Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site unc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!mcnc!unc!bch From: bch@unc.UUCP (Byron Howes ) Newsgroups: net.misc,net.philosophy Subject: Re: Compact Divine Intervention? Message-ID: <6737@unc.UUCP> Date: Sat, 11-Feb-84 02:01:20 EST Article-I.D.: unc.6737 Posted: Sat Feb 11 02:01:20 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 14-Feb-84 01:04:25 EST References: <6735@unc.UUCP> Organization: University of North Carolina Comp. Center Lines: 25 Bruce's notion of evaluating a (scientific) theory by the number of "miracles" required to explain empirical data that do not fit the theory puts us in the rather interesting position of having to eval- uate the relative complexity of "miracles." He suggests that a miracle which created the entire universe some 2 hours ago is in some sense bigger than the one responsible for the Big Bang. While I agree with this on an emotional level there are those, like Larry Bickford, who contend that the creationist miracle is actually a lesser miracle (measured by ease of acceptance) than the many small miracles required to fill in the gaps in evolutionary theory. The point is that the relative measure of miracles isn't a thing which we humans can meaningfully judge. The Big Bang miracle, in which the precise concurrent alignment of many, many small things is required so that all those smaller processes will work correctly can't usefully be compared to the immediate creation miracle where everything is set in place as is. I suspect the argument really begs the question and doesn't get us any further than we are already. -- "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" Byron Howes UNC - Chapel Hill (decvax!mcnc!unc!bch)