Here are a couple articles from the Huffington Post regarding the discovery of the Higgs Boson and it's theological implications.
The first article is written by Karl Giberson author of The Language of Science and Faith and Saving Darwin: How to be a Christian and Believe in Evolution. Here are some quotes from the Giberson's piece:
"The buzz about the discovery of the Higgs Boson reminds us once again that we are progressing in our understanding the deeper features of the world. Such progress can seem like a scientific intrusion onto theological turf. Are we not now claiming that mass is created by the Higgs Field and not by God? Is this not why the new boson is called The God Particle?"
"Discovering the Higgs Boson undermines nothing in theology, however. If anything, its discovery provides more evidence of the deeply rational character of the universe, a topic I explore in more detail in my recent book, The Wonder of the Universe."
The full article can be found here: God and the God Particle
The second article is written by Philip Clayton author of The Predicament of Belief: Science, Philosophy, and Faith. Here are some quotes from his writing:
"When they announced the discovery of physics' most elusive particle this week, scientists didn't overreach. They just did damn good science. The fans and the foes of religion, by contrast, are overreaching on both sides. The quest for the Higgs boson, and its ultimate discovery, neither proves nor disproves God."
The full article can be found here: Does the Higgs Boson Discovery Resolve the Religion-Science Debate?
The term "God Particle" came from the book "The God Particle / If the Universe is the Answer, What is the Question?," by Leon Lederman & Dick Teresi (first published in 1993 and reissued in 2006), which is in the bibliography of my free ebook on comparative mysticism.
ReplyDeleteIn his Preface Dr. Lederman, a Nobel laureate in physics, wrote:
Now as for the title, The God Particle, my coauthor, Dick Teresi, has agreed to accept the blame. I mentioned the phrase as a joke once in a speech, and he remembered it and used it as the working title of the book. "Don't worry," he said, "no publisher ever uses the working title on the final book." The title ended up offending two groups: 1) those who believe in God and 2) those who do not. We were warmly received by those in the middle.
Thanks for the input Ron. I also downloaded your ebook and will check it out over the summer.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ryan.
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