Monday, December 8, 2008

Quantum theory and the Existence of God

Einstein's objection to quantum theory seems to revolve around his belief that its inherent randomness would preclude the existence of a perfectly intelligent being like God.  Pesic describes quantum theory as "a one-time system, yoking uncontrollable external randomness to internal determinism.  What this means is that nature's cipher is unbreakable, though intelligible mathematical law operates underneath that cipher" (Pesic 149).  It seems that humans are incapable of deciphering the unobservable, determined inner workings behind the random manifestations of quantum physics.  But why should God necessarily be incapable of possessing such knowledge?

Furthermore, Pesic says that in order to do this, "God would have 'know' an infinitude of random digits to possess the key, and such randomness is just what so exercised Einstein.  Without going so far as Einstein did in defense of eternal Law, it is evident that such randomness is scarcely compatible with any sort of mind, much less a divine one" (150).  Ultimately, I don't understand why God, as an infinite being, should be deemed incapable of knowing an infinitude of random digits.  Furthermore, how can humans even begin to understand the mind of God?  It seems to me that while the randomness of quantum theory is unsettling to and incompatible with human minds, there is no reason that it couldn't be fully compatible with the mind of God, which is of course inscrutable and beyond our comprehension.

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