POC Blog

The random technotheolosophical blogging of Reid S. Monaghan

The Question of Multiverse

I received the question on POC blog a while back - I thought it worth an entry:
Question Do you think God Created any other universes? If he could create this one in seven days I think he would have done several others? "Great question. THe hard part about the question of multiverse is that it is impossible for us to verify. Let me explain. Say God did create a bunch of other universes, lets for example say 10 of em. These universes would have their own space/time fabric, perhaps different physical constants etc. The problem is that we could have no knoweldge of them. We could not observe them because they would be uterly other. If God did create them, he would have to 'tell us so' because we could not infer them from this created universe. And to my knowledge God has not spoken in such a manner. 'Hey Reid, Universe ZENON is cool' - I have never heard anything like that from God - and if I did, I would think I was crazy before I believed it was God talking. What I do know is this - this universe has been created. Before it existed, prior to the big bang, nothing existed - then all things were brought into existence. So in my book, the cause of this universe must be: 1) uncaused 2) personal - decided to create 3)powerful and intelligent - well, look at this universe 4) timeless or eternal - for the creator existed before ther was any time - that is hard to even say - but 'before' here is metaphysically or logically before time. This God, visited this universe in the person of Jesus of Narareth (Read John 1) and revealed"
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Uncommon Descent » If only people knew more science . . .

There is an interesting post over at Uncommon Descent on the relationship of science to the humanities. Is our culture scientifically ignorant due to the teaching of the humanities or is or culture scientifically ignorant due to its anti-intellectual, anti-truth, anti-knowledge worldview that has flowed from the educational establishment. For one, I would argue that our culture is woefully ignorant of both science and the humanities. We don't know calculus and we do not know Plato and we do not know Shakespeare. We know the bus (aka Jerome Betis), playdo, and Britney Spears. It is not a high time for the American intellectual. Secular, Christian, or otherwise. Link - Uncommon Descent -- If only people knew more science ...
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First Face Transplant Patient Recovering

I can see how this could benefit people in some cases, but it sure is weird and I can imagine some very weird applications of this sor t of thing down the road. Link - First Face Transplant Patient Recovering - Yahoo! News
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Stem Cell Happenings

A couple of summary articles on interesting looking stem cell research. This process takes adult cells (skin in this case) and coax them into hybrid cells which behave the pluripotent capability of embryonic stem cells. This is better path than the murky moral bog of using embryos as harvest farms for therapeutic materials. Some basic 411 on stem cells for those who are interested. .
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The Catholic Church and Evolution

It seems that the Roman Catholic Church's views on evolution are, well, evolving. It appears that the Roman Church is moving towards the Intelligent Design Position rather than strict NeoDarwinian Synthesis of natural selection and genetic mutation. See Post by Michael Behe at Intelligent Design the Future - The Catholic Church and Evolution
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Intelligent Design the Future - Teapots today...cells tomorrow?

There is a great article in Nature Magazine as to the nature of designed objects in the real world - things designed by human minds. The article articulately describes how the laws of physics seem to do nothing in predicting things which will be caused by human minds. This is a problem for those who hold that the world is just a set of determinate arranged matter. The minds of people continually do things, create objects, etc .in ways that cannot be predicted by physics showing the order that mind imposes onto the natural world. Paul Nelson of the Discovery Institute rightly sees the implication. If teapots have design imposed upon it by a mind, how much more the higher complexity and design of cells, DNA... You can read Nelson's post at the ID Blog at Intelligent Design the Future - Teapots today...cells tomorrow? Interesting factoid - I just read a printout of this article in class here at Southern Seminary. Bill Dempski sent it to our professor this morning and he sent it around class - I of course hogged it for a few minutes to read it - smile. Oh for the manifest wisdom in making cells and human minds to be known and marveled at in the world.
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Evolution inside a Machine

Interesting discussion going on about research being done at Michigan State. The skinny is that we can "program" computers to simulate evolution. Once certain system is designed it "evolves" on its own. Very interesting stuff - but didn't someone design the computer to be a system that worked intelligently before we began simulations on it? Hmm... Articles about the Research covered in the scientific media:

Great reply from the Discovery Institute guys at Evolution News & Views. I would write my own in depth review, but why? I have other things to do today...

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News - Solar System May Be Unique After All -- Astronomers

After all, the Heavens DO declare the glory of God News - Solar System May Be Unique After All -- Astronomers How wonderful are your works O God. (Psalm 19)
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