Randomness and God in the Biochemical Context
Duration: 58 mins 41 secs
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About this item
| Description: | Research Seminar given by Prof Keith Fox on 17th November 2015 |
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| Created: | 2015-11-18 12:00 |
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| Collection: | Faraday Institute Lectures |
| Publisher: | Faraday Institute |
| Copyright: | Faraday Institute |
| Language: | eng (English) |
| Keywords: | Fox; Faraday; Religion; Science; Randomness; |
| Abstract: | In everyday use randomness is equated with undirected, purposeless events, rather like winning the lottery. In contrast, the scientific definition of randomness does not require that the result is open-ended and purposeless. Many biological processes are underpinned by random events; from the haphazard collision of molecules within a cell, the assembly of macromolecules, to the mutations that drive evolution. Yet randomness does not mean that the result is uncertain or that all outcomes are equally likely. While the fine details are unpredictable, the overall process may be very clear. Does the existence of randomness deny the possibility of purpose or does God work through random processes in biochemistry to achieve meaningful ends? In this seminar I will describe how some random molecular processes lead to predictable outcomes and argue that some aspects of chance are compatible with divine purpose and meaning. |
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