Science in harmony with God – Intellectual Torah/Bible-based discussion. Part 2.

(1)

A question in the discussion:

Why, in order to understand the nature’s laws which scientists are trying to discover, the scientists have to know the source of those laws?

My answer:

Why? Would you agree with just a scientific curiosity? If not, here is something more serious. If a law under investigation is made by something (or somebody) “above us”, we cannot change the law – we have to study it and obey. However, if a low under investigation made by one of us the humans, the law can be changed if necessary.

(2)

Here is one of many Albert Einstein’s thoughts on God presented in the discussion:

“I cannot conceive of a personal God who would directly influence the actions of individuals, or would directly sit in judgment on creatures of his own creation. I cannot do this in spite of the fact that mechanistic causality has, to a certain extent, been placed in doubt by modern science. [He was speaking of Quantum Mechanics and the breaking down of determinism.] My religiosity consists in a humble admiration of the infinitely superior spirit that reveals itself in the little that we, with our weak and transitory understanding, can comprehend of reality. Morality is of the highest importance — but for us, not for God.” 

(3)

Here are the thoughts on God of Max Planck, Nobel Laureate in Physics, presented in the discussion:

“Both religion and science need for their activities the belief in God, and moreover God stands for the former in the beginning, and for the latter at the end of the whole thinking. For the former, God represents the basis, for the latter – the crown of any reasoning concerning the world-view.”

“Religion represents a bond of man to God. It consists in reverent awe before a supernatural Might [Macht], to which human life is subordinated and which has in its power our welfare and misery. To remain in permanent contact with this Might and keep it all the time inclined to oneself, is the unending effort and the highest goal of the believing man. Because only in such a way can one feel himself safe before expected and unexpected dangers, which threaten one in his life, and can take part in the highest happiness – inner psychical peace – which can be attained only by means of strong bond to God and unconditional trust to His omnipotence and willingness to help.”

(4)

Here are the thoughts on God of Walter Kohn, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, presented in the discussion:

“I am Jewish and have a strong identification with Judaism.

I would say I see myself as religious simultaneously in two ways. One is that I have found that religion, specifically the Jewish religion, has very much enriched my own life and is something that I have conveyed to my children and feel their lives also have been enriched by.

Secondly, I am very much of a scientist, and so I naturally have thought about religion also through the eyes of a scientist. When I do that, I see religion not denominationally, but in a more, let us say, deistic sense. I have been influenced in my thinking by the writings of Einstein who has made remarks to the effect that when he contemplated the world he sensed an underlying Force much greater than any human force. I feel very much the same. There is a sense of awe, a sense of reverence, and a sense of great mystery.”