An Interesting Quote

Faithful Syence #25

The following quote is from a chemistry textbook called Introduction to Thermodynamics: Classical and Statistical by Richard E. Sonntag and Gordon J. Van Wylen, published by Wiley Press in 1971.

“The final point to be made is that the second law of thermodynamics and the principle of the increase in entropy have philosophical implications. …Are there processes unknown to us that occur somewhere in the universe, such as “continual creation” that have a decrease in entropy associated with them, and thus offset the continual increase in entropy that is associated with the natural processes that are known to us? If the second law is valid for the universe …how did it get in the state of low entropy? …However, the authors see the second law of thermodynamics as man’s description of the prior and continuing work of a Creator who also holds the answer to the future destiny of man and the universe.

So back in 1971, there were a couple of chemists who were able to insert some words about their faith into a standard science textbook. That would certainly attract controversy today, even though the authors make it clear where the science ends and the philosophical questions begin, what the unanswered questions are, and what their personal, nonscientific beliefs are regarding those questions.

In today’s world I am pretty sure that such language and the mention of a creator would be edited out of a science textbook, even with a disclaimer of a philosophical side note. The anti-religion fervor among many academics would likely produce a resounding roar of condemnation, as was seen a few years ago when a paper published in the journal PLOS Biology mentioned a “Creator” when describing the “proper design of the hand.” The journal was attacked by some academics and apologies and retractions followed.

I think we can justifiably wonder if academic and scientific anti-theism derives solely from the fear of a religious intrusion into the magisterium of science, as is commonly put forward, or perhaps just as much from the suspicion among these very intelligent people that theists might indeed have a sound philosophical and even scientific leg to stand on after all.

We have witnessed several instances of scientific revisionism when an acknowledged fact seems to point a bit too directly toward a theistic explanation. The denial of the genetic code as a true informational code and the denial of the start of the universe with the Big Bang are two currently popular examples. Perhaps it’s time to fully and finally expose the false legend that all of science is kin to atheism and allow academic scientists to return to the freedom to express their personal beliefs, as had apparently been the case in 1971.

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