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The First Law of Thermodynamics
The First Law of Thermodynamics states, “In any process, the total energy of the universe remains constant.” Translation: “Energy cannot be created or destroyed - it can only change form.” Ok, so energy cannot be created or destroyed, big deal. What does that have to do with anything? - Quite a bit actually. But before diving into the implications of The First Law of Thermodynamics, lets take a look at Evolution.
How about we assume that the process of Evolution has been proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt. According to Evolution, all matter was formed during the Big Bang approximately 13.7 billion years ago. The Big Bang was a catastrophic explosion from a single atom of matter that was infinitely dense – or at least, that’s one of the accounts of the Big Bang. At any rate, all matter was formed from that explosion. That matter then randomly formed the first cell (which by the way is an example of Irreducible Complexity). That cell slowly adapted, and formed a two cell organism. Slowly over time the original cell duplicated, mutated, and changed forms and formed all living things.
Ok, so we have now outlined the basic principles of Evolution – what does that have to do with anything? Again, believe it or not, has a lot to do with the point that is being made. In every day life, we use energy. The simple action of slapping the snooze in the morning takes thousands of energy transfers. The impact between the hand and the snooze button is a Mechanical Energy Transfer which “snoozes” the clock. But in order to have your arm move, a series of chemical reactions (Chemical Energy Transfers) must take place in your shoulder, arm, and hand to exit the warmth of the covers to crush that confounded alarm clock. But in order to have the energy for your arm to move, a series of chemical reactions (Chemical Energy Transfers) must take place in your stomach to get the energy to make your arm move. The list could go on and on. But let’s not beat the dead horse too much.
That just goes to show that energy is used in everything for everything. But Newton’s First Law of Thermodynamics tells us that matter cannot be created or destroyed, it can only change form. If that’s the case, then where did the energy come from? The only logical notion seems to be that it was created by a Supreme Being – an all-knowing all-powerful creator.
//Brint it World
-Brian Purkiss
Topic discussed briefly in: My New Watch
(Article revised once)
30 Nov 2006 Brian Purkiss
Your entire argument is founded on a logical fallacy called an “argument from ignorance”. Because something can not be proven false, this does not make it true. Also, just because something can not be proven true, does not make it false. The entire argument behind “science can not explain it, therefore it must be god!” is an extension of that first fallacy, usually called a “god of the gaps”.
Centuries ago science could not explain lightning. The religiously inclined liked to believe that god or gods were upstairs throwing it down at us. Before that, scienctists believed that the sun revolved around the Earth. How it did that? Well obviously god was drawing it across the sky in a flaming chariot.
Science does not currently have an explanation for many things. This does not place the under the realm of the supernatural, merely the unexplained. Given infinite time and resources and capacity to learn, man will learn more and more about the nature of the universe.
To claim that because science can not prove something true, it is false, is a completely illogical argument.
Thank you very much for your imput NewAthiest - your imput is greatly appreciated.
You are very right, my conclusion was a falacy - I have now revised the post.
However, I must point out one thing. The ancients didn’t know how lightning was created, so they assumed something that was wrong. However, they did not know that lightning could not be created by a force of nature. The First Law of Thermodynamics states that “energy cannot be created or destroyed” in the relm of nature. If that is the case, how did it get here? It had to have been created at one point in time (Unless the universe is eternal - which cannot be proven. Even then, it could be disputable.). The only force that can act outside the relm of nature to create energy is a supernatural being - a.k.a. - God.