Article appeared Friday, May 3rd, 2013 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (276)

yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

In science as well as in day-to-day communication, the terms hypothesis, theory and law are often used. To help understand how we generally use these terms, Helmenstine, a scientist, in her article to help people Learn the Language of Science {1} points out, Words have precise meanings in science. For example, 'theory', 'law', and 'hypothesis' don't all mean the same thing. Outside of science, you might say something is 'just a theory', meaning it's a supposition and that it may or may not be true. In science, a theory is an explanation that generally is accepted to be trueA hypothesis is an educated guess, based on a set of observations. Usually, a hypothesis can be supported or refuted through experimentation or mere observation. A hypothesis can be disproven, but not proven to be trueA scientific theory summarizes a hypothesis or group of hypotheses that have been supported with repeated testing. A theory is valid as long as there is no evidence to dispute itOne definition of a theory is to say it's an accepted hypothesis...A law generalizes a body of observations. At the time it is enunciated, no exceptions have been found to the lawOne way to separate a law from a theory is to ask if the description gives you a means to explain 'why'. Example: Consider Newton's Law of Gravity. Newton could use this law to predict the behavior of a dropped object, but he couldn't explain why it happened. {1} Likewise, much of scientific research is devoted to finding rules so that certain behavior can be predicted, but not why or how behind the behavior. The question posed here is, can one apply the scientific method to finding the why behind our existence? To help follow the scientific method in any investigation, Helmenstine proposes the following steps {2}, 1. Make observations. 2. Propose a hypothesis. 3. Design and perform an experiment to test the hypothesis. 4. Analyze the data to determine whether to accept or reject the hypothesis. 5. If necessary, propose and test a new hypothesis. To start off with step 1, one needs to be observant and observe. What are the things that can be observed in our personal lives and/or in our environment? For example, sometimes we see that our dreams warn of events or even predict events. From this observation, one may ask, How is it that dreams warn or predict future events? Further questions may be, do dreams have the power to know the future? Where do the tailor-made and animated dreams come from? As for our environment, Adamson, a self-proclaimed atheist, cites six observations {3} that changed her life. Among these observations are that the planetary systems are highly complex; what caused this system to start; everything follows precise laws; the precise instructions contained in each persons DNA; why do people look for the Creator as well as the coming of Jesus Christ. Based on these observations, as step 2, one may propose a null hypothesis. An example of a null hypothesis may be that, Precise laws and DNA intelligence are possible without the intervention of a supreme intelligence and a superior design. As step 3, one would have to design experiments to test this null hypothesis. For example, not unlike the planetary motions, a chronometer follows precise laws to accurately show the time. Can a chronometer be designed and put together without a high degree of intelligence? Even if all the separate parts of the chronometer were left on their own, would the parts come together by themselves? As proposed in step 4, can one accept this null hypothesis? And finally as proposed in step 5, could a different hypothesis be proposed? Rejection of the null hypothesis scientifically points to the existence of the Creator. Adamson herself finally concludes:

I have come to find out that God wants to be known. He created us with the intention that we would know him. He has surrounded us with evidence of himself and he keeps the question of his existence squarely before us. {3} So God created us to be known. He has given Signs in our personal lives as well as in our environment so that we look for Him and discover His Handiwork. This is the trust and responsibility that He has honored human beings with. What then, could be classified as sin? Logically, sin would be not fulfilling His purpose. This would be not recognizing Him as the exclusive Originator of every personal blessing and sustenance. Proposing that there can be any other power, other than the Creator would be partaking in sin. What may the Creator do to those who do not acknowledge Him? Can there be any forgiveness for this sin? For example, can the sin be atoned for by a sacrifice? If the purpose of each human being is to learn about the Creator, can the sacrifice of Jesus achieve this purpose? Part of learning about the Creator and knowing Him is accepting the fact that He cannot have any equal in the created realm. Adamson, however, goes against her own conclusions in observation number 6 {3} when she accepts that Jesus is god. As we all live in a realm where everything is created with a purpose in mind, any concept that proposes any power other than the Creator is necessarily false. By accepting any such concept, one goes against the fundamental commandment of religions that prohibit false gods. The prohibition is explained by Cline: prohibition of making anything else so god-like that it distracts from the worship of the One True God. Thus one is prohibited from worshipping money, sex, success, beauty, status, etc. Some have also argued that this commandment further prohibits one from holding false beliefs about God presumably on the theory that if one believes that God has false attributes then one is, in effect, believing in a false or incorrect God. {4} To confirm the Signs of the existence of the Creator, He has given Revelation through messengers. Revelation simply insists on belief in one Omnipotent Creator. When people became arrogant and demonstrated disbelief, they were punished. The most recent Revelation, the Quran relates stories that tell of the same pattern of resistance and insolence in the past: They said: "You have come to us so that we may worship Allah alone and give up the cult of our fathers? Bring us that with which you threaten us and let us check whether you are telling the truth!" [7.70] The messenger responded,

7.71 He said: "Punishment and wrath have already come upon you from your Lord: you still dispute with me over names which you have devised; you and your fathers without authority from Allah? Then wait: I am amongst you also waiting."
The Creator repeatedly destroyed those who refused exclusive worship.

7.72 We saved him and those who adhered to him by our mercy and We cut off the roots of those who rejected Our Signs and did not believe.
-----{Notes}: {1} http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistry101/a/lawtheory.htm {2} http://chemistry.about.com/od/lecturenotesl3/a/sciencemethod.htm {3} http://www.everystudent.com/features/isthere.html? gclid=CJ_bhpuY9LYCFU1_6wodYGYAcQ {4} http://atheism.about.com/od/tencommandments/a/commandment01.htm