The Persistent Questions: Why?
I have to admit that, even
physicists go as far as they can go, when we have a final theory, we will not
have a completely satisfying picture of the world, because we will still be
left with the question “why?” Why this theory, rather than some other
theory? For example, why is the world
described by quantum mechanics? Quantum
mechanics is the one part of our present physics that is likely to survive in
any future theory, but there is nothing logically inevitable about quantum
mechanics; I can imagine a universe governed by Newtonian mechanics
instead. So there seems to be an
irreducible mystery that science will not eliminate.
But religious theories of
design have the same problem. Either
you mean something definite by a God, a designer, or you don't. If you don't, then what are we talking
about? If you do mean something
definite by “God” or “design,” if for instance you believe in a God who is
jealous, or loving, or intelligent, or whimsical, then you still must confront
the question “why?” Your faith can
leave you with no explanation why the universe is governed by that sort of God, rather than some other
sort of God.
In this respect, it seems to
me that physics is in a better position to give us a partly satisfying
explanation of the world than religion can ever be, because although physicists
won't be able to explain why the laws of nature are what they are and not
something completely different, at least we may be able to explain why they are
not slightly different. For instance, no one has been able to think
of a logically consistent alternative to quantum mechanics that is only
slightly different. Once you start
trying to make small changes in quantum mechanics, you get into theories with
negative probabilities or other logical absurdities. When you combine quantum mechanics with relativity its logical
fragility increases. You find that
unless you arrange the theory in just the right way you get nonsense, like
effects preceding causes, or infinite probabilities. Religious theories, on the other hand, seem to be infinitely
flexible, with nothing to prevent the invention of deities of any conceivable
sort.
Contributed by: Dr. Steven Weinberg
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