What do you think is the CAUSE of the physical laws in our universe?

[OsO]

so the idea is that our universe is governed by these predictable physical laws... laws that govern energy, motion, etc. i think we can all agree on this as we experience these laws everyday.

no one denies the existence of such laws, but there is lots of discussion about the origins, purpose, and full functionality of these laws.

the scientific explanation agrees that all matter in the universe is governed by physical laws, but does not emphasize the investigation into WHY or HOW these laws came into being.

the element of hydrogen and the element of oxygen can come together and create water, this is a law, but WHY do these two elements come together in this particular fashion and create this particular effect? what is the PURPOSE? or is the entire process void of PURPOSE? i think it's fair to say most people of science hold the stance that these laws are void of purpose and completely mechanical. please correct me if im wrong.

in other words oxygen and hydrogen do not come together and create water to support life or for any purpose. Water supporting life or anything else we use water for are just bi-products and fringe benefits to the initial creation of the water molecule.

the spiritual explanation, whether judaism, christianity, islam, buddhism, etc, is that God is ultimately responsible for the mechanisms of our universe. and obviously the term "God" varies throughout different cultures and different religions, but for this discussion lets think about it as the "spiritual" component to the universe.

obviously there is no right or wrong answer and we are all exploring. im just interested to hear different people's perspectives.

me personally i think we can learn a lot about the potential purpose or intent behind the structure of our physical laws by studying the pattern(s) of the effects these laws create.

what do you think?

 

[Silver Surfer]

Why is a soap bubble round?

 

[Type Username Here]

I'm just going to remind you that Humans have been on this planet for 200,000-250,000 years. Writing, by the most liberal anthropological guesses, it is no more than 20,000-30,000 years old.

The Scientific process and discoveres that really kickstarted our full understanding of physics and our existence is only 400 some years old. Theory of Relativity is only 100 some years old. The Higgs Boson was just confirmed this year. 2012.

Science is still in its infancy. What upsets some people is that they won't be alive when our descendants discover the questions you seek here.

Sorry friend, we were born too early.

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

Why did you put an option for "I don't know and I don't care" in your poll? Why not "I don't know" period, "Or I don't know and I do care"?

 

[zerozero]

I wouldn't say science is not interested in purpose

it's just not interested in solipsistic or 'revelation' type purpose

 

[Orbital-Fetus]

Why is a soap bubble round?

air pressure is equally distributed around the bubble.

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

the scientific explanation agrees that all matter in the universe is governed by physical laws, but does not emphasize the investigation into WHY or HOW these laws came into being.

Science does not only investigate how, that's pretty much what science is: an inquiry into how. As far as why, that is an abstract philosophical question and not the duty of science.

 

[acri1]

Biased poll is biased.

 

[The Real]

so the idea is that our universe is governed by these predictable physical laws... laws that govern energy, motion, etc. i think we can all agree on this as we experience these laws everyday.

no one denies the existence of such laws, but there is lots of discussion about the origins, purpose, and full functionality of these laws.

the scientific explanation agrees that all matter in the universe is governed by physical laws, but does not emphasize the investigation into WHY or HOW these laws came into being.

the element of hydrogen and the element of oxygen can come together and create water, this is a law, but WHY do these two elements come together in this particular fashion and create this particular effect? what is the PURPOSE? or is the entire process void of PURPOSE? i think it's fair to say most people of science hold the stance that these laws are void of purpose and completely mechanical. please correct me if im wrong.

in other words oxygen and hydrogen do not come together and create water to support life or for any purpose. Water supporting life or anything else we use water for are just bi-products and fringe benefits to the initial creation of the water molecule.

the spiritual explanation, whether judaism, christianity, islam, buddhism, etc, is that God is ultimately responsible for the mechanisms of our universe. and obviously the term "God" varies throughout different cultures and different religions, but for this discussion lets think about it as the "spiritual" component to the universe.

obviously there is no right or wrong answer and we are all exploring. im just interested to hear different people's perspectives.

me personally i think we can learn a lot about the potential purpose or intent behind the structure of our physical laws by studying the pattern(s) of the effects these laws create.

what do you think?

Science can't answer purpose-related questions because the scientific worldview currently embraces a non-purposive conception of the universe, as you yourself have said. Your question is rigged, though- when you ask something like "why can these atoms come together to form a particular molecule" you are already assuming a why from the start, which is the wrong way to study anything. You have to establish why a "why" should be part of that explanation in the first place, so you can't start out by assuming there is one. Only if it's established through other, empirical means that there might be some "why" in the explanation of molecules can we start talking about what that "why" might be.

Also, Buddhism does not believe that a God or Spiritual force of any kind is responsible for creating the universe, which they describe in purely naturalistic terms (even if it's still mythological,) though they do believe in spiritual elements within the universe. It's probably the closest to science in that regard.

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

Biased poll is biased.

Yeah, the poll sucks. What is "purpose" anyway? We have to define that. If there is no "spiritual" realm (that probably needs to be defined as well), does that automatically then preclude any purpose to anything? I certainly don't agree with that. "Purpose" and "why" are philosophical concepts, and not the duty or goal of scientific inquiry.

 

[Joe Sixpack]

 

[Silver Surfer]

air pressure is equally distributed around the bubble.

Not the point...the point is for the infrastructure of a soap bubble to exist efficiently..it's round.


Same thing with the universe.....there are constants in place for a reason

 

[OsO]

I'm just going to remind you that Humans have been on this planet for 200,000-250,000 years. Writing, by the most liberal anthropological guesses, it is no more than 20,000-30,000 years old.

The Scientific process and discoveres that really kickstarted our full understanding of physics and our existence is only 400 some years old. Theory of Relativity is only 100 some years old. The Higgs Boson was just confirmed this year. 2012.

Science is still in its infancy. What upsets some people is that they won't be alive when our descendants discover the questions you seek here.

Sorry friend, we were born too early.

not attacking science, but thank you for your opinion.

I wouldn't say science is not interested in purpose

Biased poll is biased.

im trying to get a feel for who thinks the universe is completely mechanical in its operation, and who thinks there are more to our physical laws than just their mechanical operation.

but youre a fan of the democratic process right... so write your vote in

Science can't answer purpose-related questions because the scientific worldview currently embraces a non-purposive conception of the universe, as you yourself have said. Your question is rigged, though- when you ask something like "why can these atoms come together to form a particular molecule" you are already assuming a why from the start, which is the wrong way to study anything. You have to establish why a "why" should be part of that explanation in the first place, so you can't start out by assuming there is one. Only if it's established through other, empirical means that there might be some "why" in the explanation of molecules can we start talking about what that "why" might be.

starting with the assumption that a "why" exists is different than investigating the possibility of a "why" existing.

in this exercise we are investigating the possibility of a "why" existing.

What is "purpose" anyway? We have to define that.

pur·pose/ˈpərpəs/
Noun:
The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

Verb:
Have as one's intention or objective.

Same thing with the universe.....there are constants in place for a reason

ahhhh one taker in this intellectual exercise...

and what do you think are the reasons for our universal constants iyo?

 

[daze23]

 

[Type Username Here]

You ever wonder why the word why is the word why?