February 22, 2012

Can St. Aquinas Make Sense of the Big Bang?

William Carroll, BioLogos Forum


AP Photo

Developments in cosmology are often used to argue that contemporary science has eliminated the need to appeal to a creator to explain the origin and development of the universe. Recent books by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow [The Grand Design (2010)] and Lawrence Krauss [A Universe From Nothing. Why There is Something Rather Than Nothing (2012)] illustrate well the theme that the origin of the universe, indeed the very ancient philosophical question of why there is something rather than nothing, now falls within the explanatory grasp of cosmology and quantum physics. Hawking and Mlodinow deny the intelligibility of a "beginning" to the universe, since time itself has emerged in the very early universe

Read Full Article ››

TAGGED: theology, philosophy, science and religion, origins, Universe, cosmology, Big Bang, Thomas Aquinas

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

February 13, 2012
Did Life Begin on Land, Not in Ocean?
Colin Barras, NewScientist
It's a question that strikes at the very heart of one of the deepest mysteries in the universe: how did life begin on Earth? New evidence challenges the widespread view that it all kicked off in the oceans, around deep-sea... more ››
February 9, 2012
The Big Bang for Beginners
Ethan Siegel, ScienceBlogs
Let's pretend that, for all of our history on Earth, we had never once bothered to look up with any instruments beyond what our own eyes could offer. Imagine that all the technology we'd have would be the same -- telescopes,... more ››
A perceived conflict between science and religion has led Americans to rank nearly last among industrialized countries in understanding evolution, educators told a major science conference this weekend.But research suggests that ... more ››
February 13, 2012
Why Are We Still Talking About Darwin?
Hank Campbell, Science 2.0
If someone in 2012 wants to criticize Henry Ford because he didn't know everything about automobiles a century ago, it's a little silly. He knew what he knew given the science and the technology of his day - he revolutionized... more ››
February 13, 2012
Science, Religion Can Coexist in School
Ross Pomeroy, RealClearScience
On January 31st, the Indiana State Senate passed Senate Bill 89, allowing public schools to teach creationism alongside the theory of evolution in science classes. The bill will now go before the Republican-controlled House... more ››