Since Galileo Galilei our conception of the world and our role in it has
changed. Until the Middle Ages, the universe was seen as a dark place, with
the earth a small stage full of corruption and sins. We all were required
to praise God and the Church, as it is still the case in the USA nowadays.
Isaac Newton gave us precise mechanical laws that applied to, and guided,
all the bodies in the universe, including the earth.
Einstein improved on it, showing that time and space was not absolute, that
the universe was, in fact, curved.
The Quantum Theory went even further. Determinism was rejected in favour
of free will, but with multiple and uncertain outcome.
With the concept of multiverse, we appear to be living on a stage among
many possible others with wormholes connecting them. New universes are born
all the time.
Our knowledge of the world has expanded exponentially n the last 80 years
starting with Hubble's discoveries that, among other things, showed hat
the Milky Way Galaxy was only one among billions of others. Moreover galaxies
are running away from each others with increasing speed. This came in addition
to Copernicus showing that the earth was not the centre of the unease. The
recent discovery o dark matter and dark energy showed that the chemical
elements that make us our world and our bois are only 0.03% of the total
mass/energy of the universe. If the MO Theory is proven to be right, then
we will have to admit that we live in an 11-dimensional world, seven of
which are invisible to us.
On the other hand, the Anthropic Principle shows that our existence is the
result of a "miraculous" set of accidents. For example, if the
rate of expansion one second after the big bang had been different by one
part in one hundred thousand millions, the universe would already have recollapsed.
According to the Quantum Theory, things only exist in our world if somebody
observes them. But, for that somebody to exist there must be another higher
observer, and this goes on infinitely. What we do not know is, "who
is the ultimate observer?" The only possible answer is a Cosmic Observer,
a Deity, or God Himself.
The ultimate question -till unanswered- is "Who created the universe?"
Most religions say that the universe is God's Creation. Genesis, the first
book of the Old Testament, a sacred book to the Jews and the Christians
is clear: "god crated the universe".
However, many people believe that the universe is the result of a chance
coincidence of many natural factors and that God had nothing to do with
it. Even some Christian leaders have their own doubts: "The Bible teaches
us how to go to Heaven, not how the Heaven goes" said Cardinal Baronius.
Darwin's theory is considered by some fundamentalist Christian as anti-religious
as natural selection goes on its own without the need for God's intervention.
However, Darwin was a religious man.
Newton's theories too have been considered anti-religious by the same fundamentalist
Christians although Newton was and remained a Christian, a religious man
all his life.
Einstein, in many ways, was a special case. His theories do not refer to
any God, but he was convinced of the existence of what he called "The
Old Man", but one who did not interfere with the affairs of man. His
main aim in life was to "read the mind of God and his thoughts".
He is also remembered for saying "Science without religion is lame.
But religion without science is blind". What science cannot explain
is better left to God, whatever this term means to each of us.
One can say that science, religion, and philosophy are mixed together and
the final answer to man's questions will, perhaps, come out of their close
collaboration.
People who talk a lot, more often that not do not have anything to say,
but they repeat it over and over again.
Nullens' law