Randomness, Divine Providence, and Anxiety

With gratitude to the John Templeton Foundation who supported this project but is not responsible for its content

“… if purpose is part of this universe, then randomness, by definition, is not possible. This is also one of the rationales for religious opposition to evolution, where, according to theory, (non-random) selection is applied to the results of random genetic variation.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomness

Varying intuitions underlie varying concepts of randomness

• Algorithmic information theory• Quantum mechanics• Evolutionary biology

Random numbers

0 1

.01010101010101...

.0110101100111001…

Definitions of randomness for numbers

• Absence of pattern• Incompressibility• Unpredictability

Two theorems

• The three definitions are equivalent

• The measure of the random numbers in [0,1] is 1.

Augustinian mathematical realism

• Numbers are eternal, immaterial, unchanging, transcend human minds, exist necessarily

• Therefore they have existed in the mind of God from eternity

• God used mathematics as patterns in creation – this is why mathematics is so useful

…if the number 7 or the proposition all men are mortal exist necessarily, then God has essentially the property of affirming their existence. That property, therefore, will be part of his nature. Indeed, for any necessarily existing abstract object O, the property of affirming the existence of O is part of God’s nature. It is thus part of God’s nature to say, “Let there be the number 1; let there be 2; let there be 3.” …no number ever began to exist… other mathematical entities – the reals, for example – stand in the same relation to God and humankind as do the natural numbers. Sequences of natural numbers, for example, are necessary beings and have been created neither by God nor by anyone else.

The inference

• Recall that almost all real numbers are random• It follows from Augustinian realism that

randomness is part of God’s nature.

Theological implications

• Recall that randomness for AIT means without finite pattern, irreducibly infinite, unpredictable.

• These properties are all consistent with classic Christian understandings of God.

• This enriches our understanding of God’s nature and our worship.

Scientific implications

• We should expect to find lots of randomness in nature.

• This serves to create a context and inform our expectations more than lead to specific scientific theories: understanding nature is more about exploring mysteries than solving problems.

Quantum mechanics

The Divine Action Project…if quantum mechanics is interpreted philosophically in

terms of ontological indeterminism (as found in one form of the Copenhagen interpretation) one can construct a

bottom-up, noninterventionist, objective approach to mediated divine action in which God’s indirect acts of

general and special providence at the macroscopic level arise in part, at least, from God’s objective direct action at

the quantum level both in sustaining the time-development of elementary processes as governed by the Schrodinger

equation and in acting with nature to bring about irreversible interactions referred to as “quantum events.”

Robert John Russell

Ontological indeterminism

Quantized properties of electrons: energy, spin, orbital angular momentum, …

Continuous properties: momentum, position

Particle spin

http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AQuantum_spin_and_the_Stern-Gerlach_experiment.ogv

The up or down arrival seems to occur randomly.

Why? In 1964, John Stewart Bell proved a theorem that, when applied to quantum phenomena, shows that any factors (“hidden variables”) that would account for this indeterminacy must be “global.”

Divine action?

• Nancey Murphy: “To put it crudely, God is the hidden variable.”

• Robert Russell: God acts providentially in all quantum events

So why am I so skeptical?

• Intuition• Creatio ex nihilo• Autonomy of science

Evolutionary biology

Randomness as independence from environmental factors

Example: Galapagos Island finches

The inference is from independence to absence of purpose and meaning. (see

opening quote)

Teleology

The form of a teleological account: A occurs in order that B.

• Why teleology fell out of favor

• Francisco Ayala: “Teleological explanations are … appropriate and indispensable in biology … they are fully compatible with causal accounts although they cannot be reduced to nonteleological explanations without loss of explanatory content.”

A teleological account of randomness in evolutionary biology is quite easy to give – when considered with natural selection, it enables natural goods for an ecosystem - increasing complexity, diversity, and adaptation.

The problem with the inference from randomness to purposelessness was reductionism.

Why God would develop biodiversity in this way?

The method seems inefficient, overly complex, and wasteful. It yields problem with principles like Occam’s razor (preference for the simplest explanation) and divine economy.

The idea that (a) an infinite, omniscient, omnipotent loving God would use a process for creating living creatures on earth that (b) took an estimated 3.6 billion years and was driven by a random mutation process seems unbelievable to many folks.

A credible response?

• Say “I don’t know.”

• A response based on a variation of the concept of fine-tuning.– Steiner– Collins

Scripture

• “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Gen. 2:15

• “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

Implications

• Gives a very high view of God’s intentions for human beings

• Has potential to help in addressing theodicy questions

• Encourages Christian to become actively involved in genetic engineering

But

• Is this account plausible?

• Is it so speculative that it’s not helpful?