Abrahamic reflections on randomness and providence / / edited by Kelly James Clark, Jeffrey Koperski.

• TeilnehmendeR: Clark, Kelly James.; Koperski, Jeffrey.
• Year of Publication: 2021
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (381 pages)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

This open access book addresses the question of how God can providentially govern apparently ungovernable randomness. Medieval theologians confidently held that God is provident, that is, God is the ultimate cause of or is responsible for everything that happens. However, scientific advances since the 19th century pose serious challenges to traditional views of providence. From Darwinian evolution to quantum mechanics, randomness has become an essential part of the scientific worldview. An interdisciplinary team of Muslim, Christian and Jewish scholars—biologists, physicists, philosophers and theologians—addresses questions of randomness and providence.

Table of Contents

Intro -- Contents -- Notes on Contributors -- List of Figures -- Part I: Introduction -- Chapter 1: Randomness and Providence: Is God a Bowler or a Curler? -- 1.1 How Does God Do It? -- 1.2 The Bible Tells Me So -- 1.3 Modern Science -- 1.4 Is God a Bowler or a Curler? -- 1.5 Randomness and Providence -- 1.6 Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Part II: The Problem(s) Stated -- Chapter 2: The Many Faces of Randomness -- 2.1 No Single Definition -- 2.2 Purpose -- 2.3 Probability and Statistics -- 2.4 Physics -- 2.4.1 Statistical Mechanics -- 2.4.2 Chaos Theory -- 2.4.3 Instability and Singular Points

2.4.4 Norton's Dome -- 2.4.5 Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking -- 2.4.6 Quantum Mechanics -- 2.5 Biology -- Bibliography -- Chapter 3: Randomness and Providence: Defining the Problem(s) -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Ontological Randomness -- 3.2.1 Randomness as Indeterminism -- 3.2.2 Randomness as Purposelessness -- 3.3 Divine Providence -- 3.3.1 Super Meticulous Providence -- 3.3.2 Meticulous Providence -- 3.3.3 General Providence -- 3.4 The Problems -- 3.4.1 Power -- 3.4.2 Knowledge -- 3.4.3 Goodness -- 3.5 Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Part III: Science -- Chapter 4: Randomness in the Cosmos

4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 What Is Randomness? -- 4.3 Randomness in the Early Universe -- Galaxy Formation -- 4.4 Randomness and Chaos in the Formation of the Solar System -- 4.5 Stability of the Planetary System -- 4.6 Formation of the Moon -- 4.7 Randomness in the Bombardment of the Earth by Meteoroids -- 4.8 Randomness in the Sun's Activity -- 4.9 Randomness, Order in the World, and Divine Providence -- Bibliography -- Chapter 5: Randomness, Providence, and the Multiverse -- 5.1 The Indifferent Universe of Materialism -- 5.2 General and Special Providence

5.3 Is the Universe Fine-Tuned for Life? -- 5.4 Debates on Fine-Tuning -- 5.5 The Cost of Each Option -- Bibliography -- Chapter 6: Can a Muslim be an Evolutionist? -- 6.1 Religious Authority -- 6.2 Creation: Processive or Instantaneous Creation? -- 6.3 Creation in Six Stages (Days) -- 6.4 Creation of Man from Clay -- 6.5 Human Dignity, Common Ancestry -- 6.6 Nafsi Wahida: Descent from Adam and Eve? -- 6.7 Theological Agnosticism -- 6.8 Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Chapter 7: Chance, Evolution, and the Metaphysical Implications of Paleontological Practice -- 7.1 Evolutionary Metanarratives

7.2 Chance and Contingency Versus Convergence and Predictability in the History of Life -- 7.2.1 Contingency -- 7.2.2 Convergence -- 7.2.3 Contemporary Coda -- 7.3 Chance and Selection in the Fossil Record: Successful Paleontological Practices -- 7.4 Potential Implications for Divine Providence? -- 7.5 Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Part IV: The Abrahamic Faiths -- Chapter 8: Judaism and Providence -- 8.1 The Basics of Judaism -- 8.2 Providence and Randomness -- 8.3 The Question of Providence and Five Answers -- 8.3.1 Answer 1: Particular Providence Over Everything -- 8.3.2 Answer 2: Particular Providence Over People Only