Re: The sure findings of science

"William" <tielige@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:a9ful1dl3aronmo5fms75lu8t68ahgs2bm@xxxxxxxxxx
> On Tue, 25 Oct 2005 08:33:52 GMT, "Simon Woods"
> <simonSPAMMENOT.woods@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>>"William" <tielige@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>
>>> Having never heard of Scott Hahn I have had to look up his status on
>>> the internet. He is a Professor of Theology and Scripture at
>>> Franciscan University of Steubenville and appears to be very well
>>> respected in Catholic circles (after converting from Protestantism in
>>> the 80s)
>>>
>>> On that basis and since the Adam story appears now to be up for grabs
>>> then maybe his 'interpretation' is as valid as anyone else's. Does it
>>> matter?
>>
>>Theologically, for me at least, who had previously considered the Edenic
>>state as perfection to be re-attained, it raised the thought that there
>>could be a 'greater' perfection achievable through self-giving, pain and
>>suffering.
>
> I don't think you can qualify perfection. From you have said, the
> Edenic state must have been less than perfect. Why would God have
> created something less than perfect?

If perfection is not qualifiable then okay. That's a definitional issue.
Perhaps I need to find a different word. - how about "very good". However,
consider a seed and it's flower. Is the seed's perfection less than its
flower? Is a baby imperfect?

> The scientific picture can be tested and potentially falsified. Lots
> of things that cannot be tested or falsified can enrich the picture
> science offers.

In terms of 'ultimate' answers and science is a fruit of creation, then that
which enables to understand the Creator more directly will provide a
'better' answer. However, if you only find scientific answers acceptable,
then science has to be the place to look.

>>> And does it add anything to the suggestion that God chooses to use
>>> suffering and death in us and other sentient creatures down the ages
>>> as 'tools' (ie, in the design process)?
>>
>>It would seem significant to me if it is inherent in the design of the
>>system rather than being a product of a malfunctioning system which God is
>>using as a type of feedback loop to rectify the system's state.
>
> By 'inherent' do you mean God had no choice but to design it that way?

Can you explain this a bit more? How to find a relationship between
"inherent in the design of the system" and "God had no choice but to design
it that way"? I can't see one. Our car has four wheels. That's inherent in
it's design. The designer didn't have to design our car with four wheels.
Perhaps, there's a problem with my using 'inherent'. Perhaps I should have
used "part of "?
.

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