Evidence

Thus far, in the Magis Encyclopedia of Reason and Faith, we have concerned ourselves with the methods pertinent to reason. These methods are described in UNIT F (Section I) and in NPEG Chapter Six, Section I. In brief, reason proceeds from two kinds of publicly accessible evidence: (1) a-posteriori evidence (empirical evidence—that which can be experienced through the senses of many individuals and thereby publicly corroborated) and (2) a-priori evidence (evidence coming from the principle of non-contradiction which gives rise to the methods of logic, mathematics, and metaphysics). These two kinds of evidence can also be combined through logical syllogism.

Four Sets of Evidence

We have discussed four major sets of evidence for the existence of God (defined as a transcendent intelligent Creator):

1. The evidence for an intelligent Creator of our universe from physics (UNIT D),

2. The evidence for “an absolutely unique, unconditioned, unrestricted, absolutely simple creator of all else that is” necessitated by a logical proof (UNIT F, Section II),

3. Evidence for a timeless Creator of time from a proof coming from the philosophy of mathematics (UNIT G), and

4. Evidence from near-death experiences and five human transcendental desires that indicate a transmaterial human soul implying a transcendent creator of that soul (UNITs B&C).

These four sets of evidence are very different in their origin and nature, and so they corroborate one another.

1. The evidence from physics begins with empirical observations but makes its conclusions through space-time geometry proofs, entropy, and anthropic coincidences.

2. The evidence from the logical proof for God begins with the necessity for at least one unconditioned reality (which cannot be denied without simultaneously denying the existence of everything including oneself), and then proceeds through a series of deductions to the unique, unrestricted and continuously creating attributes of this unconditioned reality.

3. The evidence from philosophy of mathematics begins with the analytical contradiction that infinite past time reduces to an achieved unachievable or a completed non-completeable (intrinsic contradictions), and then concludes that actual infinities (C Infinities) cannot be applied to dynamically aggregating real time because this would negate the efficacy of its non-contemporaneous separation of contradictory states (e.g. the cat alive and dead).

4. Near-death experiences give an experiential and verifiable evidence of survival of human self-consciousness after bodily death which frequently includes encounters with a transcendent being (implying a trans-material soul). This transmaterial soul is also implied by five human transcendental desires.

When these four sets of evidence are summed up in their mutually corroborative relationship, it makes the conclusion about Gods existence quite strong for even if one set of evidence is found to be weak (which I do not believe is the case) the other three sets of evidence would still substantiate the conclusion. John Henry Newman called this coincidence of evidence, “an informal inference,” by which he meant “a strong probability arising out of the convergence of several different antecedent probabilities.”

These four sets of evidence are not only mutually corroborative, but also complementary and aggregative – that is, they add to a more complete picture of the transcendent intelligent Creator.

1. The data from physics indicates a Creator of our universe (or any multiverse in which it might be situated) as well as a supercalculating superintellect which can fine-tune the constants of our universe on the smallest microscopic and largest macroscopic scales;

2. The evidence from the logical proof indicates a unique, absolutely simple, unconditioned, unrestricted, continuous Creator of all else that is;

3. The philosophy of mathematics indicates a timeless Creator of all time; and

4. The near-death experiences and transcendentals indicate a Creator of a transmaterial soul and imply that this Creator is also good and loving.

If we combine all of this, we could conclude that “a unique absolutely simple, super intelligent, timeless, unconditioned, unrestricted, good, and loving continuous Creator of all else that is” exists.

If reason can conclude to all of this, why would we need revelation? Why would God have to reveal Himself in some special way to us? After all, it seems that all of the pertinent characteristics of a transcendent being can be discovered through the evidence and methods of reason. Is there any need for belief or faith? Any need for God to give us some special revelation of Himself beyond reason? The inescapable answer is “yes.”

There are five major reasons why we need God’s special revelation to go beyond the remarkable power of reason:

1. The need to probe the heart of God.

2. The need to know how to pray and worship.

3. The need for specific revelation in the area of dogma and ethics.

4. The need to know the specifics of God’s inspiration, guiding providence, and redemption of suffering.

5. The need for sacred community.