Are we here by chance?

I'm back at Uni this semester and one of my subjects is on the philosophical ideas of chance, chaos and causality.

My final assessment is an essay with the very loose question of:
"Are we here by chance"?

I've got some ideas in my head, and have to catch up on reading, but since there's now a philosophy portion of the forum, and since we have some philosophical types in here, I thought I'd open the question up to you all.

What do you all think?

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The only additional info is as follows:

Make a case that we either are, or are not, here by chance in one of the senses of chance: objective single case chance, co-incidence, accident.

chance is defined as an event that lacks sufficient cause
coincidence is defined as two events with no causal explanation
accident is defined as an event that lacks a purpose/goal/reason (teleology)

other concepts that are involved (if you want to check it out):
chaos
limits on knowledge & power
purpose & reason
determinism
rational world view (Leibniz)
principle of sufficient reason
free will & choice
existence of God

 

I think that we are incidental aspects of a larger accident, the universe itself. We have no compelling evidence of there being others in the universe like us, so it is tempting to view ourselves as the result of a teleological project.

The bone of contention I have with viewing the universe as purposeful is that if it exhibits enough order to suggest telos, why isn't said purpose as readily available to us as the laws of nature? Does metaphysical inquiry require more heavy lifting than its scientific counterpart to reveal why we exist?

I seriously doubt it.

It is more likely the case that metaphysical inquiry is an open invitation to conjecture(s) that allow for us to fill in the gaps, so to speak. Science can only explain how we came to be, and not why without losing much of its credibility. Given this, metaphysics in its myriad approaches (philosophy, theology), usually picks up where science chooses not to venture.

To deal more directly with your question, "Are we here by chance?"

If we go by the definition above, then my answer is no. Science provides the most evidentiary reason for the existence of the universe and ourselves. I believe us to be the byproduct of random mutations over countless generations, starting with the first combination of amino acids billions of years ago. And while I view life with an underlying causality, I don't sense any reason or purpose behind any of it.

The response to the fact of my existence is more relevant than the actual fact itself.

 

Although I agree with this, I must say that is not that science "chooses" not to venture into the "why"... Ist simply not a science question - science is not concerned about any "why's" as soon as you venture there, you left science and ventured into philosophy-land... I place I like to spend quite some time acctually.

I have always had an issue with the thought that science (as in evolution) and religion is mutually exclusive (I even had an X colleagues wife telling me that the dinosaur bones are a huge hoax and a consiracy).

When I was a scientist and did research, I became more and more convinced that even though there IS a HUGE coincidence factor here - all of this, the creation - the fanatastic things you see when you do research, how fantastic the mechanism behind everything in the cells, your body, all of it (Im not gonna go all nerdy here) can not be all random, there must be a divinity behind the bigger picture.

I grapple with the thought that religion is created to make people "behave" and not go all crazy on eachother - consequence, wether in this life or the next - sort of the religious brother to law and justice sort of speak.
But having that said, I cant get away by the beauty of it all, how all fits together and how I DO believe in a divine being - a thought and belief I cant explain, even as a scientist..
Its just there.....

So I guess I think that the fact that I am me, and I happened to be born in a certain place is a coincidence...but as a whole - in the larger bicture, its not a chance that "we" as in humanity are here..
Yes, we got here due whole bunch of accidents and coinciences such as mutations, natural selection and so on and so forth.. but above and beyond that, there is a divine player..

Dont ask me to explain that - I cant

 

We are here by design. (Purpose).

As we age and eventually die, more will be explained.

 

This is not an abrasive response (by me), LA...but, through what reason do you know this? I understand the idea of belief, but is there more than belief in your reasoning? And if we are here by design, what is the purpose?

And, furthermore, design does not necessarily exclude the possibility of a "chancey" universe. Who's to say that God/s didn't set up the universe in such a way that once it began running, they had no idea how it would unravel? Much in the same way that you have a child and, really, have no idea how their life will turn out.

 

Interesting question FEHG. This book pretty is pretty close to my viewpoint on the matter. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Language_of_God:_A_Scientist_Presents_Evidence_for_Belief

From this I turn to MLK's words..."King urges his listeners to fulfill their God-given purposes in life, to develop concern for the welfare of others, and to seek God. Regarding the need to be concerned about others, he concludes, “No man should become so involved in his personal ambitions that he forgets that other people exist in the world. Indeed if my life’s work is not developed for the good of humanity, it is [meaningless] and Godless.”

 

So, reading between the lines from each of the posters so far, I would say that there is a general acceptance of the scientific explanation of the mechanics of why we are here - evolution (basically). But, whether God/s started the whole thing going is where it gets grey and that, basically, comes to belief.

Hmmm.

Does this mean, then, that if there is no God, that we are here by chance?

I must admit, I am going through a phase of introspection regarding the existence of God and after having given it some serious thought have come to nearly the same conclusion as Saty. If there is a God, and s/he's so concerned with our eternal souls, why make the whole thing so cloaked? Why not make your existence well known? Why not make the faith equally known to all people? Why do we argue about religions? Is not the destiny of our eternal souls more important than probably everything on earth? And, if so, why isn't God here, making it obvious to people?

Anyway - back to the point at hand...One question that was brought up through the course of my lectures is the idea of the limits of knowledge. Until the theory of gravity was identified, or nuclear fission, etc...the natural processes on earth appeared mysterious and, many times, chaotic. But, as our knowledge expanded and we came to develop understandings of these processes, such that we could predict with near certainty of future states, we became aware that the world is, mostly, measurable. Therefore, it is undoubtedly true that there are things which we cannot yet explain, but which are also measurable and predictable at such point that we understand it. The lack of knowledge doesn't make the thing occur by chance, only that our understanding is too limited to fully know the characteristics of the thing. I see no reason why we can't, eventually, measure and understand mostly everything about our world. And, what then? If we can predict anything, then does anything happen by chance?

And what of free will? I obviously cannot predict what you are going to do. Even you yourself probably can't predict what you will do tomorrow. Does free will prove or disprove that there is chance?

 

here to give the Lord Almighty God the glory and honor, to serve and glorify HIS name

 

Can good science be practiced by a firm believer in God? Should Intelligent Design be considered as a viable theory for the origin of life along side or married with evolution? Why has the scientific community so completely and utterly (in public anyways) removed itself from religious beliefs? Has this been a detriment to the advancement of scientific knowledge?

 

I think so,
I know a lot of scientists that were not religious before they started research, but after doing it for a while - finding i so perfect and amazing that it must not be by chance. I also have friends that are Catholic that do research, they just dont buy into the evolution bit etc.

I dont think science and religion is mutually exclusive at all.
In fact, I think it works perfectly together... IF you can be of an open mind and read the results unbiased, which is a part of your training.
Again, ofcourse, there are scientists that have their mind made up before doing experiments, what the answer is - an dthat is where you fail as a scientist. you can never do that.

Question is - are you a scientist that is religious or are you a religious person who does research?

I dont think that science per se, has removed itself from religious beliefs, but certain parts of it. Such as the evolution that they completely disagree on, having that said, there are religious people that are more open in this field, individuals of christian faith etc - and then you have the bahai.

I think there are a lot if thoughts around this both in the religious world and the scientific world and there are room for all of it, much can never ultimately be proven, as it is by default, philosophy.

Its not black or white. Some may say that its picking and choosing bits and pieces and it doesnt work like that, but then again - that is also an opinion.


Im clear as mud, ey?

 

I noticed this thread and I am very happy to be a part of it. As for your question of whether we are by accident or on purpose I would have to say we are definitely here on and with purpose. We are simply here to experience and nothing else becuase truthfully nothing else makes sense. As stated before by FG science attempts to explain the how where as metphysics which now includes quantum mechanics not just theology explains the why. I agree that we are multicellular organisms put together by an infinite amount of situations over billions of years but not by accident but with purpose. I think it requires us to look at everything as a whole. In the beginning the creator was an all knowing being an entity that knew everything that was and would be but then one day just knowing wasn't enough so he created life so he could experience what she knew. I know some of you might ask if you know everything why would you need to experience it. Well it's like when you're ur a kid and you're constantly told not to touch the stove becuase it's hot and it'll burn you. At a point you have the knowledge that touching the stove will burn you but until you touch the stove you don't truly know. I think that's where God is coming from with creation and that's why we're here. I know it may be easy for some to shrug this off as fantasy since science hasn't been able to prove anything beyond our current understanding of reality but long before we were able to fly we were able to fly some how we knew we could. Long before we found places that were far beyond this sphere we call Earth we knew there was. So when you ask if we are here b accident I have to say no becuase if you need to see an example of a miracle proof that there is a God look no further than your own mirror. We are truly extraordinary creatures. In closing something that's always reminded there is a God is art. There is no biological or evolutionary advantage to art yet we as humans need self expression. Every culture that has ever been has had it every culture revears it and is drawn to it.

 

My 2 cents: (From the Purpose and Reason Perspective)

If you observe the universe, it is created in divine order, meaning that everything operates under a body of rules and laws. From the highest Seraph to the lowest ant, everything operates in a mechanical manner. When everything operates at the same time it creates harmony. From the human perspective, harmony can be viewed as chaos. Chaos has its purpose. Lux e Tenebris.


Energy can neither be created nor distroyed. Once something is set in perpetual motion it cannot deviate from its course. For example, when an animal dies it lays in the grass. After a while, bugs and creeping things feed on it, using its flesh as potential energy once digested. A little while longer, the remaining corps dissolves in the dirt. The dissolved corps serves as a fertilizer for the plants growing around it. The plants, as a result of the fertilization grows into full bloom. And the process goes on and on, etc and etc. Energy is neither created or destroyed, it just takes on a different form.

God- The original cause

According to popular theology, God is the Alpha and Omega (The beginning and end).

Energy is neither created or destroyed. In order for something to be animated with life, it has to burn energy.

Energy can't be created or destroyed,
God is the Alpha and Omega,
God is Energy.

Go figure...

 

I like this. Very interesting and thought-provoking. :smt023

 

I don't see why one has to hold true for everyone. Chance, coincidence and accident are all things we understand in this life, modalities I guess. Why can't chaos and order can exist in the Universe? Are you telling me God has "all his shit" together? Intelligent design doesn't denote perfect order.

 

Thanks to this post, I think I now understand the TV show LOST.

 

Sorry dude! This is the best way I could explain it. I got good grades in all of my philosophy/religion courses. I thought this would help. Try reading some of Bertrand Russell's work. He is very down to earth in his approach to this subject. He's a contemporary philosopher, not a classical one.

 

Deepak Chopra things along the same lines as well

 

Thank you Bookworm!

Lux e Tenebris

 

Thanks FG, great response! MWAH xox

 

I love stuff like this, I wanna pick your brain on this - have you had this discussion with your classmates? If so what do you hear?