Presents a controversial view of subjects such as consciousness, intentional design, religion, prayer, and other metaphysical topics from a perspective that sets itself in the vast middle ground between theism and atheism. A must-read for anyone seeking a new interpretation of reality from a science-based point of view.
Excerpt:
What am I? What caused me to be? Does life have a purpose? What will happen to me when I die? These are the volatile personal questions that arise when individuals first recognize their mortality and seek to give substance to their lives. Even when not voiced consciously, these questions are the sparks that ignite the fires of inquiry. They channel our inbred sense of curiosity into exploring the depths of self and, by extension, into delving into the fabric of the environment within which we exist. For many, religions provide simplistic answers based upon the professed divine revelations and inspired insights of acclaimed prophets and sages. These answers require no more than a devote faith in their veracity but often fail to pacify the individual's inquisitive rational mind. Even within the true believer, an undercurrent of doubt exists, requiring constant reinforcement to sustain that faith; and, when that reinforcement falters, latent doubts surface, and the need for more palatable answers to life's volatile questions re-emerges. Unless squelched by peer or social pressure, individuals seek out new versions of religion to replace their faith in former true belief. In the process, many cycle through various creeds seeking to suppress the doubts that rational thought breeds. Ultimately, a portion of these resigns the quest in frustration and renounces all religious doctrines. Relegating religion to the realm of fantasy, they proclaim that humanity is the accidental result of the natural evolution of an equally natural universe. This approach is a rejection of theism based upon the conclusion that a God does not exist. It also affords simplistic answers predicated upon empirical observations and, although seemingly rational, those answers fail to adequately address the apparent cohesiveness of the cosmos. Instead, they relegate reality to a jumble of "things" that, for some unknown reason, organizes itself in such a fashion as to produce a modestly ordered universe within which conscious beings just happen to appear. When viewed objectively, this atheistic view is no more palatable than theism founded upon traditional beliefs.
When analyzed, the debate regarding whether or not a God exists is logically moot. Neither the theist nor atheist can substantiate their claims. The question is beyond the reach of science for no empirical evidence exists to either prove or disprove the existence of a God. In essence, both theism and atheism are faith-based opinions. Both are matters of personal belief. Seemingly convincing arguments presented to support either perspective are no more than speculations for the matter of whether or not a God exists is beyond the purview of human inquiry, and anecdotal testimony falls short of tangible proof. However, theism and atheism are not our only options. Reality is sufficiently multifaceted to provide a vast middle ground separating these two extremes. God and Nature are not diametric opposites but merely words that have evolved in such a way as to be no longer relevant when we seek to define the reality that truly exists.