LewRockwell Just some notes from a video by Paul VanderKlay (PVK): Mind, Matter, Math and Secularism as Amnesiac Christianity. He analyzes a video of a discussion between William Lane Craig and Roger Penrose. Penrose is the agnostic, with a view that mathematics can explain everything and is the basis of everything; Craig offers an interesting – and a bit frustrating for Penrose – counter. The video closes with some worthwhile snippets from Rene Girard.
Penrose describes three realms: the physical; the mental; and the abstract – being the mathematical. From these, there are three mysteries: all physics is explained by math; how can consciousness come when these physical circumstances arise; how do we use our conscious experience to understand math – as math is discovered, not invented.
Craig offers some thoughts: first, he commends Penrose, as he is different from many of the materialists – understanding that there are non-material realms also at work. But this raises questions: what is underlying these three realms? Which realm is the source?
It can’t be math – it is both abstract and discovered; it can’t be physics, as this doesn’t explain consciousness. This leaves the mental: I can will to get up. But no human mind can be the source of the physical or math – it suggests an infinite consciousness.
Penrose, trying to absorb the implications of his own worldview as logically examined by Craig, replies: “you have the mental world as necessary; I have the mathematical world as necessary.” But Craig reminds: math is abstract – abstract can’t create anything; it has no causal powers: man uses the mental to then use math to build bridges, etc. Math doesn’t build bridges.