Louisville Process Theology Network

Religion and Science, II

Jun 06, 2006

Evolution: In Charles Darwin's time, the word "evolution" referred to the progressive unfolding of embryonic structures like flower buds. The word implied that there was a progression of biological actions taking place in nature over time. Darwin was especially interested in how changes occurred by inheritance and adaptions to the environment. So, evolution is a gradual step-by-step process of change.

Organisms change not so much by rejecting old characteristics but by improving them; by adding new on top of old. Put simply, change is necessary over time.

By the 20th Century, a philosophy of organism had begun to develop in the life sciences that that drew observations about the randomness of the universe in evolution theory. Nature is seen as alive and all organizations within containing organizing principles. The new view of evolution is not deterministic as was Darwin's original concept of evolution.

Relativity: In the Physics of the 18th and 19th centuries, mass, space, and time were seen as absolute quantities. That assumption fit well with our observations of the universe in those times. It just felt right and still does to most of us.

But, Albert Einsteim abandoned the comfortable feeling of aboluteness. He showed us mathematically that these three quantities are relative to the speed of light as in E=mc2, where c is the velocity of light.

In broader terms, relativity shows us that physical characteristics change with location and relationships. Still, everything is cooperating in way or another to sustain our universe.