Hi James;
I have a few honest questions (and of course some comments :-) ):
James W Stark wrote:
>
> In my worldview reality consists of a physical universe
> (matter), a mental world, (our awareness of the laws of
> mathematics as well as any subject matter.), and the
> spiritual realm (known to us through our consciousness.)
>
Are not our minds an epiphenomenan of our brains and therefore belong to
your first category of physical? i.e. mental activity =
electrical/chemical activity = subsets of physical phenomena.
Can you explain what you mean by a "real" "spiritual realm"? I mean in
terms other then faith based; e.g. the statement: "I believe that ghosts
are real" is faith based; qualitatively different then say "electrons
exist". It seams to me that even the notion of spirit is fraught with
rational difficulties -- where as the notion of electrons is only
difficult epistemologically.
> >God created matter.
>
> Or should we say energy rather than matter? Einstein's
> discovery of E = mc2 can be interpreted to imply how much
> energy is required to give the appearance of a certain
> amount of mass, which suggests that matter is an illusion.
> Did God create matter an illusion? Eastern religions start
> creation with illusion, while Christianity starts with
> truth.
>
Matter is indeed a "form" of energy but this is very, very different
than an "illusion". Matter really exists as "mass=inertia"; e.g.
baryons have mass (inertia) -- photons don't. E=mc^2 is a positive
assertion regarding the existence of matter; not a negation of it; i.e.
mass = E/c^2.
>
>
> How ought we feel about mathematics not always estimating
> truth?
>
> James Stark
>
I think you may be confusing matematical truth with physical models and
observation; 1+1=2 is exactly true and 1+1=3 is not -- assuming one
accepts the requisite axioms for number theory (which one must in order
to add two numbers :-) ). Formal mathematics is about precise
mathematical truths; not estimates of physics. Of course, physics uses
math in formulating physical theories and models -- because math is so
very good in explaining physical phenomenon.
Sincerely;
George A.
-- George A. Andrews Jr. Physics/Applied Science College of William & Mary P.O. Box 8795 Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
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