The Error of Beginnings and the Beginning of Errors: Creation and the Origin of the Universe | Prof. William Carroll
Jan 9, 2025
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William E. Carroll, a recently retired professor from the Aquinas Institute of Blackfriars at Oxford, dives into the profound relationship between creation, cosmology, and theology. He tackles how misconceptions about beginnings can lead to errors in various fields. Carroll argues that modern cosmological theories do not negate the need for a creator and clarifies the philosophical distinctions of existence and creation. He emphasizes Aquinas’s insights on creation ex nihilo and the ongoing dependency of beings on God, while urging caution against conflating science with theology.
The complexity of 'beginning' in cosmology and theology highlights the risk of misconceptions leading to significant philosophical errors about creation.
The relationship between modern scientific theories and traditional theological views underscores the ongoing relevance of classical arguments regarding causation and existence.
Deep dives
The Significance of Beginnings
The concept of 'beginning' is complex and multifaceted, often referring to something that precedes it and influences what follows. This relationship suggests that any discussion about beginnings includes considerations of subsequent developments and narratives. Philosophically, a misleading notion of what constitutes a beginning can lead to significant errors, particularly in relation to cosmology and theology. Traditionally, this has implications on how the relationship between the doctrine of creation and scientific discovery is framed.
Cosmology and the Question of a Creator
Recent advancements in cosmology have led some to assert that the universe does not require a creator, often based on interpretations of the Big Bang theory and notions of an eternal universe. Stephen Hawking, for example, argued that since time itself did not exist before the Big Bang, the concept of cause becomes meaningless, thus eliminating the need for a creator. Similar theories propose that the universe may undergo cycles or exist alongside a multiverse, further distancing the need for a divine creator. These theories collectively challenge traditional theological perspectives by suggesting that natural phenomena alone account for the universe's existence.
The Philosophical Debate on Causation
The discussion surrounding causation poses a fundamental challenge, particularly in determining whether anything that begins to exist necessitates a cause. Sean Carroll, a contemporary physicist, argues that causation may not apply to the universe as a whole and questions the validity of expecting causal explanations at this fundamental level. This leads to differing views on whether cosmological events inherently require a causal relationship, complicating the discourse on creation. The emerging consensus suggests that traditional philosophical arguments still remain relevant, despite attempts to redefine causality in ways that undermine the necessity of a creator.
Creation Beyond Temporal Context
The misunderstanding of creation as inherently linked to temporal beginnings creates confusion in contemporary discussions about existence. Creation should be viewed primarily as a metaphysical and theological affirmation of dependency on God, rather than solely as a statement about timing. Thomas Aquinas emphasized that the act of creation is about God's ongoing causation of existence, which does not necessarily involve a defined temporal starting point. Thus, even an eternal universe can be understood as having a created origin, as it is continuously dependent on God for existence.
Professor William E. Carroll has recently retired from research and teaching at the Aquinas Institute of Blackfriars in the University of Oxford. For the past two years he has been a Visiting Professor at the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (Wuhan, China), and at the Hongyi Honor College of Wuhan University. He is a European intellectual historian and historian of science whose research and teaching concern: 1) the reception of Aristotelian science in mediaeval Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, and the development of the doctrine of creation, and 2) the encounter between Galileo and the Inquisition. He has also written extensively on the ways in which mediaeval discussions of the relationship among the natural sciences, philosophy, and theology can be useful in contemporary questions arising from developments in biology and cosmology.
He is the author of four books: Aquinas on Creation; La Creación y las Ciencias Naturales: Actualidad de Santo Tomás de Aquino; Galileo: Science and Faith; and Creation and Science (with translations in Slovak, Spanish, and Chinese). His published work has appeared in 12 languages.
Over many years he has written more than 25 op-ed pieces for Public Discourse, the web site of the Witherspoon Institute at Princeton.
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