A Universe with God

SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY P ROFESSOR Paul Davies, a well-known English physicist and author, is the Director of BEYOND, a research centre of the Arizona State University. He has several books to his credit, notably ‘The Goldilocks Enigma’. He states in one of his articles, ‘Flaw in Creationists’ Arguments’ (Guardian Newspapers, 2007): “Scientists are slowly waking up to an inconvenient truth— that the universe is based on very firm laws. Scientists have been investigating physical laws for 40 years. This research is pointing towards a conscious being behind the universe. If even one of these underlying laws were changed, the result would be lethal. The universe is so organized that even a minor change in its present structure would be sufficient to completely disturb the whole universe.” For example, the entire universe is made up of atoms, atoms which are a combination of neutrons, protons and electrons. A neutron is a little heavier than a proton. This proportion is extremely important. If it were the other way round, that protons were heavier than neutrons, then according to known laws, the atom could not exist. And when there are no protons, there can be no atomic nuclei and no atoms. No atoms, no chemistry, no life. This example shows that science today is facing unanswerable questions. For instance, what is the origin of the present laws of physics? Why do they take their present form? How is it that they are so well-established, etc.? Traditionally, scientists supposed that these laws were an integral part of the universe, that they were imprinted on the universe at its birth and fixed thereafter. Inquiry into the origin of nature and of its laws was not regarded as a proper part of science. But now these questions are vexing the scientists. The Cambridge cosmologist, Martin Rees, President of The Royal Society, The concept of the universe presented by religion and modern science appeals to an agency outside the universe to explain its law-like order.