Posted on 03/01/2019 9:44:51 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Co-founder of string field theory and physicist Michio Kaku made waves last year or at least seemed to when it was reported that hed proven the existence of God. The Geophilosophical Association of Anthropological and Cultural Studies quoted Kaku as saying, "I have concluded that we are in a world made by rules created by an intelligence. To me, it is clear that we exist in a plan which is governed by rules that were created, shaped by a universal intelligence and not by chance."
Reacting to that public comment, Kaku said: "Thats one of the drawbacks of being in a public sphere: Sometimes you get quoted incorrectly. My own point of view is that you can neither prove nor disprove the existence of God."
"Science is based on what is testable, reproducible, and falsifiable," Kaku says. "Thats called 'science.' However, there are certain things that are not testable, not reproducible, and not falsifiable. And that would include the existence of God." He's noted that discerning whether you live in a Matrix-style construct or not would be another such 'non-falsifiable' problem.
Part of the problem, of course, is that "God" has different meanings to different people, and in discussing It/Him/Her, theres apt to be confusion. And yet believers continue to ask scientists this question, perhaps seeking scientific confirmation for their faith. They want to know if Kakus an atheist, but when we cant agree on what God is, atheist has even less meaning.
In any event, when asked about God, Kaku is likely to quote Einsteins suggestion that there are two types of god: One god is a personal god, the god that you pray to, the god that smites the Philistines, the god that walks on water. Thats the first god. But theres another god, and thats the god of Spinoza. Thats the god of beauty, harmony, simplicity.
Its that second God to which Kaku is drawn. He tells innovation tech today that the universe could have been random, but that instead Our universe is rich; it is beautiful, elegant.
Hes stuck by what he sees as its exquisite simplicity, pointing out that all of the laws of physics could fit on a single sheet of paper, and, In fact, what I do for a living is to try to get that sheet of paper and summarize it into an equation one inch long. He asserts that with his string field theory, he had that one-inch explanation of everything, but that with new developments in membrane theory, he needs a little more room. For now.
Still, Kaku says, this will happen. Physics is the opposite of most other fields of study, he says: With every new advance it gets simpler, and in that lies his sense of wonder. So, thats the God of Einstein. The God of beauty, [the idea] that says that the universe is simpler the more we study it.
Kaku recounts:
"When scientists use the word God, they usually mean the God of Order. For example, one of the most important revelations in Einsteins early childhood took place when he read his first books on science. He immediately realized that most of what he had been taught about religion could not possibly be true. Throughout his career, however, he clung to the belief that a mysterious, divine Order existed in the universe."
That other kind of God clearly has less appeal for Kaku, as it generally does for physicists and other scientists, including Neil DeGrasse Tyson, who says that believers he talks to tell him that God is all-powerful and good, but when he looks at all the ways Earth wants to kill us, he just doesnt see how both could be true.
So when Kaku asserts that the goal of string field theory is to read the mind of God, its important to remember hes talking about Einsteins God of Order. To read the mind of God would be to find that (one-inch) equation that explains everything in the cosmos. Bearing in mind the continual game of leapfrog going on between math and physics, and that the latest leap is physics' string theory, which requires a new type of math, Kaku mischievously suggests that the ultimate solution to the schism between physicists and mathematicians could be that God is a mathematician. And, he says, the mind of God the explanation of Order may turn out to be string field theorys cosmic music, the resonating of strings through 11-dimensional hyperspace.
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He helped birth String Theory.
Einstein is in his own class. Nearly everything he theorized has turned out being nominally proven. You look at all the massive names in science, and they were in most cases right in a big way once. Rutherford’s theory of the atom was sort of right - right enough at the time.
“Einsteins suggestion that there are two types of god: One god is a personal god, the god that you pray to, the god that smites the Philistines, the god that walks on water. Thats the first god. But theres another god, and thats the god of Spinoza. Thats the god of beauty, harmony, simplicity.
For being such a smart guy, Einstein sure was dumb. A quick read-through of the Bible would show that the Creator God of the Bible is all of that - and more. (Infinitely more, in the true sense of the term infinite).
I was able to click on it and track it down. Great stuff!
Michio Kaku pronounced as MITCH-E-O_____A-COCK-OO
I've listened to this man a least a couple of dozen times or more on different subject's.
I've alway's felt that he took the time to explain the different subject's (while on the radio, being interviewed, and peppered with question's) so even an idiot like me could grasp the true nature of the subject matter.
I'm probably one of the cheapest person's on the face of this planet, I would pay depending on subject matter, to hear this man's thought's on a given subject that interest's me. Yes, I'm some what of a science nerd, although I sucked at it in High School.
I read one of his first books on dimensions about thirty years ago. Brilliant.
His understanding of God is very considered and goes beyond the normal. Listen to what he’s saying.
I think you’re referring to “Pascal’s Wager”. Pasteur was a biologist & chemist. Pascal was a mathematician, physicist & theologian.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_Wager
Blaise Pascal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal
Now Pasteur
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Pasteur
Sounds like the traditional Jewish view of God in His aspect of Elohim, the God of nature, and God in His aspect of YHVH, Divine Providence.
It sounds like you have a good knowledge of that sort of thing - thanks.
So I had to read up on the “god of Spinoza”. (I was thinking it was another actual god - something akin to the Spagetti Monster!)
Turns out that it refers to “Baruch Spinoza, one of the greatest philosophers of his day, who was expelled from the Amsterdam synagogue in 1656 because of his unorthodox religious views.”
The little reading that I did on him - his views aren’t so far out there.
Oh - and apologies to Albert - for thinking he thought there was an actual “God of Spinoza”. (NOW who is the dumb one!!??)
Thanks fieldmarshaldj.
That is why I, with a background (and scholastic awards) in the physical sciences, have only passing interest in such things.
Faith cannot be proven. There is historical evidence for the Resurrection, but not scientific proof.
Believe or do not believe. That is the issue.
(Plenty on the science side exercise faith, too, on certain subjects. They just do not as a rule admit it.)
The Lord Jesus said clearly, “God is Spirit.” “No man has seen God at any time.”
Science cannot know spirit.
But faith can. And so can spirit.
When the Holy Spirit opens one’s spiritual eyes, he sees what he has never seen before - and after seeing - he KNOWS!
Thank you all for pushing back against my negativity. I’ll give Professor Kaku a better look; I was undoubtedly too hasty and extreme in my dismissal of him.
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