"Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth in a word, to know himself so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves."
— Pope St. John Paul II
In spite of the technological and scientific advances of our day, the age-old questions remain: Who am I? Why am I here?
These questions may come more strongly to mind during this time of Lent as we contemplate the reality of God becoming man to rescue us from our brokenness.
What contributions—if any—can science make to our understanding of our place in the cosmos?
Man’s Unique Place in the Cosmos
According to George Ellis, professor of Applied Mathematics and the 2004 Templeton prize recipient, there is an interplay between three types of causation in the universe: necessity, purpose, and chance. Necessity includes the laws of physics and chemistry, for example, and is captured in the language of mathematical equations. This is impersonal and deterministic causation.
At the other end, chance or randomness is exhibited in the quantum mechanical world of probability and possibility. Here we encounter a vast number of unrelated causes and microevents, which emerge as macro- or large-scale outcomes, the tracking of which is nearly impossible. This is ontological indeterminism.
There are many philosophers and scientists who deny that a middle ground exists between the two. According to the philosopher of science, Karl Popperr, any type of complete determinism reduces chance to a "symptom of our ignorance.”
The reality is that in between, one finds the causality of conscious, intelligent, goal-directed behavior found only in biological systems, so neither completely determined nor completely free.
That’s us.
Although goal-directed behavior is found in all types of living organisms, humans remain exceptional in the ability to make informed choices based on the widest range of information. As discussed in a previous post on intelligence:
The communication and scope of a being’s external goals are reflected in the structural differences and complexity found in a given animal or human brain.
In the discussion of free will last week, the ability to set a hierarchy among goals is one marker displaying the human ability to make free choices. We are capable of goal-directed behavior that is neither completely unrestrained nor predetermined. These choices then actually change the structure of our brains and also make us “different choosers.” A simple example is choosing to be more attentive to our spouse or children—what we pay attention to, how we look at them—changes when our actions are intentional and motivated by a desire to change our relationship with them.
Not only that, but our desire to know “what we don’t yet know” reveals the transforming power that information brings to the choices we make. What is this power or drive within the human person? Curiosity.
Curiosity is such a basic component of our natures that we are nearly oblivious to its pervasiveness in our lives. Consider, though, how much of our time we spend seeking and consuming information. . . Although information is intangible, it has real value to any organism with the capacity to make use of it. The benefits may accrue immediately or in the future; the delayed benefits require a learning system.
In other words, the primary function of curiosity is to facilitate learning, seeking to know what we do not yet know!
The findings concerning curiosity echo St. John Paul the Great’s observation about the power of seeking the truth—the truth about the world, God, and ourselves.
Physics and the Soul
Science cannot prove or disprove the existence of supernatural realities. As Fr. Spitzer has discussed many times, however, there can be a convergence of evidence that points to the rational possibility of a Being Who exists outside of space and time. Such evidence also points to the existence of an immortal, rational soul. One physicist, Sabine Hossenfelder, believes that physics is “capable of finding answers to humanity’s existential questions.” That is rather a sweeping claim. But it is interesting how she applies it to the existence of an immortal soul (though she herself doesn’t believe in that reality!) She is talking primarily about the “immortality” of information in the universe, but then goes on to say:
[S]ince the information about you cannot be destroyed, it is in principle possible that a higher being someday, somehow re-assembles you and brings you back to life. And since you would have no memory of the time passing in between—which could be 10¹⁰⁰ billion years!—you would just find yourself in the very far future.
This information is thought to be stored at the event horizon of black holes. In a thought-provoking hypothesis, Roger Penrose, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics, believes that the measurements we make as conscious observers are imprinted in the fabric of space and time. That is a lot to contemplate. As a non-religious person, however, he also observes:
Nature has been clever enough to create beings which can tap into the non computable aspects of physics.
According to his thinking, this type of being requires consciousness—again with narrow and broad ranges of awareness among living beings—and that brings us full circle to man’s central place in the cosmos.
Science can reveal details of incredible complexity and beauty about our universe and about ourselves, but in the end, it is a tool. The full picture of our place in the cosmos emerges when we bring the light of faith—Revelation—and the power of philosophy to uncover and then contemplate the truths within our grasp. In this way, we can find meaning and purpose in the wild adventure of living in a fallen but redeemed world.
Next week, we will uncover a link between quantum realities and Transubstantiation, which occurred for the first time at the Last Supper.
Unlock the Mystery of True Happiness this Lent
As we journey through Lent, we are called to reflect on life's biggest questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? Science, philosophy, and faith offer insights into our existence, but how do they reveal the full picture?
In The Four Levels of Happiness: Your Path to Personal Flourishing, Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D., masterfully integrates cutting-edge science with timeless wisdom to show us how to ascend from fleeting pleasures to enduring joy. Drawing on physics, philosophy, and theology, he reveals how our pursuit of truth and meaning, rooted in curiosity and the longing for the transcendent, leads to our ultimate fulfillment.
In light of the blog post, consider this: If science can hint at our place in the cosmos, faith completes the picture, illuminating our divine destiny. Just as our choices shape our consciousness, the happiness level we pursue determines the richness of our lives. This Lent, take the next step toward a more profound, lasting joy.
Discover:
- The four levels of happiness and how they shape your decisions
- The scientific and philosophical link between consciousness and meaning
- How faith and reason together unlock the most profound truths of human flourishing
Don’t settle for lesser happiness. Order your copy of The Four Levels of Happiness: Your Path to Personal Flourishing today and embark on a journey toward the joy you were made for!
