The most important unresolved scientific questions, in my opinion.

Obtenebrator said:
Finding design in nature is extremely difficult. First it would require that you have an actually designed life form to compare it with. But that aside I take exception to your suggestion that chemistry is simply "random". Actually it's not quite like that.

Yes, there is a component of randomness in any given reaction: the atoms and molecules need to literally bump into each other in the right orientation and with the right speed to react but that being said chemistry has nice rules to govern how and why it WILL react. The bonds that make up living things are EXACTLY THE SAME AS BONDS MAKING UP NON-LIVING THINGS. Life utilizes ONLY standard normal chemicals found in non-living systems. There is precious little that divides us from the non-living.

Even early "life" may have been little more than RNA molecules stuck to the surface of a rock and acting as a template to coordinate with and cause the reaction of other molecules leading to a crude form of "self-replication". But at the end of the day there are definitely RULES. So it is not purely random.

The reason we find parts of proteins and amino acids in meteorites is because this chemistry is NOT exotic. It is still basic chemistry.
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I don't find it difficult at all to find design in nature. I didn't say chemistry was random. I'm suggesting if all this wasn't designed then it's random. Some people say it's just "nature" which is just a non answer.
 
Yakuda said:
Yakuda said:
Why do my doubt it?

Fine tuning does tell us something interesting, that a mind beyond our comprehension exists but instead of being curious they ignore it. I wonder if sometimes they just bring themselves to admit they may have been wrong all this time.
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I don't think the scientists of an atheist disposition ignore fine tuning. They just can't deal with metaphysics, and attempt to come up with a material explanation. Some of them think the mathmatical constants are not actually constant - they take different values in different parts of the universe or multiverse - and we just happen to live in the part where the mathmatical properties are just right to support complex matter and life.

I always had a vague impression this was an ad hoc solution that was really just sweeping fine tuning under the rug.
 
Ross Dolan said:
We just don't know the answers to these kinds of questions.

And since we (humans) actually are merely the currently dominant species on a relatively nondescript speck of dust circling a relatively nondescript star (among hundreds of billions of stars) in a relatively nondescript galaxy (among hundreds of billions of galaxies)...

...what makes us think we will ever be able to figure it out?

It may well be a persistent mystery for all of the lifetime of our species.

We just do not know the answers to these kinds of questions.

Doesn't mean we should not search, but keep in mind what we actually are.
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^^ A wise insight
 
Cypress said:
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The nameless is the mother of myriad things
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Yes, we all know you are well versed in the Eastern philosophies. You have made sure that everyone knows what you've read. And I totally understands your schtick now! You are still driven by your hatred and rage (which makes your association with Eastern Mysticism kind of ironic) and this is how you are going to respond to any post from me. You hate me so much you can't even explain your own positions.

I honestly wish you COULD explain your version of the creative force that made the laws of physics you are so fascinated by. But I understand. Hatred blinds you and you don't want anyone to know that you haven't even really throught through your position yet.
 
Cypress said:
I don't think the scientists of an atheist disposition ignore fine tuning. They just can't deal with metaphysics
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Interestingly enough: neither can you! It's why you never explain your own position in your own words!

Cypress said:
I always had a vague impression this was an ad hoc solution
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And proposing a "creator intelligence" of some sort ISN'T? Do you know the actual meaning of the stuff you post??????
 
Yakuda said:
I don't find it difficult at all to find design in nature.
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Ummm, actually NO ONE can. You just imagine you are seeing design because you see complexity. Complexity can and does arise in natural non-living systems all the time.

Yakuda said:
I didn't say chemistry was random. I'm suggesting if all this wasn't designed then it's random.
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QED. You think chemistry is random. Your statement here says so. It isn't.


Yakuda said:
Some people say it's just "nature" which is just a non answer.
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And saying "God did it" is a "real" answer???
 
"1) a. What caused the Big Bang to happen? How exactly does matter and energy spring into existence from nothing?"

Presumption it was caused.
 
Cypress said:
^^ A wise insight
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Why do you come on philosophy discussion fora? I'm genuinely curious. It seems your answer is ALWAYS "We can't understand it so your argument must be wrong and I'm super duper smart!"

Why do you even BOTHER? If your answer is either "This famous guy thinks this and I wanna be smart like him so I just quote him!" or "Our souped up monkey brains can't possibly understand this" (usually the latter comes out after you've been shown to not really understand your OWN position.)
 
Obtenebrator said:
Yes, we all know you are well versed in the Eastern philosophies. You have made sure that everyone knows what you've read. And I totally understands your schtick now! You are still driven by your hatred and rage (which makes your association with Eastern Mysticism kind of ironic) and this is how you are going to respond to any post from me. You hate me so much you can't even explain your own positions.

I honestly wish you COULD explain your version of the creative force that made the laws of physics you are so fascinated by. But I understand. Hatred blinds you and you don't want anyone to know that you haven't even really throught through your position yet.
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Thus, constantly with desire, one observes its essence
 
Obtenebrator said:
Interestingly enough: neither can you! It's why you never explain your own position in your own words!



And proposing a "creator intelligence" of some sort ISN'T? Do you know the actual meaning of the stuff you post??????
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These two emerge together but differ in name
 
Obtenebrator said:
Why do you come on philosophy discussion fora? I'm genuinely curious. It seems your answer is ALWAYS "We can't understand it so your argument must be wrong and I'm super duper smart!"

Why do you even BOTHER? If your answer is either "This famous guy thinks this and I wanna be smart like him so I just quote him!" or "Our souped up monkey brains can't possibly understand this" (usually the latter comes out after you've been shown to not really understand your OWN position.)
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The unity is said to be the mystery, the door to all wonders
 
Cypress said:
These two emerge together but differ in name
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Wow out of context and bereft of meaning because of it.

At least now you are being honest in that you are letting us all know you haven't thought about your own position and you are feeling really pissy this morning.

Have a cup of coffee. Relax.

Your seething hatred is a bad way to start the day.
 
Cypress said:
The Tao is empty
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Just like your supposed "erudition".

Why don't you move off the Tao and onto one of the other eastern philosophy books you've read. Hit up something from the Vedas! That will be SURE to impress everyone and give you even more cover for not being able to express your OWN position in your OWN words.
 
Obtenebrator said:
Just like your supposed "erudition".

Why don't you move off the Tao and onto one of the other eastern philosophy books you've read. Hit up something from the Vedas! That will be SURE to impress everyone and give you even more cover for not being able to express your OWN position in your OWN words.
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it seems to be the source of all thing
It blunts the sharpness, unravels the knots
 
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