The Dharma Revelation

Chapter 43

Vincent and Daniel munched on chips and salsa, figuring they would wait until Petra joined them before ordering their meal.

"Can I ask you a question about science?" Daniel asked.

"Sure," Vincent said, excited that Daniel showed interest in his field.

"I was never very good at it in school, so bear with me."

"The job of a good professor is to teach and explain," Vincent assured him. "Not only to talk."

"Why is it that scientists treat theory as fact?" Daniel asked. "For example, the extinction of the dinosaurs, the big bang, global warming—these are all theories, but we talk about them as if they're facts."

"That's a great question," Vincent said, pointing his beer bottle at him. "In common usage, the word theory is often used to signify a conjecture, an opinion, a speculation, or a hypothesis," he took a swig, and then continued. "In other words, a theory is not necessarily based on facts. It isn't required to be consistent with true descriptions of reality. This sort of usage of theory leads to common incorrect statements. True descriptions of reality are more reflectively understood as statements that would be true, independently of what people think about them."

Daniel looked at him blankly.

"In the scientific model," Vincent continued, "we often try to disprove theories, which happens a surprising amount of the time. But when we can't disprove it, sometimes the theory lingers in no-man's land. For example, gravity. That's another theory. But we know it's true, at least so much as if you drop a rock, it falls toward the center of the Earth. But we still don't know why. We still can't re-create gravity or develop a scientific law that defines it. So, although it's a theory, we talk about it as if it's a fact because at least for now, it's the best we can do.

"The other things you mentioned are a little controversial, but they have stood up primarily because there is no better explanation. A meteorite hitting the Earth is a great explanation for the extinction of the dinosaurs, but we can't say for sure unless we find someone who witnessed it firsthand."

Daniel looked at him curiously, "Well, if that's true, where do you stand on evolution and creation?"

"Ugh," Vincent said. "This is where I get into trouble. I cannot hope to debate creationism with a Catholic priest without causing trouble."

"You debated with Dharma," he pointed out.

"True," Vincent said. "Well, I think it's foolish to discount evolution. So the real question is, how does evolution jive with creation, if at all?"

Daniel nodded.

"Our universe is so vastly complex and mysterious," Vincent continued, "that no one species and no one religion can possibly comprehend and understand it in its totality. As a human species, we grossly exaggerate our role within the evolutionary process. The monotheistic religions in particular all consider ours to be the final and ultimate species to inhabit not just the Earth, but the entire universe.

"The cosmos survives and grows amid continuous flow and change in an evolutionary unfolding of great age, complexity and destiny. In itself, the evolutionary process is the greatest proof of a divine creative energy at work in our world."

"So, you're a believer?" Daniel said, with an enjoyable lilt in his voice.

Vincent sighed. "You all are always trying to pin me down. This is why Dharma took me apart in the car that day we went hiking. Yes, I do believe in something, but I am not entirely sure what yet. You see, it is very hard for me to endorse something with all of my heart without knowing the facts. I am a scientist, bound by the empirical model. The ironic truth is, I came over to believing in a supreme being due to the same scientific principles that rooted me in atheism for so many years. It just doesn't seem feasible to me that all of this happened by accident. Yes, I am convinced there is an intelligence behind the Earth, humanity, and this universe we live in."