Are We Living in the Best of All Possible Worlds? | Lennox & Lowenstein
Feb 22, 2024
auto_awesome
Philosopher John Lennox and physicist Daniel Lowenstein dive into the concept of a multiverse and whether we are living in the best possible world. They explore questions on existence, tragedy, pain, and the role of God, examining the paradox of a perfect world, the necessity of imperfection, evil and suffering, hope amidst adversity, and the concept of punishment in Christianity.
The episode explores the concept of the multiverse through popular films, raising questions about optimal existence and infinite possibilities.
Oxford mathematician John Lennox discusses existential quandaries like facing tragedy and the role of a benevolent Creator in a world marked by suffering.
Deep dives
The Exploration of Multiverse Concept and its Relevance to Human Existence
The episode delves into the concept of the multiverse, once obscure but now mainstream, through examples from films like 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' and 'Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse'. These narratives present vast cosmic possibilities with infinite worlds and questions about optimal existence. Oxford mathematician John Lennox, in a UCLA event, examines existential quandaries such as facing tragedy, the nature of pain, and the role of a benevolent Creator in a world characterized by suffering.
The Best of All Possible Worlds and the Dilemma of Human Existence
The discussion involves the philosophical notion of the best of all possible worlds, where a benevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent God creates and maintains the optimal reality. The dialogue contemplates the coexistence of good and evil in a world that allows for choice and love, even with inherent risks. The conversation challenges conventional views on suffering, ethical dilemmas, and the complexities of human freedom in a multifaceted universe.
Exploring the Paradoxes of Evil, Suffering, and Divine Justice in Christianity
The episode transitions into a theological exploration of evil, suffering, and divine justice within the framework of Christianity. John Lennox articulates the profound Christian belief in the incarnation and sacrificial atonement of Christ, addressing the mystery of God's presence in human suffering. The dialogue navigates the concepts of punishment, free will, and the profound hope offered by the resurrection in grappling with the coexistence of beauty and suffering in the world.
The concept of a “multiverse” — formerly an obscure idea in philosophy and theoretical physics — is now mainstream. Movies like best-picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once or Marvel’s Spider Man: Into the Spiderverse invite us into an expansive vision of the cosmos: one where there are infinite worlds, possibilities, and comparisons. Even though these multiverse films feature outlandish sci-fi story lines (like hot dog fingers), their characters wrestle with many of the same questions we do, like, are we living in the best possible world?
In this episode, we discuss just that.
You’ll hear from mathematician John Lennox (Oxford) and moderator Daniel Lowenstein (UCLA) in a Forum event at UCLA in 2015. Together, they explore the toughest questions surrounding our existence. What do we do in the face of tragedy? Why do we experience pain? And, if there is a God who created the world, why did he make it like this?
Thank you to the Forum planning team at UCLA for making this event possible.