January 23, 2006

Suggest James W. Sire The Universe Next Door.

Virtually impossible to judge a world view, but open for examination.

Cognitive dissonance
 Experiencing other cultures
 Strong motivation for re-examination of world view

What does it mean to be good?

What are ethical principles, where do they come from?
How do we come to our moral values?
How do we deal with the inconsistencies with our principles, the community we live in,
family members, etc…

Search for congruency between beliefs in God and themes such as evolution, personal
freedom, free will, etc…

Questions to ponder throughout the quarter:

1. Predestination, what are our views?

2. Does personal freedom exist?
3. Does it even matter to us?

Suggested reading: Jacob Bronowski “The Assent of Man”

Argues against Clark’s view that the future of man is dismal, wrote about man’s system
of values.

God’s Rays by Bryce Dewitt

 Sun rays are a metaphor for his youthful innocence

 Emulated grandfather, followed along in beliefs
 At its core, asks for a reexamination of our fundamental beliefs
 Important point: “Theoretical physicists start off as amateur theologians”
o All of us are essentially theoretical physicists in that they seek to answer
“the whys” of life. But most settle for knowing “the how”
o “the more the universe is comprehensible, the more it also seems
pointless”
 What does it mean? To Bryce Dewitt, that scientists have
sacrificed their childhood belief in God on the alter of science, as
such they have taken away the value in the universe.