Chaos theory tells us that random fluctuations and different initial conditions can give us rich structures even with rigid physical laws. As discussed in the previous section, randomness is built into the system. The world is not like the giant Newtonian clockwork system envisioned in the eighteenth century; the future is not written in stone. The rich features we observe in this world should not surprise us since an infinite mind is behind everything. However, too much openness is not good; the world will genuinely become chaotic, and there will not be any order. I like works by Bach; they are full of regularity yet contain an infinite variety. What makes them so great is the interplay between regularity and ambiguity. The pattern keeps repeating itself, and just when you get familiar with it and think that you know what the following note is, suddenly, it modulates in a way that is not entirely different but still fits the piece’s central theme. Likewise, the delicate balance between a law like predictability and small random events makes the world so beautiful, full of possibilities, and still has a certain degree of predictability.
I used to play many board games that involved rolling two or more dice. Board games that require only one die are dull and unpredictable because all the possible outcomes occur with the same frequency. There are eleven different outcomes with two dice, but not all have the same probability. For example, rolling a 7 is the most likely outcome, followed by 6 and 8, while rolling a 2 or 12 is the least likely outcome. Interestingly, most games associate the most exciting events with the least probable outcomes (2 and 12), while the most mundane events are associated with the most common outcome (7). As more dice are added, the probability of getting all sixes decreases by a factor of 6 with each additional dice.
Have you ever been frustrated by cheap DIY furniture where things don’t seem to fit quite right? This is because every cut and hole drilled is associated with some error due to the imperfect manufacturing process. The position of the hole drilled follows a bell-shaped curve. The standard deviation (also known as the sigma value) of the bell-shaped curve describes how well the process is under control. Approximately 95% of the time, it lies within 3 sigma of the expected value.
Life can be compared to the act of rolling dice in a board game or to the bell-shaped curve that represents the manufacturing process. The rules of the game suggest that the most exciting events are associated with the least probable outcomes. DNA replication occurs with remarkable precision, comparable to rolling a seven consistently or staying within 3 standard deviations of the mean on a bell-shaped curve, but occasional mutations happen, like rolling a twelve or falling outside the 3 standard deviations. Without such precision in DNA replication, stable life forms would not emerge. However, if DNA were to be 100% accurate at all times, there would be no emergence of new life forms. In a world governed entirely by strict physical laws, we would resemble robots who merely follow predetermined sets of instructions. On the other hand, if there were too much randomness in the universe, there would be no order.
Chance and necessity are like Yin and Yang in Chinese philosophy and must be balanced perfectly. If not, no intelligent life forms could emerge, regardless of how many years of random mutations occurred. The regularity of physical laws reflects God’s faithfulness, while chance reflects His deep love for us.
Let’s consider that the random distribution is already built into the game’s rules. We should view chances not as random events but as a means for exploring and realizing inherent possibilities through constantly changing individual circumstances. This is a process that transforms potential into actuality.
Although humans share 99% of their DNA with chimpanzees, these two species differ vastly. The world is abundant with diversity, as evidenced by the approximately 17,500 butterfly species. Biodiversity not only makes the world visually stunning, but it can also act as a mechanism God employs to protect living beings. Modern medicine informs us that many diseases, such as cancer, are genetically based. If we all had the same DNA makeup, a single generic disease could wipe out humanity.
God, in His infinite wisdom, established the physical laws and initial conditions that foster the emergence of humans, creating a realm of free will in which all beings can love God of their own volition. It is a realm where humans can fellowship with God and each other.
In the last few posts, we saw that although physical laws are very rigid, our future is still open. God gave us free will, but He also established initial conditions and boundaries to ensure that any fluctuations in the system would not cause it to go out of bounds. Whatever we do, we will not change the outcome of His master plan. However, this model is still not very satisfying; it is just a tiny improvement on the Newtonian giant clockwork system. Henry Ford once famously said that you could choose any color as long as it was black. What is the point of having free will if the final predetermined outcome remains the same no matter what we do, how hard we try, or what decisions we make? It can feel like we are prisoners in this world, with God watching from a distance, uninterested in our affairs. At best, He is like an absentee landlord who occasionally comes to fix problems in the building. I believe in a personal God who loves and interacts with me constantly. Therefore, we need to look for a way to extend this model to show how God interacts dynamically with the physical world in real time, a God who cares deeply for us and has an individual plan for us. In the next few posts, I will attempt to expand this model to see how God interacts dynamically with the world.