The Evolution of Mind (G.O.D.)

by Craig Walter

The science of physics took some two hundred years before it became largely accepted into popular human culture. Slow acceptance was partly due to the predominant stance of religious authority that clung to flat Earth ideals and creationist only worldview. Outspoken people paid a personal price for challenging the status quo with new thinking.

Perceptions changed when scientific discovery and laws of physics were better understood. This meant that dominant cultural values were shifting ground. A collision course was bound in the literal interpretations of fundamentalist religious doctrine and emerging scientific culture. Even though the Bible never denied evolution there has been persistent renounciation of evolution by influential religions. The twists of logic have been remarkable in the defense of one-sided Creationism. (more…)

Hawking's Godless Universe

or Why do Seagulls Exist?

The BBC reports English physicist Professor Stephen Hawking's latest book The Grand Design concluding there is no place for God in theories on the creation of the Universe, with Big Bang merely an inevitable consequence of the laws of physics. Hawking says there is no need to invoke God to set the Universe going, "Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something."

I have enormous respect for Prof. Hawking who, despite suffering Motor neurone (Lou Gehrig's) disease, has become a leading cosmologist and made theoretical physics accessible to the masses through classic bestsellers such as a Brief History of Time. However, I am inclined to suggest that the existence or otherwise of God is a matter that science is ill-equipped to answer. There is a limit or hidden layer beyond which the tools of science cannot penetrate; eg even if existence is an inevitable consequence of the laws of physics one might ask how those laws came about in the first place? (more…)

Quantum Physics & Perceived Reality

Wired Science (July 7, 2010) reports research showing that Quantum Physics plays a role in photosynthesis, ie the process by which plants convert light to energy.

A process called coherence allows photon energy to find the shortest path through a leaf’s surface by taking all possible paths simultaneously, then “picking” the best one. The resulting energy transfer is almost perfectly efficient. (more…)

Therefore

(or: one possible answer to wherefore?)

by Daniel di Primio

This essay shall intend to find an explanation for the many questions concerning life, existence, and reason with the help of a hiddenly active "godly" or transcendental force, in order to offer a possible meaningfully establishing onset for the solution of the "Conditio Humana" - the consciousness of eventually having to die - respectively of being able to resolve this condition without fear. (more…)

Is anybody out there? And are they friendly?

In a new documentary for the Discovery Channel leading Cambridge astrophysicist Professor Stephen Hawking says aliens almost certainly exist but warns that humans should avoid making contact.

Though Hawking believes most extraterrestrial life would be simple microbes he fears that superior life forms would be hostile, seeking to exploit earth for its resources. (more…)

Science and Spirituality

The Growing Interface - Spirituality at the Work Place

By : Lt. Col R K Langar

Introduction

A common belief that science and spirituality are not in unison with each other is not true. Results of science can be observed and demonstrated and so can be of spirituality. Spiritual experience can be clearly seen in the conduct and behavioral pattern of spiritual persons. A spiritual person is pure at heart, gives warmth to those who come in his contact, is a well wisher of all and attract others with his caring conduct. He believes in humanism, a philosophy which recognizes the dignity of man by virtue of his being Divine at the core and which establishes oneness, unity in diversity and interconnectedness of all. (more…)

Does Positive Thinking Really Work?

The Daily Mail recently published an article by broadcaster Jenni Murray, Positive thinking makes me sick..., casting doubt on the effectiveness of positive thought. Murray, who had just overcome serious illness, viewed the effort of thinking positively as an additional burden during her recovery.

In contrast, this article presents a few (of many possible) examples detailing the apparent benefits of positive thought: (more…)

Mathematical Proof of God?

Could there ever be mathematical proof of the existence of God? According to one of the world's smartest people that might just be the case... Chris Langan is a genius with an IQ said to be around 200. To put this in perspective, the average person's IQ is 100, Einstein's was reckoned to be around 150. (more…)

Hidden Layers of Reality

Who are we? What is this reality that we're part of? Why are we here at all? These questions lie at the depths of our being, and their answers - should we ever find them - would dictate the very purpose of our existence.

As a species we have evolved from single-celled organisms into beings that can travel in space, probe the very building blocks of our bodily nature and the universe we inhabit, and create works of art capable of moving us to the core. And yet for all our tremendous mastery of knowledge there appears to be a boundary that we cannot penetrate. (more…)

Darwin, Evolution & Spirituality

2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, author of On the Origin of Species and creator of the theory of evolution by natural selection. Although the scientific theories of relativity and quantum physics suggest the underlying nature of reality is very different than what we perceive through our senses, and thus have immense philosophical significance, they actually have virtually no impact upon our daily lives. In contrast, Darwin's widely accepted, but highly controversial, theory of evolution by natural selection has far reaching implications upon human society. (more…)