Re: Philosopy and/or Cumulative Knowledge

Paul Arveson (arveson@oasys.dt.navy.mil)
Fri, 15 Mar 96 17:38:32 EST

In message <000019B9.sm@dts.edu> Jeff Webster writes:
>

> Therefore, the debate has progressed beyond entrenched philosophical
> positions
> as an openness to space-time physics has become a necessity for theologians
> in
> the field. However, I still think that the truth about God and time is CLOSER
> to
> Aristotle than Whitehead; but time will tell.
>
> Jeff

Dear Jeff:

Thanks for this informative response. The original discussion favoring
Aristotle was perhaps a little arbitrary; his name was mentioned as an example
of an ancient philosopher.

A less problematic example for me would be Augustine. His idea (expressed in
the Confessions) that time is a creature, is I believe an important insight into
the distinction between theology and cosmology. I think it is also consistent
with the modern conception of the universe as a 4-dimensional space-time
continuum, as opposed to the Newtonian concept of absolute time and space.

This doesn't solve all the problems by any stretch, but I can see that it
doesn't agree with Whitehead's panenthism. I guess that was your general point.
If so, how did Whitehead deal with this distinction?

Paul Arveson, Research Physicist
73367.1236@compuserve.com arveson@oasys.dt.navy.mil
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