x p l a n a t i o ns 195
8. O b j e c t i v i z a t i o n, M y t h, a nd V a l ue 198
N. O b s e r v a t i o n, R e v e l a t i o n, a nd t he P o s t e r i ty of N o ah
LASH:
1. 203
Religio Laid
2. I n t e r a c t i o n? 204
3. On J o i n i ng t he C o n v e r s a t i on 206
4. W o r ds a nd S t o r i es 207
5. L e a r n i ng a nd L i s t e n i ng 208
6. P r o t o c o ls A g a i n st I d o l a t ry 210
I I I. C O N T E M P O R A RY P H Y S I CS A ND C O S M O L O GY IN
P H I L O S O P H I C AL A ND T H E O L O G I C AL P E R S P E C T I VE
W . R. S.J.: C o n t e m p o r a ry C o s m o l o gy a nd I ts I m p l i c a t i o ns
STOEGER,
for t he Science-Religion D i a l o g ue
8 CONTENTS
1. C o s m o l o gy a nd I ts P r e s e nt D i r e c t i o ns 219
1.1 C o s m o l o g y 's P r i n c i p le O b j e ct 219
1.2 T he E v o l v i ng U n i v e r se 221
1.3 T he O r i g in a nd t he E n d - P o i nt of t he U n i v e r se 222
1.4 C o s m o l o gy a nd U n i f i c a t i on 223
1.5 S o me K ey A s s u m p t i o ns in C o s m o l o gy 224
2. S o me Reflections on C o s m o l o gy a nd I ts C o n c l u s i o ns . . . 225
2.1 C o s m o l o gy as a D i s c i p l i ne 225
s
2.2 T he L i m i ts of Verification in C o s m o l o gy 229
2.3 T he O n t o l o g i c al S t a t us of C o s m o l o g y 's P r i n c i p al O b j e ct 230
2.4 L i n g u i s t ic P r o b l e ms in R e l a t i ng C o s m o l o gy to P h i
l o s o p hy a nd to T h e o l o gy 231
2.5 T he G a ps Between C o s m o l o gy a nd P h i l o s o p hy . . .. 232
3. T he F o c us a nd t he E x p e r i e n t i al G r o u n ds of a D i s c i p l i ne . . 232
4. T he I m p l i c a t i o ns for D i a l o g ue Between Religion a nd S c i e n c e. 238
S. M o d e ls of G od for an E c o l o g i c a l, E v o l u t i o n a ry E r a:
M C F A G U E:
G od as M o t h er of t he U n i v e r se
1. I n t r o d u c t i o n. 249
2. H e u r i s t ic T h e o l o gy 250
3. M e t a p h or 252
4. L a n g u a ge A b o ut G od 253
5. G od as M o t h er of t he U n i v e r se 255
6. C o n c l u s i on 262
T. On C r e a t i ng t he C o s m os
PETERS:
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 273
2. H y p o t h e t i c al C o n s o n a n ce 274
3. C r e a t i on o ut of N o t h i ng 276
4. T he Bare L o g ic of 280
Creatio ex Nihilo
5. C o n s o n a n ce with T h e r m o d y n a m i cs a nd Big Bang Cosmology . 282
6. T he Scientific D e b a t e: C r e a t i on o ut of N o t h i ng vs.
C o n t i n u i ng C r e a t i on 284
7. T he T h e o l o g i c al D e b a t e: C r e a t i on o ut of N o t h i ng vs.
C o n t i n u i ng C r e a t i on 286
8. C r e a t i on a nd C h a n ge 288
9. W h at D o es M e a n? 290
Creatio Continua
10. C o n c l u s i on 291
J. to D r aw C o n c l u s i o ns from a F i n e - T u n ed U n i v e r se
LESLIE: H OW
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 297
2. T he F i n e - T u n ed U n i v e r se 298
3. E x p l a n a t i o ns of t he F i n e - T u n i ng 300
4. C o n c l u d i ng R e m a r ks 309
CONTENTS 9
F . J. T he O m e ga P o i nt T h e o r y: A M o d el of an E v o l v i ng G od
TIPLER:
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 313
2. T he I d ea of an E v o l v i ng G od 314
3. T he O m e ga P o i nt T h e o ry 315
4. Is T h e re O n ly O ne P o s s i b le Physical U n i v e r s e? 323
5. T he I m p l i c a t i o ns of t he O m e ga P o i nt T h e o ry 326
J. T he Q u a n t um W o r ld
POLKINGHORNE:
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 333
2. I s s u es W h i ch A r i se from t he Q u a n t um W o r ld 333
3. T he N o n - C o n s e q u e n c es of Q u a n t um T h e o ry 340
R . J. Q u a n t um Physics in P h i l o s o p h i c al a nd T h e o l o g i c al
RUSSELL:
P e r s p e c t i ve
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 343
2. P h i l o s o p h i c al Issues in Q u a n t um Physics 343
2.1 A S h o rt T o ur of Q u a n t um Physics 343
2.2 Survey of C o m p e t i ng I n t e r p r e t a t i o ns of Q u a n t um Physics 348
3. Q u a n t um N a t u re in T h e o l o g i c al P e r s p e c t i ve 355
3.1 H e u r i s t ic R o le in M e t a p h o r i c al T h e o l o gy 355
3.2 C o n s t r u c t i ve R o le in S y s t e m a t ic T h e o l o gy 359
4. S u m m a ry a nd C l o s i ng C o m m e n ts 365
C . J. C r e a t i on of t he U n i v e r se as a Q u a n t um P r o c e ss
ISHAM:
1. I n t r o d u c t i on 375
2. Scientific P e r s p e c t i v es on C r e a t i on 379
2.1 C a u s a l i ty a nd S t a te S p a ce 380
2.2 T he A c a u s a l i ty of Classical C r e a t i on 383
2.3 C r e a t i on W i t h in t he F r a m e w o rk of P r e - E x i s t i ng S p a c e-
t i me 385
2.4 C r e a t i on of T i me 387
3. G e n e r al R e l a t i v i ty 388
4. Q u a n t um T h e o ry a nd Q u a n t um G r a v i ty 392
4.1 S o me C o n c e p t u al Issues in Q u a n t um T h e o ry 392
4.2 Q u a n t um S t a t es a nd T r a n s i t i o n al P r o b a b i l i t i es 394
4.3 Q u a n t um G r a v i ty . . 395
5. Q u a n t um C r e a t i on of t he U n i v e r se 397
5.1 T he H a r t l e - H a w k i ng P r o p o s al 398
5.2 A c h i e v e m e n ts 400
5.3 A s s u m p t i o ns 401
5.4 P r o b l e ms 402
6. I m p l i c a t i o ns for T h e o l o gy 404
P R E F A CE
Small b e g i n n i n gs a re u s u a l ly p l e a s a n t, especially w h en o ne senses t h at
there is s o m e t h i ng n ew a b o r n i n g. T h e re is t he e x c i t e m e nt of s o m e t h i ng
being c r e a t e d, b ut small e n o u gh as n ot to r e q u i re t he careful c o n f o r m i ty
with t h i n gs p a st t h at big i n i t i a t i v es d e m a n d. S u c h, believe, is w h at we
I
p r e s e nt in t h is b o o k. It m ay at first glance a p p e ar to be s o m e t h i ng big, a
major new u n d e r t a k i n g. After a l l, it c o n t a i ns a special message from P o pe
J o hn P a ul II in a d d i t i on to significant c o n t r i b u t i o ns from m a j or s c h o l a r s.
But it is still a small b e g i n n i ng w h o se full fruits lie in t he future. A l l ow me
briefly to r e c o rd its h i s t o r y.
T h r ee h u n d r ed y e a rs h ad p a s s ed since Sir I s a ac N e w t on p u b l i s h ed his
e p o c h - m a k i ng b o o k, P o pe
Philosophia Naturalis Principia Mathematica.
J o hn P a ul II wished t h at t he H o ly See w o u ld r e m e m b er t h at e v e nt in such
a way t h at it w o u ld be n ot j u st a simple c o m m e m o r a t i on b ut r a t h er a
serious c o n t r i b u t i on to t he efforts which He himself h ad a l r e a dy m a de to
the d i a l o g ue b e t w e en t he c u l t u re of religious belief a nd t he scientific
c u l t u r e. T h e r e f o r e, in D e c e m b er 1986 t he V a t i c an O b s e r v a t o ry w as a s k ed
to o r g a n i ze on b e h a lf of t he H o ly See a c o n f e r e n ce on precisely t h at t o p i c:
the m e e t i ng of t he t wo c u l t u r e s.
We b e g an w i th a g r e at d e al of e n t h u s i a s m, g e n e r a t ed b o th by t he t o p ic
itself a nd by t he k n o w l e d ge t h at t he H o ly F a t h er himself w as very
i n t e r e s t e d. " W e" m e a n s, besides myself, t he Scientific O r g a n i z i ng
C o m m i t t e e: M i c h a el Heller, T he Pontifical A c a d e my of T h e o l o gy of
C r a c o w; A r t h ur R. P e a c o c k e, I an R a m s ey C e n t e r, O x f o r d; R o b e rt J.
Russell ( C h a i r p e r s o n ), T he C e n t er for T h e o l o gy a nd t he N a t u r al Sciences,
Berkeley; a nd W i l l i am R. S t o e g e r, S.J., V a t i c an O b s e r v a t o r y.
It w as d e c i d ed a m o ng us from t he very b e g i n n i ng t h at this w o u ld be a
research S t u dy W e e k, t h at is, o ne in which carefully p r e p a r ed q u e s t i o ns
would be f o r m u l a t e d, c i r c u l a t ed to t he invited p a r t i c i p a n ts in a m p le time
for p e r s o n al s t u dy a nd reflection, a nd a d d r e s s ed at t he m e e t i ng t h r o u gh
p r e l i m i n a ry d r a f ts of r e s e a r ch p a p e r s, b ut w i t h o ut t he r e q u i r e m e nt t h at
these p a p e rs be p r e p a r ed for p u b l i c a t i o n. We h ad d e c i d e d, in fact,
already
t h a t, if t h e re w e re to be a p u b l i c a t i o n, it w o u ld reflect t he result of t he
research a nd i n t e r a c t i on c a r r i ed o ut t o g e t h er d u r i ng t he week. P ut briefly,
p u b l i s h a b le p a p e rs w o u ld be p r e p a r ed after t he m e e t i ng a nd n ot before. As
to p a r t i c i p a t i o n, limited in n u m b er b e c a u se of t he very n a t u re of t he
•
m e e t i n g, it w as d e c i d ed t h a t, in a d d i t i on to t he f u n d a m e n t al c o n s i d e r a t i on
of scholarly excellence, we wished t he m e e t i ng to be a nd
ecumenical
T he d i m e n s i on really p o s ed no p r o b l e m. In
interdisciplinary. ecumenical
principle n o ne of t he t h r ee disciplines was allied to a ny o ne way of
12
P R E F A CE
believing n o r, as a m a t t er of fact, to unbelief. In p r a c t i ce we k n ew of
s c h o l a rs in all t h r ee disciplines w ho r a n g ed o v er t he w h o le s p e c t r um of
religious belief. H o w e v e r, to r e s p e ct t he c h a r a c t e r, which
interdisciplinary
was essential to t he m e e t i n g, was n ot as easy a t a s k. S c h o l a r ly e x p e r t i se in
m o re t h an o ne of t he disciplines w a s, to t he b e st of o ur k n o w l e d g e, n ot
very c o m m o n. N o n e t h e l e s s, we r e q u i r ed t h at p a r t i c i p a n ts w o u ld be invited
on t he basis t h at t h ey w e re e s t a b l i s h ed s c h o l a rs in at least o ne of t he t h r ee
disciplines of p h y s i c s, p h i l o s o p hy a nd t h e o l o g y, a nd t h at in at least o ne of
the r e m a i n i ng disciplines t h ey h ad a s e r i o us c u l t i v a t ed i n t e r e st a nd
k n o w l e d g e. After e x p l o r a t o ry c o n v e r s a t i o ns w i th v a r i o us s c h o l a rs p r e
l i m i n a ry lists of q u e s t i o ns to be a d d r e s s ed a nd p a r t i c i p a n ts to be invited
were f o r m u l a t e d.
A s e p a r a te m e e t i ng to c o m m e m o r a te t he N e w t on t e r c e n t e n a r y, held in
C r a c ow in M ay 1987, offered t he o p p o r t u n i ty for t he O r g a n i z i ng
C o m m i t t ee t o g e t h er w i th a few o t h er s c h o l a rs to m e et in o r d er to finalize
p l a ns for t he S t u dy W e e k. T he C r a c ow m e e t i n g, a l t h o u gh focused in its
c o n t e nt m o re directly on N e w t on ( t he b o o k, " N e w t on a nd t he N ew
D i r e c t i on in S c i e n c e ," e d s. G . V. C o y n e, M. H e l l e r, a nd J. Z y c i n s ki
[Libreria E d i t r i ce V a t i c a n a: V a t i c an C i ty S t a t e] is t he r e s u lt of t h at
m e e t i n g ), served n ot o n ly as a c o n v e n i e n ce for o r g a n i z a t i on b ut a l so as a
s t i m u l us for t he ideas t h at were to surface m o re clearly at t he V a t i c an
S t u dy W e e k.
A nd so from 21 to 26 S e p t e m b er 1987 in t he b u c o l ic s e t t i ng of t he
P a p al S u m m er R e s i d e n ce at C a s t el G a n d o l fo t he t w e n t y - o ne s c h o l a rs
w h o se n a m es a p p e ar in t he List of P a r t i c i p a n ts m et to s t u dy a nd d i s c u ss
p r o b l e ms a s s o c i a t ed w i th " O ur K n o w l e d ge of G od a nd N a t u r e: P h y s i c s,
P h i l o s o p hy a nd T h e o l o g y" — t he title of t he S t u dy W e e k. We g a ve specific
a t t e n t i on to such issues a s: h i s t o r i c al a nd c o n t e m p o r a ry r e l a t i o ns b e t w e en
religion a nd science; m o d es of r e a s o n i ng a nd p r a c t i ce in religion a nd
science; c r e a t i on as u n d e r s t o od in m o d e rn p h y s i c s, in p h i l o s o p h y, a nd in
biblical a nd s y s t e m a t ic t h e o l o g y; t he s t a t us of p h i l o s o p h i c al realism in
science a nd religion; " f i n e - t u n i n g" in t he e a r ly u n i v e r s e, t he a n t h r o p ic
p r i n c i p l e, a nd c o r r e s p o n d i ng a r g u m e n ts for t he existence of G o d;
p h i l o s o p h i c al a nd t h e o l o g i c al issues a r i s i ng from c o s m o l o gy a nd q u a n t um
physics; G o d 's a c t i on in t he w o r l d; t he viability of n a t u r al t h e o l o gy t o d a y;
m e t a p h o rs a nd m o d e ls which r e l a te t h e o l o gy to science; v i e w p o i n ts from
physical c o s m o l o gy a b o ut t he l o n g - t e rm f u t u re of life a nd t he m e a n i ng of
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G o d. A l t h o u gh this list of t o p i cs is q u i te s u b s t a n t i a l, t h e re a re still m a ny
topics t h at were n ot t r e a t e d. O ne c a n n ot do e v e r y t h i ng in an i n s t a nt a nd
yet o ne m u st begin s o m e w h e r e. We h a ve b e g u n, b ut it is o n ly t h a t, a
b e g i n n i n g.
T h is b o ok is p r i n c i p a l ly t he r e s u lt of t h at S t u dy W e e k, a l t h o u gh for
v a r i o us r e a s o ns it c a n n ot be said in a ny w ay to be t he " p r o c e e d i n g s" of t he
W e e k. A m o ng t h e se r e a s o ns a re t he following: (1) t he n a t u re of t he