God did not create the universe, says Hawking.....gravity did?
hmmm....
Hawking: "Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist,"...."It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going." (more from this article)
Theist: But where did the "all-powerful" law of gravity come from if space, time, matter, and energy all came into existence at the time of the big bang?
(hypothetical) Hawking: it just did...
Theist: correct me if I am wrong, but nothing means nothing right? including the laws of gravity? (they would be a "something")
(hypothetical) Hawking: It's complicated...
Theist: Indeed! :)
A better, more reasonable way of thinking about the origin of the universe is the Kalam Cosmological Argument:
1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause. (far more reasonable than things popping into existence out of nothing uncaused...if universes can...why not random boulders, buffalos, and boomerangs?)
2.The universe began to exist. (well established by science and philosophy)
3. Therefore, the universe has a cause.
The kalam helps narrow the range of possible causes to a being that is nonphysical, spaceless, timeless, changeless, and powerful:
- If matter began to exist at the moment of creation, then the matter’s cause must be nonphysical, or spiritual.
- Since space itself came into existence at the big bang, space’s cause must be spaceless.
- Since time began at the moment of the big bang, time’s cause must be timeless.
- Since change is a product of time, time’s cause must also be changeless.
- Given the immensity of energy and matter that comprises the universe, energy and matter’s cause must be unimaginably powerful.
The best explanation for the origin of the universe is that it was brought into existence through the free will of a personal Creator. Since the universe is the result of a creative act, it is best explained as the result of a mind. Thus, mind is the cause of matter, not the other way around.
Fore more on this and other arguments for God (and arguments against atheism), see our new book, is God Just a Human Invention?
Hawking: "Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist,"...."It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going." (more from this article)
Theist: But where did the "all-powerful" law of gravity come from if space, time, matter, and energy all came into existence at the time of the big bang?
(hypothetical) Hawking: it just did...
Theist: correct me if I am wrong, but nothing means nothing right? including the laws of gravity? (they would be a "something")
(hypothetical) Hawking: It's complicated...
Theist: Indeed! :)
A better, more reasonable way of thinking about the origin of the universe is the Kalam Cosmological Argument:
1. Whatever begins to exist has a cause. (far more reasonable than things popping into existence out of nothing uncaused...if universes can...why not random boulders, buffalos, and boomerangs?)
2.The universe began to exist. (well established by science and philosophy)
3. Therefore, the universe has a cause.
The kalam helps narrow the range of possible causes to a being that is nonphysical, spaceless, timeless, changeless, and powerful:
- If matter began to exist at the moment of creation, then the matter’s cause must be nonphysical, or spiritual.
- Since space itself came into existence at the big bang, space’s cause must be spaceless.
- Since time began at the moment of the big bang, time’s cause must be timeless.
- Since change is a product of time, time’s cause must also be changeless.
- Given the immensity of energy and matter that comprises the universe, energy and matter’s cause must be unimaginably powerful.
The best explanation for the origin of the universe is that it was brought into existence through the free will of a personal Creator. Since the universe is the result of a creative act, it is best explained as the result of a mind. Thus, mind is the cause of matter, not the other way around.
Fore more on this and other arguments for God (and arguments against atheism), see our new book, is God Just a Human Invention?
Labels: Apologetics, Existence of God, God, Naturalism, New Atheism, Philosophy, Theology, Truth
posted by Jonathan Morrow at
10:39 AM
2 Comments:
I think I can say I agree with almost everything here except on thing:
"If matter began to exist at the moment of creation, then the matter’s cause must be nonphysical, or spiritual."
This seems to assume that anything non-physical must, by default, be spiritual. I'm not sure that's truly the case. My concern is that if we use that as a defense, we weaken the credibility of other, more substantial arguments for God.
Apart from that, though, great post! Very well put!
Hello Daniel, thanks for stopping by and offering your thoughts. Thanks for your feedback! Two quick questions:
1. What would you propose calling something that is nonphysical?
2. In what way does the use of "spiritual" here and in this sense weaken other arguments for God?
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