4 - 6 minute read
The article “Evolution: Natural Selection or Divine Choice?” published on the Muslim Times argues that there are three main camps when it comes to the question of how life on Earth evolved: Creationism, Blind Evolution, and Guided Evolution.
- Creationism is the belief that God created humans in their present form, as described in the Bible.
- Blind Evolution is the belief that evolution occurred without any guiding force or purpose, and is often associated with atheism.
- Guided Evolution is the belief that God used the process of evolution to create life on Earth. The article argues that the Guided Evolution perspective, which aligns with the Islamic perspective, is the most scientifically and philosophically sound.
However, the scientific theory of evolution does not make any claims about the existence or non-existence of God, or about the purpose or meaning of life. Evolution, as a scientific theory, simply describes the process by which populations of organisms change over time through the mechanisms of natural selection and genetic inheritance. It does not address questions about the ultimate purpose or meaning of life.
Naturalism of the Gaps?
The author also suggest that the success of the scientific enterprise supports the idea of philosophical naturalism, or the belief that everything in the universe can be explained by natural causes.
“The success of scientific enterprise in the last few centuries has shown humanity the power of trying to understand nature in a consistent and reproducible manner, excluding belief in supernatural, in likes of jinns and demons. Encyclopedia Britannica describes naturalism as: ‘Naturalism, in philosophy, a theory that relates scientific method to philosophy by affirming that all beings and events in the universe (whatever their inherent character may be) are natural. Consequently, all knowledge of the universe falls within the pale of scientific investigation.'”
However, this is a philosophical position that goes beyond the scope of science. Science is concerned with explaining natural phenomena through empirical evidence and logical reasoning, and does not make philosophical or metaphysical claims about the ultimate nature of reality. Science operates on the position of methodological naturalism, not philosophical naturalism. In other words, science operates on the assumption that, at least for now, the known physical world is all that we can assess until a mechanism is provided to ascertain a “supernatural” realm.
Quantum Nonsense
The author suggests that the concept of Quantum indeterminacy, or the idea that the outcome of certain quantum events is uncertain until they are observed, supports the idea of a guiding force in the universe.
“I will explain my position about Guided Evolution through explaining three concepts, naturalism, God of the gaps and Quantum indeterminacy or physics. … Quantum indeterminacy suggests that the outcome of certain quantum events is uncertain until they are observed. The outcome of a quantum event is not predetermined and it is not due to any randomness. This means that there is a guiding force that determines the outcome of a quantum event. Some have suggested that this guiding force is consciousness. Others have suggested that this guiding force is Allah or God.”
However, this is a misunderstanding of the concept of quantum indeterminacy. Quantum indeterminacy does not suggest the existence of a guiding force or consciousness, but rather reflects the limitations of our current understanding of quantum mechanics. Quantum indeterminacy is a fundamental property of the quantum world that arises from the uncertainty principle, which states that it is impossible to know both the position and momentum of a quantum particle with absolute precision. This uncertainty is not due to any lack of knowledge or understanding on our part, but rather arises from the fundamental nature of quantum systems.
Quantum indeterminacy does not imply the existence of a guiding force or consciousness, and it does not suggest that the outcome of quantum events is determined by some external agency. Instead, it reflects the inherent uncertainty that is inherent in the quantum world, and it is a fundamental feature of the way that quantum systems behave. Therefore, the suggestion that the concept of quantum indeterminacy supports the idea of a guiding force in the universe is a misunderstanding of the concept of quantum indeterminacy.
Key Takeaways
- Asserts “Guided Evolution” as a correct explanation life with no evidence.
- Evolutionary theory does not address questions about God or purpose.
- Confuses scientific theory with philosophical beliefs.
- Misunderstands concept of quantum indeterminacy.
Final Thoughts
The article contains several scientific errors and logical fallacies that undermine its argument in favor of the Guided Evolution perspective. It conflates the scientific theory of evolution with philosophical and religious beliefs, and relies on flawed arguments and misunderstandings of scientific concepts to support its claims.
