R' Slifkin begins the book by pointing out that all of science is really based on monotheism. The fact that the nature has set laws that can be understood and that the universe shows such unity points to One G-d who created it all. Atheism and polytheism can’t explain such order.
The connection between Monotheism and Science can be seen in the greatest scientist of all time. Issac Newton, who discovered the Universal Law of Gravitation, recognized the unity the Universe showed. He rejected the Trinity and secretly believed in One G-d. Later in the book (p. 283), Slifkin quotes Darwin:
I see no good reason why the views given in this volume should shock the religious feelings of any one. It is satisfactory, as showing how transient such impressions are, to remember that the greatest discovery ever made by man, namely, the law of the attraction of gravity, was also attacked by Leibnitz, ''as subversive of natural, and inferentially of revealed, religion." …
But Leibniz preffered to believe in a totally mechanistic universe with no magical “force of gravity”. He felt gravity was like saying there was an ongoing “miracle” that couldn’t be explained. This is almost the opposite of the objections against Darwin. And Darwin himself was an agnostic who didn't believe in any Divine revelation. ...
5 comments:
overall, it becomes clear that while the style employed in the attack on rabbi Slifkin (as well as many of the particular threads of attack) was horribly wrong, the overall problem of a lack of clarity in Slifkin's thought, as well as an overwhelmingly unjustified faith in the dogmatic beliefs of the Darwinists, deserves some form of condemnation, particularly in books directed at outreach.
(how's that for a runon sentence?)
Hi
Please consider writing news pieces or an op-ed for Jewrusalem: Israeli Uncensored News. We strive to present different views and opinions while rejecting political correctness. Ideally, we try to make the news "smart and funny." Thus, your input is very welcome.
Best,
Alex
www.jewrusalem.net/en
Many people have noted that Slifkin is not a particularly consistent thinker with well- thought-through positions.
Many parts of his book read like a polemic against the Torah-only anti-science camp.
He is primarily a researcher who is very talented in creatively synthesizing various ideas together from very different places in a way that looks impressive when read quickly.
All this falls apart under closer scrutiny, as your posts show quite well. Keep up the good work.
His greatest contribution is in finding "conceptual support" from classic sources that can be spun in a way that support modern science.
This fall apart under any level of scrutiny whatsoever.
uh oh...time to have more posts attacking fkm or you'll start getting a fan-base...
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