Of Eru

[Bill Ferny]

Major question science is supposed to answer, is "how?". It, by definition, is not supposed, and can not, answer question "why?"

Heren, I’m beginning to think you have read Etienne Gilson [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Anyway, that is why the scientist can not find God, but that isn’t a negative criticism of the scientist. What I don’t understand is the argument against God based on natural science. The big bang, evolution, or the rigidity of stained underwear are no proof for or against the existence of God, they don’t, by their very nature, even broach the issue.

Burrahobbit is right when he says that Eru is the Christian God, but only because Eru was conceived by a Christian. After all, Mattius is right, Eru was created by JRRT, but in the image and likeness (pardon the pun) of the God of revelation.

So…

Methinks that the Universe was around forever, never created, never will be destroyed, and maybe Eru just evolved, graduated from the universal MIT, and created a laboratory world.

…may be true, if you are a Greek, but is not true of Eru, because Eru, as opposed to Aristotle’s unmoved movers, is conceived by a Christian and resembles that Christian’s God.

Thankfully, such questions are side-stepped in Tolkien's universe.

But seeing the pains that JRRT went through in the composition of the Silm to say that Eru created ex nihilo seems to indicate that he did not side-step the issue. “…intentionally in the revision…” Haunting words for those who don’t want to deal with these themes in Tolkien.

Edit: Oh yeah, I forgot. The scientific properties of energy in no way prove an infinite chain of causality. Both first and final causality are based on the metaphysical concept of mutability, and not on an empirical observation of physical causes (that would be just plain silly). Energy, as described by physics is probably the most mutable thing out there, and thus most of all subject to first and final causality.

[ December 15, 2002: Message edited by: Bill Ferny ]