I Know
Difference between believing and knowing. Believing is speculative, non-deterministic. Knowing is factual, deterministic. In order to know something, you have to investigate all the facts and evidence available for the belief and test them. I know God exists because I have investigated sufficient facts and evidence available to us. These include the ones taht are revelaed through science, maths.
Mathematics: The Foundation of Uncertainty
Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe.” - Galileo Galilei
However, there are gaps in Maths which can’t be explained. This could mean that the human body is not capable of understanding this universe with its limited sense oragns.
Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorems
Kurt Gödel’s groundbreaking work in 1931 demonstrated that within any consistent mathematical system complex enough to include basic arithmetic, there will always be statements that are true but unprovable within that system. This fundamental limitation suggests that even mathematics, our most precise tool for understanding reality, is inherently incomplete. Consider Gödel’s famous statement G: “This statement is unprovable.” If G is provable, it’s false, creating a contradiction. If G is unprovable, it’s true, but we can’t prove it. This paradox reveals an intrinsic limitation in formal systems.
The Halting Problem
Alan Turing proved that no algorithm can determine whether arbitrary computer programs will eventually halt or run forever. This demonstrates another fundamental limitation in computation and mathematics, suggesting that some problems are inherently unsolvable.
Physics: The Boundaries of Understanding
Quantum Mechanics and Copenhagen Interpretation
The Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum mechanics, supported by physicists like Niels Bohr, suggests that reality at its most fundamental level is probabilistic rather than deterministic. The wave function collapse and quantum entanglement demonstrate phenomena that defy classical physics and our intuitive understanding of reality.
The Observer Effect
The role of consciousness in quantum mechanics raises profound questions. As physicist Eugene Wigner noted, “It was not possible to formulate the laws of quantum mechanics in a fully consistent way without reference to consciousness.”
Fine-Tuning of Physical Constants
The fundamental constants of nature appear to be precisely tuned for life to exist. The gravitational constant, electromagnetic force, and strong nuclear force all fall within extremely narrow ranges that allow for stable atoms and complex chemistry.
Astronomy: We are more than lucky to be held together by fast moving rocks
Drake Equation: The Search for Intelligent Life
The question of whether intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe has been explored through various models and equations, notably the Drake Equation. A recent revision suggests that if the odds of advanced life evolving on a habitable planet are less than one in 10 billion trillion, then humanity might be unique in the cosmos. However, if the probability is even slightly higher, it implies that intelligent civilizations could have existed multiple times throughout cosmic history
The Rare Earth Hypothesis
The Rare Earth Hypothesis says that complex life is exceptionally rare due to a combination of specific astrophysical and geological conditions required for its emergence. This hypothesis argues against the idea that Earth is just an average planet in a typical solar system, suggesting instead that our conditions are unique and thus unlikely to be replicated elsewhere56. Factors such as being in a stable orbit within the habitable zone of a star, having a protective magnetic field, and being shielded by large neighboring planets (like Jupiter) contribute to this rarity.
Cosmology: The Ultimate Questions
The Beginning Problem
The Big Bang theory raises the question: What caused the initial singularity? As Stephen Hawking asked, “What breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe?”
Dark Matter and Dark Energy
Approximately 95% of the universe consists of dark matter and dark energy, substances we can’t directly observe or fully understand. This vast unknown challenges our conception of having a comprehensive understanding of the cosmos.
Biology: The Mystery of Life
Origin of Life
The transition from non-living to living matter remains one of science’s greatest mysteries. The complexity of even the simplest self-replicating systems suggests an inexplicable jump that current theories struggle to explain. Consciousness The hard problem of consciousness, as philosopher David Chalmers describes it, remains unsolved. How does subjective experience arise from physical processes in the brain?
The Simulation Hypothesis: A Modern Perspective
Many have proposed that our universe might be a computer simulation, most notably Nick Bostrom in his simulation argument. However, several considerations suggest this might not be the case:
Energy Considerations
As Isaac Asimov noted:
“The energy requirements for simulating an entire universe would be astronomical. Even simulating a single human brain would require more computing power than we can currently imagine.”
Computational Limits
Nick Bostrom himself acknowledged: “If our universe is a simulation, it would require computational resources beyond anything we can conceive, raising the question of where such resources could exist.”
Philosophical Implications
The simulation hypothesis faces the infinite regress problem: Who simulates the simulators? As Arthur C. Clarke observed, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,” but this doesn’t necessarily make it more plausible than a divine creator. Data Visualization: Complexity vs Explanation Let’s visualize how scientific understanding breaks down at different scales:
Note: The visualizations in this article demonstrate the inverse relationship between our scientific understanding and the complexity of systems at different scales, highlighting the gaps in our knowledge that persist despite scientific advancement.
Conclusion
The gaps in our scientific understanding don’t necessarily prove the existence of God, but they do suggest fundamental limits to human knowledge and scientific inquiry. As physicist Werner Heisenberg noted, “The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you.” These limitations across multiple disciplines - from Gödel’s incompleteness theorems to quantum uncertainty, from the hard problem of consciousness to the origin of the universe - point to the possibility that reality might be more profound than purely materialistic explanations can capture. Whether these gaps will eventually be filled by scientific advancement or whether they represent genuine limits to human understanding remains one of the great questions of our time. What’s clear is that the intersection of science and spirituality continues to provide fertile ground for philosophical inquiry and scientific investigation.
References and Further Reading
- Barrow, John D. “Impossibility: The Limits of Science and the Science of Limits”
- Marletto, Chiara. “The Science of Can and Can’t: A Physicist’s Journey through the Land of Counterfactuals”
- Cox, Ronald L. “Leaving Us to Wonder: An Essay on the Questions Science Can’t Ask”
- Bostrom, Nick. “Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?”
- Penrose, Roger. “The Emperor’s New Mind”
- Davies, Paul. “The Mind of God: The Scientific Basis for a Rational World”