Randomness, Divine Providence,
and Anxiety
With gratitude to the John Templeton Foundation who
supported this project but is not responsible for its content
“… if purpose is part of this universe, then
randomness, by definition, is not possible. This
is also one of the rationales for religious
opposition to evolution, where, according to
theory, (non-random) selection is applied to the
results of random genetic variation.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomness
Varying intuitions underlie varying
concepts of randomness
• Algorithmic information theory
• Quantum mechanics
• Evolutionary biology
Random numbers
0
.01010101010101...
.0110101100111001…
1
Definitions of randomness for
numbers
• Absence of pattern
• Incompressibility
• Unpredictability
Two theorems
• The three definitions are equivalent
• The measure of the random
numbers in [0,1] is 1.
Augustinian mathematical realism
• Numbers are eternal, immaterial, unchanging,
transcend human minds, exist necessarily
• Therefore they have existed in the mind of
God from eternity
• God used mathematics as patterns in creation
– this is why mathematics is so useful
…if the number 7 or the proposition all men are
mortal exist necessarily, then God has essentially
the property of affirming their existence. That
property, therefore, will be part of his nature.
Indeed, for any necessarily existing abstract object
O, the property of affirming the existence of O is
part of God’s nature. It is thus part of God’s nature
to say, “Let there be the number 1; let there be 2;
let there be 3.” …no number ever began to exist…
other mathematical entities – the reals, for example
– stand in the same relation to God and humankind
as do the natural numbers. Sequences of natural
numbers, for example, are necessary beings and
have been created neither by God nor by anyone
else.
The inference
• Recall that almost all real numbers are
random
• It follows from Augustinian realism that
randomness is part of God’s nature.
Theological implications
• Recall that randomness for AIT means
without finite pattern, irreducibly infinite,
unpredictable.
• These properties are all consistent with
classic Christian understandings of God.
• This enriches our understanding of God’s
nature and our worship.
Scientific implications
• We should expect to find lots of
randomness in nature.
• This serves to create a context and inform
our expectations more than lead to
specific scientific theories: understanding
nature is more about exploring mysteries
than solving problems.
Quantum mechanics
The Divine Action Project
…if quantum mechanics is interpreted philosophically in
terms of ontological indeterminism (as found in one form
of the Copenhagen interpretation) one can construct a
bottom-up, noninterventionist, objective approach to
mediated divine action in which God’s indirect acts of
general and special providence at the macroscopic level
arise in part, at least, from God’s objective direct action at
the quantum level both in sustaining the timedevelopment of elementary processes as governed by the
Schrodinger equation and in acting with nature to bring
about irreversible interactions referred to as “quantum
events.”
Robert John Russell
Ontological indeterminism
Quantized properties of electrons: energy,
spin, orbital angular momentum, …
Continuous properties: momentum,
position
Particle spin
http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AQuantum_spin_and
_the_Stern-Gerlach_experiment.ogv
The up or down arrival seems to occur
randomly.
Why? In 1964, John Stewart Bell proved a
theorem that, when applied to quantum
phenomena, shows that any factors (“hidden
variables”) that would account for this
indeterminacy must be “global.”
Divine action?
• Nancey Murphy: “To put it crudely, God is the
hidden variable.”
• Robert Russell: God acts providentially in all
quantum events
So why am I so skeptical?
• Intuition
• Creatio ex nihilo
• Autonomy of science
Evolutionary biology
Randomness as independence
from environmental factors
Example: Galapagos Island finches
The inference is from independence to
absence of purpose and meaning. (see
opening quote)
Teleology
The form of a teleological account:
A occurs in order that B.
• Why teleology fell out of favor
• Francisco Ayala: “Teleological explanations are
… appropriate and indispensable in biology …
they are fully compatible with causal accounts
although they cannot be reduced to
nonteleological explanations without loss of
explanatory content.”
A teleological account of randomness in
evolutionary biology is quite easy to give – when
considered with natural selection, it enables
natural goods for an ecosystem - increasing
complexity, diversity, and adaptation.
The problem with the inference from
randomness to purposelessness was
reductionism.
Why God would develop biodiversity
in this way?
The method seems inefficient, overly complex, and
wasteful. It yields problem with principles like Occam’s
razor (preference for the simplest explanation) and
divine economy.
The idea that (a) an infinite, omniscient, omnipotent
loving God would use a process for creating living
creatures on earth that (b) took an estimated 3.6 billion
years and was driven by a random mutation process
seems unbelievable to many folks.
A credible response?
• Say “I don’t know.”
• A response based on a variation of the
concept of fine-tuning.
– Steiner
– Collins
Scripture
• “The Lord God took the man and put him in
the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of
it.” Gen. 2:15
• “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's
good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke
12:32
Implications
• Gives a very high view of God’s intentions for
human beings
• Has potential to help in addressing theodicy
questions
• Encourages Christian to become actively
involved in genetic engineering
But
• Is this account plausible?
• Is it so speculative that it’s not helpful?