Mike Carrell wrote:
The bottom line is that the overwhelming complexity of the manifest universe is arguably the result of the operation of something as simple as cellular automata . . .
That is plausible.
. . . and that we have no hope of discovering the nature of that seed.
That does not follow at all! On the contrary, if the complexity is the result of something simple, it is far more likely that we *will* discover it. Life is the most complex phenomenon in the known universe, yet it was caused by Darwinian evolution. This is the most wonderfully simple "seed" imaginable: it can be summed up with just a few postulates, although the details fill libraries.
I know nothing about string theory, but Peter Hagelstein tells me it has made remarkable progress in recent years. The range of possible hypotheses which have to be tested used to number something like 10^10 (I think he said) have now been reduced to a few thousand.
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
He would if he existed, but he doesn't so he doesn't. Nature works in non-mysterious ways, and each individual process in nature can be discovered and understood by man. There does not seem to be any single mystery beyond our grasp. However, neither our our species nor the sun (and similar stars) will last long enough for us to discover all physical laws, or analyze the DNA of all species on all planets.
- Jed -- a born again atheist who supports Judge John Jones III for President!
