Epicurus taught that there was no intelligent design. The particles that make up the universe, you, me, the animals and the trees, have not been put together by an unseen hand, but are made up of myriads of atoms that over eons of time have coalesced or broken apart by accident. That we have stars and planets is the result of chance and experimentation over lengths of time hard to imagine by human beings.
Every year that goes by shows that nature can be explained by science, not the tales invented centuries ago by primitive man. Soon we will have, in all likelihood, an answer to the issue of the Higgs Boson and take another step towards understanding the universe. That is, if we want to understand it!
I am one of millions who want to understand it. Finding out the laws of nature which includes particle physics and how they behave does not , as far as I can see it, negatethe possibility of a Creator. There is ‘awesome wonder’ to be had from both points of view
It would be stupid to say that intelligent design is all impossible baloney, because I just don’t know, neither do you. For instance, it is possible for a rational person to accept that the moment of the Big Bang was initiated by an Energy, a Being, whatever, we don’t know, but Something that caused an event of stupendous consequence that none of us understand (but might do so in a century’s time). What is more difficult to accept, after one hundred and fifty or so years, is that Darwin is wrong and that the Big Bang was part of a design to make mighty Mankind King of the Universe and centre of it. As science has progressed so have the religiously devout stepped back and back, trying to find an argument for church teaching. Of course, they might turn out to be right, but if so, as Epicurus said, there are gods but they take not the slightest personal interest in you, your children or your car. He was not, incidentally, an atheist. He just didn’t believe the gods bothered with the minutiae of human lives.
Ah! So Epicurus suggested that the gods take not the slightest interest in your car,?.!
Neither did Darwin mention the Big Bang which was was ‘coined’ by Hubble I understand …… But these are hairs which can be split!
You a right when you say that it’s just as unscientific to maintain that there is a God than it is to say there isn’t since there is no empirical evidence either way. Therefor we don’t ‘know,’. Belief in God is subjective, but there are a number of leading scientists who have no problem with believing in God AND the evolution of the universe (and perhaps universes). I am going to a seminar lead by one of them at the end of April. I will report back on his’argument for church teaching’ as you put it.
Please do. I doubt we will ever know for certain about anything, but it’s fun.
What interests me is less the philosophy, but more the way of life that Epicureanism offers. It is rational, but is about friendship, moderation, treating people decently, being empathetic, polite, considerate. These are no longer taught, it seems, although they ought to be common sense. The idea of enjoying life and avoiding pain, including the bullies, warmongers and greed merchants maqkes complete sense.