Paper I submitted for my Atlantic University TP5110 Course –August 15, 2020
Craig, always the peacemaker and consummate host, rocks back and forth uneasily as he sees Sally, Anita, and especially Paul stare intently at it him looking for his opinion. He’s been around his group of friends long enough to know that it always comes down to him having to play referee, particularly between Sally and Paul, once the wine starts flowing.
“Well, guys,” Craig says slowly, “I think each of you is correct.”
“Oh, that’s bullshit Craig, just another appeaser comment from the diplomat,” Paul scoffs.
“Let him continue, Paul, we all know where you stand,” Anita interjects.
Craig says, “Thank you, Anita,” as he leans against the railing, not looking at anyone in particular. “There is no question that since the time of Newton, modern physics and science have made tremendous strides in understanding the universe, the earth, our ecosystem, and ourselves. We live longer thanks to modern medicine, and easily curable diseases like an infection, which wiped out a large percentage of those who died in the Civil War, are now cured with a simple antibiotic protocol.
And you’re correct, Paul, at one level, a sunset can be measured and explained as ‘the refraction and scattering of light.’ The planets too, can be explained by their chemical makeup, the distance from the earth or sun, their circumference, and the amount of gravitation pull each possesses.”
Paul, shaking his head in agreement, smiles, and says, “So you’re saying I’m right, then. Everything is measurable, and everything is provable. Discussion over, I win.”
“Not so fast, Paul,” Craig insists. “Let me ask you a question.”
“Shoot,” he says.
“Do you like the sunset?” Craig asks. “Let me paint a broader scene for you. Do you like sitting on the edge of a sailboat at sunset after sailing all day, your feet dangling in the water, listening to Jimmie Buffet, arm-in-arm with your wife, Suzanna, and drinking your favorite wine?”
“Of course, I do, who wouldn’t,” he replies. “And what does that have to do with science?”
“Prove it, Paul,” Craig retorts.
“What do you mean, prove it. Prove what?” Paul replies.
“Prove that you love the sunset and the scene I just described involving Suzanna at sunset. Measure for me how much you enjoy spending time with the woman you pledged your life too. And while you’re at it, tell me the precise amount of love you have for her.”
“Yeah, Paul, prove to us how much you dig her,” Sally exclaims.
“I can measure how far and how fast Paul furiously drove home the night he thought Suzanna had dumped him for her old high school flame,” Anita says as they burst into laughter.
“That’s different,” Paul snarls. “That’s apples and oranges.”
“Oh, is it so different, Paul?” Craig says calmly, trying to bring tempers down. “The way I see it, there are tangible things that can be measured. But let’s take your comment to Anita about the planets. You said they have no impact on the earth, but that’s not true. The moon, for example, has a tremendous effect on the tides on this planet. And, it’s pretty clear that something happens to people when a full-moon arises.”
“And guess what Paul, Mercury retrograde can dramatically impact a woman’s menstrual cycle,” Anita chimed in with a grin.
“Plus, did you know that two women moving in together will ultimately have their cycles line-up exactly,” Sally adds, chuckling.
“Ok, ladies, that’s enough, I get the idea,” Paul says uncomfortably while the others smile broadly.
“I view the world in layers,” Craig continues. “At the most basic and material, everything you see, feel, touch, smell, and hear can be measured, Paul. We have terms for them all, and most have a Latin name. We understand their purposes, and how they may have evolved to help us humans survive in the modern world. Our universe, the Big Bang theory, the development of the planets, and their likely lifecycle, including the sun and earth, can be explained and measured to an amazing precision. And that’s how you view things, which is very common today. It’s not necessarily wrong, and it’s allowed us to make some incredible discoveries.
“Exactly!” Paul exclaimed.
“And then there are those things we cannot measure, like your love for Suzanne, a beautiful sunset, your favorite song, the loss of a loved one, a romantic movie, and an amazing poem or painting. Science might tell you the oils and canvass an artist uses and the width of his brushes, for example, but it has no language or measurement for the impact it has on viewers.”
“Told you Paul!” Sally blurts out.
“Take that sucker,” Anita scoffs.
“What you describe are the fields of the poets, artists, musicians, lovers, and philosophers,” Paul adds sourly. “What I’m talking about is real, hard science,” he continues.
“So, your love for Suzanne isn’t real, Paul,” Craig continues.
“Of course, it is,” Paul contends. “But they’re just…well, different.”
“My point exactly, my man,” Craig says excitedly as he puts his arm around Paul. “It’s like our friendship; science can’t explain it or our willingness to lay our lives down for each.”
“You’d do that for me, Craig,” Paul says with a smile.
“Of course, I would Paul,” he replies. “So, in my view, what we have here are labels and descriptions for different aspects of our existence. Did you know that for most of our human existence, science, religion, and philosophy all worked together to present a complete in-depth and holistic understanding of all seen and unseen? It’s only been since the late 1800s that science and religion, along with faith and reason, have been at odds.”
“That because science proved that so much of what religious claimed as dogma for two millennia was wrong,” Paul countered. “Religion was only good as long as there were questions left answered. Once science came along, it answered all the mysteries, so religion became unnecessary.”
“All the mysteries Paul,” says Anita. “How about the greatest mystery of all like what does Suzanne see in you,” she smiles.
“Seriously Paul, we just established that there’s so much left to know,” Craig said firmly, trying to get the conversations back on track. “Let’s take religion out of the equation. At the beginning of the 20th Century, science was convinced like you just posited that there were no mysteries left. And then a guy named Einstein came along with his theories of relativity and quantum, and now over a hundred years later, there is no consensus about what it all means. Heck, there’s no consensus that all of this is real,” Craig says pointing to the sky, and the deck. “As more time goes by, more and more questions arise,” he adds.
“Plus, do you want to live in a world without any mysteries,” Anita chimed in. “How boring.”
Paul was just about to respond when, as if on cue, a shooting star whizzed by overhead. The four friends stared at the sky for minutes in awe as calmness returned to the group.
“More wine folks,” Sally said, interrupting the silence.
“Now that’s something we can all agree on,” Paul said, grinning from ear-to-ear.