Einstein's Invisible Piper

Stephen Hawking WAS an atheist who is now a theist. A large part of that conversion was disdain for the arrogance displayed by many atheists. They scoff at the idea of God because there is no evidence for Him. However, as Hawking pointed out, if all scientists thought that way, black holes would never have been discovered. There was no evidence for them.

The Heisenberg uncertainty principle points to a mystical side of quantum physics that stretches credulity and suggests "mind" as a component of the material universe.

Matter emerges from nowhere and disappears again. Subatomic particles can't both be and be known to be. Matter shifts from existing to only having the potential to exist.

Our human acts affect what is true at the quantum level. The act of measurement distorts what's being measured. Human consciousness itself seeps into the discussion of quantum physics. Consciousness, mind, data, whatever you want to call it, is beginning to factor into quantum physics and even black holes.

These trends remind me of Albert Einstein's cosmic God. Although he didn't believe in religion or a personal God, he did believe in a cosmic God, as evidenced by one of my favorite quotes of his:

"Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust - we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper." ~Albert Einstein

Given the way life is so tenacious, adaptive, and varied here on Earth -- almost as if it has a mind of its own -- I wouldn't be surprised that we find life is abundant throughout the universe. And that life does have a mind of its own . . . a mind hinted at by the mystical aspects of quantum physics . . . a mind that is part and parcel of the material universe . . . a mind that is as close as you can get to God.

Bibliography:

The Emperor's New Mind,

by Roger Penrose

Oxford University Press, 1990