“Evolution and Hope” · developed Vladimir Vernadsky's concept of noosphere. •Although many...
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“Evolution and Hope” “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” Morris B. Pongratz Los Alamos Faith and Science Forum Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Transcript of “Evolution and Hope” · developed Vladimir Vernadsky's concept of noosphere. •Although many...
“Evolution and Hope”“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”
Morris B. PongratzLos Alamos Faith and Science Forum
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Outline• Hope• Evolution• Scientist: Teilhard de Chardin – the “Noosphere” is
coming• Columnist: Thomas Friedman - the “Noosphere” is here• Theologian: John Haught – the God of evolution• How are we doing?• Questions
“Hope”Howthefutureinfluencesourlivestoday
•Takeanumbrella.•Getaflushot.•Planavacation.•Payourtaxes.•CollectforUNICEF.•LoveourNeighbor.
Evolution• Wikipediadefinition:“Evolutionischangeintheheritablecharacteristicsofbiologicalpopulationsoversuccessivegenerations.”
• Myunderstanding- thegamutfrom“nothing”to“quarks”to“baryons/leptons”to“atoms”to“molecules”to“matter”to“plants”to“animals”to“humans”.
• Ingredients neededforevolution:law,contingencyandtime• Law– inflexibledictatesofchemistryandphysics• Contingency– geneticmutations,asteroids,etc.• Time– bigchangestakelongerthansmallchanges
• Haught:“…therecanbenotseriousdoubtthatthenaturalworldhasjourneyeddirectionallyfromsimplicitytocomplexity,fromtrivialitytomoreintenseharmoniesofcontent…towardincreasingbeauty.”
How’d He do it?God stacked the deck
• Anthropicprinciple/fine-tuneduniverse• AsStephenHawkinghasnoted,"Thelawsofscience,…,containmanyfundamentalnumbers,likethesizeoftheelectricchargeoftheelectronandtheratioofthemassesoftheprotonandtheelectron....Theremarkablefactisthatthevaluesofthesenumbersseemtohavebeenveryfinelyadjustedtomakepossiblethedevelopmentoflife."
• Inwardness:• Haught- “…wecansaythatevenifit'sbarepotentialityforinwardnessisenough...”“Andthisimpliesthat"rightfromthebeginningmatterissubjectivityandit'slatentform,evenifaeons,plusexceptionalluck,arerequiredfortheactualizationofthispotential.“
• Whitehead'sthoughts:“Yetitisnotjustourownhumanmentalitybuta‘subjective’qualityattheheartofeveryoccasioninthecosmicprocessthatforWhiteheadpermitstheinteractionofGodandnature.”
• Comesclosetomaterialism
How’dHedoit?Directintervention
• BigBangs:matter,lifeandcognitivecapacities
• Psalm104:30– “Sendforthyourspirit,theyarecreatedandyourenewthefaceoftheearth.”
• JesusChrist• MarianApparitions• “Theodicy”– doesGod’splanincludeallthesufferingandevil? Whynointerventionhere?
How’d He do it?Gentle Nudges
•Hehadalotoftime!•“Deadends”•Prayers•Miracles•GuardianAngels?
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J. The Quintessential Man of faith and science
• PierreTeilharddeChardinSJ;(1May1881– 10April1955)wasaFrenchidealistphilosopherandJesuitpriestwhotrainedasapaleontologist andgeologist andtookpartinthediscoveryofPekingMan.
• HeconceivedthevitalistideaoftheOmegaPoint(amaximumlevelofcomplexity andconsciousness towardswhichhebelievedtheuniversewasevolving)anddevelopedVladimirVernadsky'sconceptofnoosphere.
• AlthoughmanyofTeilhard'swritingswerecensoredbytheCatholicChurchduringhislifetimebecauseofhisviewsonoriginalsin,TeilhardhasbeenposthumouslypraisedbyPopeBenedictXVIandothereminentCatholicfigures,andhistheologicalteachingswerecitedbyPopeFrancisinthe2015encyclical,Laudatosi'.
The Phenomenon of Man• Chardin’sposthumouslypublishedbook,ThePhenomenonofMan,setforthasweepingaccountoftheunfoldingofthecosmos andtheevolutionofmatter tohumanity,toultimatelyareunionwithChrist.Inthebook,TeilhardabandonedliteralinterpretationsofcreationintheBookofGenesisinfavorofallegoricalandtheologicalinterpretations.
• Theunfoldingofthematerialcosmos,isdescribedfromprimordialparticles(geosphere)tothedevelopmentoflife(biosphere),tohumanbeings(consciousness)andthenoosphere,andfinallytohisvisionoftheOmegaPointinthefuture,whichis"pulling"allcreationtowardsit.
• Hewasaleadingproponentoforthogenesis,theideathatevolutionoccursinadirectional,goal-drivenway,arguedintermsthattodaygounderthebannerofconvergentevolution.
• Teilhardmadeatotalcommitmenttotheevolutionaryprocessinthe1920sasthecoreofhisspirituality,atatimewhenotherreligiousthinkersfeltevolutionarythinkingchallengedthestructureofconventionalChristianfaith.Hecommittedhimselftowhattheevidenceshowed.
Christogenesis• ThePaulinedescriptionoftheBodyofChristisnotsimplyamysticalorecclesialconceptforTeilhard;itiscosmic.ThiscosmicBodyofChrist"extend[s]throughouttheuniverseandcompris[es]allthingsthatattaintheirfulfillmentinChrist[sothat]...theBodyofChrististheonesinglethingthatisbeingmadeincreation.“
• TeilharddescribesthiscosmicamassingofChristas"Christogenesis."AccordingtoTeilhard,theuniverseisengagedinChristogenesisasitevolvestowarditsfullrealizationatOmega,apointwhichcoincideswiththefullyrealizedChrist.ItisatthispointthatGodwillbe‘allinall’(1Cor.15:28c).
The Noosphere is here!• TheWorldIsFlat:ABriefHistoryoftheTwenty-firstCentury isaninternationalbest-sellingbookbyThomasL.Friedmanthatanalyzesglobalization,primarilyintheearly21stcentury.
• TheInternet andSocialMediaaretoolsthatacceleratedtheblossomingoftheNoosphere.
• HepointsoutthatbecauseofthemastudentinIndiahasthesameopportunityasastudentinIowa.
Professor John Haught Distinguished Research Professor at Georgetown University,
Washington, DC. (Here on June 22 & 23)
• In2005,hestoodsidebysidewithscientistsandtestifiedattheinfamousDover,Pennsylvania,evolutiontrialinarguingagainstteachingintelligentdesigninschools—claimingthatIDwasareligiousbeliefsystemandthushadnoplaceintheclassroom.
• Yet,truetohisownconvictions,hecautionedagainstthefalsehegemonyofscienceaswell,tellingthejurythatmaterialismis“abeliefsystem,nolessabeliefsystemthanisintelligentdesign.
“God After Darwin”A Book Review
• Summaryofbook:InGodafterDarwin,JohnHaughtarguesthattheongoingdebatebetweenDarwinianevolutionistsandChristianapologistsisfundamentallymisdirected:bothsidespersistentfocusinguponanexplanationofunderlyingdesignandorderintheuniverse.
• Haughtsuggeststhatwhatislackinginbothofthesecompetingideologiesisthenotionofnovelty,anecessarycomponentofevolutionandtheessenceoftheunfoldingofdivineMystery.
• ForHaughtGodisnotstatic,unchangingand“upabove”.• God,afterDarwin,isinthefuture,alovinggiving,feelingGod.
Original Sin?• “Obviouslyanevolutionaryunderstandingoflifecannotbereconciledinaliteralsensewiththestoryofaprimordialcouple,AdamandEve,rebellingagainstGodintheGardenofEdenandpassingdowntheconsequencesoftheirdisobediencethroughourgenetichistory.”
• “…originalsinmeansthateachofusisbornintoastillunfinished,imperfectuniversewheretherealreadyexiststrongpressures…forustoacquiesceinanindifferencetoGod’screativeaimofmaximizingbeauty.”
• “Evolutionaryscience…has…abolished,atleastinprinciple,thewholecosmologicalframeworkinwhichmotifsofreparationandexpiationhavebecomesodeeplyentrenchedinourculturesandourclassicalspiritualties.”
How are we doing our job?
•Are we approaching Chardin’s Omega point?
•Is “homo sapiens” evolving or using better tools?
•“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”???
•A couple examples follow.
World Poverty Rate Decreasing
Life Expectancy Increasing
The Los Alamos Faith and Science Forum presents two lectures by John Haught
Distinguished Research Professor, Georgetown University, Washington DCJune 22-23, 2017 at 7 PM
Fuller Lodge, 2132 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM
• ThursdayJune22:Science,Religion,andCosmicPurpose:Mostissuesincontemporarydiscussionsofscienceandreligioncomedowntothequestionofwhethertheuniversemayreasonablybesaidtohaveapurpose.Thislectureexaminesthequestionofwhetherthenaturalsciencesarecompatiblewiththewidespreadreligiousclaimthattheuniverseishereforareason.
• FridayJune23:EvolutionandFaith:WhatIsatStake:In1859CharlesDarwin(1809-1882)publishedOntheOriginofSpeciesintroducinghisfamoustheoryofevolution.Biologiststodaymarvelathowwellthetheoryhasheldupduringthelastcenturyandahalf.Thislectureexaminesthequestionofthecompatibilityofcontemporaryevolutionarybiologywithreligionandspecificallywithbiblicalfaith.
Questions?• HowdoesGodinfluenceevolution?Stackingthedeck,DirectInterventionorGentleNudges?
• IsGodunchanging?DoesHe“feel”ourtragedies?IsGodvulnerable?• Whatabout“OriginalSin”?Doesmankindhavea“fallennature”?• “Everythingthatoccursis“saved”bybeingtakeneternallyintoGod’sownfeelingoftheworld”– whatdoyouthinkaboutthisstatement?
• WhatsortofcausallinkdowehavetoconceptualizeasoccurringbetweenGodandtheearly,not-yet-sensateuniverseinordertoexplainhowthelatter’snon-metabolicprocessescanbemovedeffectivelyinthedirectionoflifeinmind?
ExtraSlides
Chardin and the Catholic Church• In1925,TeilhardwasorderedbytheJesuitSuperiorGeneralWlodimirLedóchowskitoleavehisteachingpositioninFranceandtosignastatementwithdrawinghiscontroversialstatementsregardingthedoctrineoforiginalsin.RatherthanleavetheSocietyofJesus,TeilhardsignedthestatementandleftforChina.Theclimaxofthesecondemnationswasa1962monitum(reprimand)oftheHolyOfficecautioningonTeilhard'sworks.
• Shortlythereafter,prominentclericsmountedastrongtheologicaldefenseofTeilhard'sworks.HenrideLubac(lateraCardinal)wrotethreecomprehensivebooksonthetheologyofTeilharddeChardininthe1960s.
• LaterthatdecadeJosephRatzinger,aGermantheologianwhobecamePopeBenedictXVI,spokeglowinglyofTeilhard'sChristologyinRatzinger'sIntroductiontoChristianity.
• inJuly2009,VaticanspokesmanFr.FedericoLombardisaid,"Bynow,noonewoulddreamofsayingthat[Teilhard]isaheterodoxauthorwhoshouldn’tbestudied."
• PopeFrancisreferstoTeilhard'seschatologicalcontributioninhisencyclicalLaudatosi'.
Hope?• Anoptimisticattitudeofmindthatisbasedonanexpectation ofpositiveoutcomesrelatedtoeventsandcircumstancesinone’slifeortheworldatlarge.(Wikipedia)
• Thefeeling thatsomethingdesired canbehadorwillhappen.(CambridgeDictionary)
• Totrustin,waitfor,lookfor,ordesire somethingorsomeone;ortoexpect somethingbeneficialinthefuture.(Baker’sEvangelicalDictionaryofBiblicalTheology)
Evolution puts Theologians in a Bind• Materialism – God plays no role; it’s all chemistry, etc.• Intelligent Design – Evolution is following God’s design
• “Theodicy” – does God’s plan include all the suffering and evil?
• How does God interact with the cosmos? “Lord, let your spirit• renew the face of the earth”.• Haught: “…should theology be obliged to specify in terms of
physical particulars just how God influences the natural world.”• Haught:“Theinformationalanalogyallowsustoappreciatehowtheuniverseasawholemayhavesomeoverallmeaningor“point”toitwithoutthismeaningor“point”needingtobedisplayedatthesamelevelofinvestigationatwhichnaturalsciencefunctions.”
Evolution and Ethics• “…withoutacoreconvictionthatthecosmosisatheartanexpressionofdivinepurposeourethicalaspirationwillwitheranddie.”
• “…anappropriatewayofthinkingaboutcosmicpurposeinanevolutionaryworld,andhenceofprovidingafirmbasisinevolutionforhumanethicalbehavior,consistsintheviewthatthecosmosisarestlessaimtowardevermoreintenseconfigurationsofbeauty.”
• “Beautyisadelicatesynthesisofunityandcomplexity,stabilityandmotion,formanddynamics…”
• “…therecanbenotseriousdoubtthatthenaturalworldhasjourneyeddirectionallyfromsimplicitytocomplexity,fromtrivialitytomoreintenseharmoniesofcontent…towardincreasingbeauty.”
The Body Builders: Inside the Science of the Engineered Human
by Adam Piore (Author)
• #1NewReleaseinBiotechnology• Formillennia,humanshavetried—andoftenfailed—tomasternatureandtranscendourlimits.Butthishasstartedtochange.Thenewscientificfrontieristhehumanbody:thegreatestengineersofourgenerationhaveturnedtheirsightsinward,andtheirworkisbeginningtorevolutionizemankind.
• InTheBodyBuilders,AdamPioretakesusonafascinatingjourneyintothefieldofbioengineering—whichcanbeusedtoreverseengineer,rebuild,andaugmenthumanbeings—andpaintsavividportraitofthepeopleatitscenter.
• Assciencecontinuestolaybarethemysteriesofhumanperformance,itishelpingustosee—andexist—aboveourexpectations.TheBodyBuilderswilltakereadersbeyondtheheadlinesandthehypetointroducethemtotheinnerworkingsandtheouterreachesofourbodiesandminds,andexplorehownewdevelopmentsarechanging,andwillforeverchange,whatispossibleforhumankind.
Cosmic Evolution and Divine Action• “Itisthetaskofatheologyofevolution,therefore,toprovideanunderstandingofhowdivineinteractionwiththecosmosmightinfluencetheprocessofevolution.”
• “Atatimeincosmichistorywhenmatterwasstillnotyetaliveeventothepointofprimitivemetabolism,howcouldithavebeensusceptibletotheinfluenceofGodwithoutprocessing,atleasttosomedegree,an‘inwardness’?
• SummarizingWhitehead'sthoughts:“Yetitisnotjustourownhumanmentalitybuta‘subjective’qualityattheheartofeveryoccasioninthecosmicprocessthatforWhiteheadpermitstheinteractionofGodandnature.”
• “Cosmologyremainsincompleteuntilinnerexperienceisaccordedthestatusofbeingafundamentalcategoryinourunderstandingofthenaturalworld.“
