Craig --
[Ham, previously]:
I'm looking for logical validation of a principle ("Nothing comes from
nothing") that is just as true to the empiricist as it is to the
philosopher.
[Craig]:
But if it really is an EMPIRICAL principle, then it doesn't have (nor do
you want it to have) a LOGICAL validation. What gets validated
logically are INFERENCES (i.e., connections between statements or
between premises & conclusions.) The only single statements that logic
deals with are tautologies & self-contradictions. No respectable logic
book will treat "Nothing comes from nothing" as a tautology. If it did
then that tautology will be worthless as an empirical statement.
We have no empirical knowledge of what led to the origin of the universe,
and since the "big bang" theory presupposes energy in flux prior to its
creation, it is erroneous to call it the beginning of existence. I have no
problem with your description of logic's function. But 'ex nihilo nihil
fit' is neither a tautology nor a self-contradicition. It is a valid
principle (premise), the contradiction of which is fallacious. The logic of
this principle can be demonstrated by the following syllogism:
A. Nothing comes from nothing.
B. The universe is not nothing.
C. Hence, the universe did not come from nothing.
[Ham, previously]:
The law of conservation of energy states that energy may neither be
created nor destroyed; therefore the sum of all the energies in a system
is a constant. Does this mean that if we look long enough, we'll find a
system that violates this law?
[Craig]:
No, but it does mean that if we don't find the sum of all the energies
in a system is a constant, we'll keep looking.
That's because the laws of Science are open to contradiction, as are all
"true" principles. However, I do not expect to see the principle "nothing
comes from nothing" disputed by the scientific community anytime soon.
Do you?
--Ham
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