’n Besinning oor die aard van die fisiese werklikheid

Abstract

Reflections on the nature of physical reality

According to T.S. Kuhn the history of a particular field of science is characterised by successive phases of problem solving, and each phase of problem solving is paradigmatically founded. A paradigm, like a worldview, expresses the deepest meaning and significance of reality. Man’s rational mind is, however, too limited in capacity to describe the complexity of reality in a scientific way. In an attempt to describe reality, reality thus has to be simplified. For instance, in order to present a description of the formation of the universe evolving from the big bang to a functional and efficient structure, the functionality as well as the structure of the universe with its billions of stars and star systems has to be simplified dramatically by an imaginative model. Such a simplified model is described by the big bang theory. Science brings to the fore questions regarding the deeper meaning and significance of reality, for instance the anthropic principle, on which only the Word of God can offer a perspective. All our observations are restrained by actualities such as finite velocity of light and our human boundness to time. Consequently, theories of evolution with an elementary beginning cannot be verified as valid and are therefore questionable. The same applies to verifying the process of evolution before man’s existence on earth. Furthermore, man can obtain no knowledge of the nature of time during God’s supernatural acts of creation as revealed by the Word of God. Nevertheless, it appears that even an idealistic theory of evolution that cannot be verified empirically can provide man with revelatory elements of God’s works, wisdom and omnipotence.