Has Science Has Science Found God?Found God?

Vic StengerVic Stenger

New “Scientific” Claims (I)New “Scientific” Claims (I)Creation a miracle: Creation a miracle: Laws of physics Laws of physics violatedviolated at creation. at creation.

Anthropic Coincidences: Anthropic Coincidences: The laws and constants of nature are so The laws and constants of nature are so fine tunedfine tuned for the for the

production of life to be highlyproduction of life to be highly improbableimprobable by natural by natural means.means.

Intelligent Design:Intelligent Design: Biological Biological complexitycomplexity cannot be generated solely by cannot be generated solely by

naturalnatural processes. processes.

New “Scientific” Claims (II)New “Scientific” Claims (II)

Benefits of Religion:Benefits of Religion:Experimental evidence for connection between Experimental evidence for connection between

religious behavior and health and that religious behavior and health and that prayerprayer works.works.

Evidence for Supernatural:Evidence for Supernatural:Experimental verification of Experimental verification of supernaturalsupernatural powers powers of of

the mind. Supported theoretically bythe mind. Supported theoretically by quantum quantum mechanics.mechanics.

First Law of First Law of Thermodynamics Thermodynamics Argument:Argument: Where did the Where did the energyenergy and and massmass of the universe of the universe come from? come from? The first law of The first law of thermodynamics thermodynamics (conservation of energy) (conservation of energy) must have been must have been violatedviolated at the creation.at the creation.

Refutation:Refutation:The positive energy of the The positive energy of the universe is universe is exactlyexactly balancedbalanced by negative by negative gravitational potential gravitational potential energy.energy.

E = K + McE = K + Mc22 - V - Vgg = 0 = 0

No energy required to No energy required to produce the universeproduce the universe

Second Law Second Law of of ThermodynaThermodynamics mics Argument:Argument: Where did the Where did the orderorder of of the universe come from? the universe come from? The second law of The second law of thermodynamics must thermodynamics must have been have been violatedviolated at the at the creation.creation.

Refutation:Refutation:Expanding universe allows Expanding universe allows increasing roomincreasing room for order for order to form.to form.

TimeTime

EntropyEntropy

Maximum Maximum EntropyEntropy

Entropy max at originEntropy max at origin

Arguments from DesignArguments from Design

Basic Argument From DesignBasic Argument From Design

Claim:Claim:““I cannot see how the complexity of the universe, I cannot see how the complexity of the universe,

especially life, can arise by purely especially life, can arise by purely naturalnatural processes. processes. Therefore it must have arisen by Therefore it must have arisen by supernaturalsupernatural processes.”processes.”

Refutation:Refutation:Does not logically follow. Does not logically follow. Argument from ignorance.Argument from ignorance.

God of the GapsGod of the Gaps

The Fine Tuning ArgumentThe Fine Tuning Argument

Claim :Claim : The physics of our universe is The physics of our universe is fine tunedfine tuned for our kind of life. for our kind of life. Thus the universe shows Thus the universe shows evidence for intelligent evidence for intelligent design.design.

Refutation:Refutation:SomeSome kind of life could exist kind of life could exist with different physics.with different physics.

QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.

Could There Be Multiple Could There Be Multiple Universes?Universes?

Yes.Yes. Nothing we know from physics and cosmology Nothing we know from physics and cosmology

rules out the existence of rules out the existence of multiple universes.multiple universes. Multiple universes Multiple universes trivially solvetrivially solve the fine tuning the fine tuning

problem. We simply evolved in the universe suited problem. We simply evolved in the universe suited for us.for us.Our universe is not fine tuned to us. We are fine Our universe is not fine tuned to us. We are fine tuned to our universe.tuned to our universe.

The Evolution of Creationism The Evolution of Creationism (I)(I)

1920s. Teaching evolution a 1920s. Teaching evolution a crimecrime in 3 in 3 states. states.

1925. Scopes 1925. Scopes “Monkey Trial.”“Monkey Trial.” 1960s. Supreme Court 1960s. Supreme Court tosses out tosses out

Arkansas law. Arkansas law. 1961. Rise of 1961. Rise of ““Creation ScienceCreation Science””

The Evolution of Creationism The Evolution of Creationism (II)(II) 1970s. Laws in 3 states mandate 1970s. Laws in 3 states mandate

teaching teaching Creation ScienceCreation Science.. 1987. Supreme Court rules them 1987. Supreme Court rules them

unconstitutionalunconstitutional.. 1990s. Failed attempts to teach 1990s. Failed attempts to teach

Intelligent DesignIntelligent Design in name of in name of “fairness.”“fairness.”

Current: Teach Current: Teach phonyphony “evidence “evidence against evolution” in name of “critical against evolution” in name of “critical thinking.”thinking.”

Intelligent Design Intelligent Design CreationismCreationismClaimClaim::

Biological structures exist that are too complex to Biological structures exist that are too complex to have been produced by have been produced by

Chance Chance oror Natural Selection Natural Selection

It follows that they were It follows that they were “intelligently designed.”“intelligently designed.”

Intelligent Design Intelligent Design CreationismCreationism

Refutation:Refutation:Evolution works byEvolution works by

Chance Chance andand Natural Selection Natural SelectionIntelligent design creationism is Intelligent design creationism is pseudoscience.pseudoscience.

Example of ID PseudoscienceExample of ID PseudoscienceWilliam Dembski:William Dembski: Natural causes are incapable of generating Natural causes are incapable of generating information. information. “Law of conservation of information.”“Law of conservation of information.”

Provably WrongProvably WrongIInformation gain is equivalent to loss of entropy. nformation gain is equivalent to loss of entropy. Entropy is not a conserved quantity like energy:Entropy is not a conserved quantity like energy:

Second law of thermodynamicsSecond law of thermodynamics

NatureH bits

H bits

Arguments from ImprobabilityArguments from Improbability

Claim:Claim: The universe and life are The universe and life are too too improbableimprobable to be to be natural.natural.

Arguments from Arguments from ImprobabilityImprobability

Refutation:Refutation: Must Must comparecompare probabilities. probabilities. What is What is probabilityprobability that the that the universe and life are supernatural?universe and life are supernatural?Low probabilityLow probability events happen events happen every day.every day.

What is the probability that What is the probability that William Dembski exists?William Dembski exists?

Natural ComplexityNatural ComplexityComplexity is Complexity is generated naturally all generated naturally all the timethe timeSnowflakes and other Snowflakes and other crystalscrystals

FerromagnetsFerromagnets

Polarized lightPolarized light

Evolution!Evolution!

The Wedge Strategy of the The Wedge Strategy of the Discovery InstituteDiscovery Institute

““To defeat scientific materialism and its destructive To defeat scientific materialism and its destructive moral, cultural and political legacies.moral, cultural and political legacies.

To replace materialistic explanations with the theistic To replace materialistic explanations with the theistic understanding that nature and human beings are understanding that nature and human beings are created by God.created by God.

To see intelligent design theory as the dominant To see intelligent design theory as the dominant perspective in science.” perspective in science.” Intelligent Design Creationism is pseudoscience Intelligent Design Creationism is pseudoscience

motivated by purely sectarian goals.motivated by purely sectarian goals.

Is Religion Good For You?Is Religion Good For You?Claim:Claim:Hundreds of published Hundreds of published studies claim connection studies claim connection between religious behavior, between religious behavior, especially especially church-goingchurch-going and and health.health.

Refutation:Refutation:Many sick people Many sick people can’t can’t go go to church.to church.CorrelationCorrelation does not does not imply imply connectionconnection NaturalNatural explanations explanations

Prayers and Prayers and MiraclesMiracles

Claim:Claim:Some scientific studies report Some scientific studies report benefitsbenefits of prayer. of prayer.

Prayers and Prayers and MiraclesMiracles

Refutation:Refutation:NoNo published positive results are significant. published positive results are significant.

Best study by Best study by Mayo Clinic.Mayo Clinic. Negative. Negative.

““Intercessory prayer had no significant effect on Intercessory prayer had no significant effect on specifically defined medical outcomes, regardless specifically defined medical outcomes, regardless of risk status.”of risk status.”

Special Powers of the Mind?Special Powers of the Mind?Claim:Claim:ESP and other paranormal ESP and other paranormal phenomena phenomena existexist and are and are supported by supported by quantum mechanics.quantum mechanics.

Refutation:Refutation:150 years if study have found 150 years if study have found no no significant evidence.significant evidence. Quantum Quantum mechanics is widely mechanics is widely misinterpreted.misinterpreted.

Summary (I)Summary (I) NoNo laws of physics were violated at the origin of our laws of physics were violated at the origin of our

universe.universe. NoNo observations in science require the hypothesis of observations in science require the hypothesis of

God or the supernatural.God or the supernatural. The laws and constants of nature are not so The laws and constants of nature are not so finefine tunedtuned

for the production of life of for the production of life of somesome kind to be impossible kind to be impossible by natural means.by natural means.

Biological Biological complexitycomplexity cancan be generated by solely be generated by solely natural processes.natural processes.

Summary (II)Summary (II) Even if a connection between religious behavior and Even if a connection between religious behavior and

health existed, it could be health existed, it could be naturalnatural. . NoNo experimental evidence exists that prayer or other experimental evidence exists that prayer or other

supernatural healing method works.supernatural healing method works. NoNo experimental verification of experimental verification of paranormal powersparanormal powers of of

the mind has been found. the mind has been found. NotNot supported theoretically by supported theoretically by quantum mechanics.quantum mechanics.Current science cannot be used to support belief.Current science cannot be used to support belief.