Natural Order and Science

[Harris]

Metaphysically, it is counterintuitive to assume that something can come into being out of nothing.

It is no more intuitive to believe that something exists without having been brought into existence.

Given that the universe has a beginning that means it must therefore have had a cause; it could not have popped into existence uncaused and the cause of the universe would have to have certain important properties.

Why would this be given for the universe, but not for God?  Special pleading, no how matter large your text walls, is still just special pleading.

Nothing which is the result of causes can have its existence inherent in itself. There are no uncaused events and all caused events are contingent to just one necessary substance, upon which all contingent things depend. If something were inherently existent it would be permanently (that is, necessarily) existent.

Based on this I have developed these premises:

So you are basing your entire line of argument on the samve philosophical assumptions which it points to.  This is begging the question.  My counter is a conditional one: IF (IF!) anything can exist without being caused to exist, then it is more likely that that which we know to exist (the Universe) is that thing than that a humanoid magical being, for whom there is no proof or even good evidence.

1. Everything in the universe is a created being

That depends on your semantics of "creation."

2. Universe is a created being

Not known.

3. Every created being is a contingent being

Fine

4. Universe is a contingent being

Not known.

5. If universe does not depend on God then whatever it depends upon is God

An equivocation.  If you say "Whatever caused the universe is God," then if that whatever it is has neither consciousness nor will, then you are just calling nature God.  You can call it the Loch Ness Monster if you want, but that is just semantics-- it's not a good argument for the existence of an actual Loch Ness Monster.

In order for philosophy to produce any useful results, all philosophers have to make at least three assumptions:

1. That the universe exists
2. That you can learn something about reality
3. Models with predictive capabilities useful than models without predictive capabilities.

I see most of you are favouring models without predictive capabilities by supporting the ideas that processes can be self-subsistent and that things can pop out from nowhere. The interesting point here is that none of the proponents of these absurd ideas have any evidence to support their absurdity. These two ideas if become the reality then they have potential to transform universe into most unpredictable place that means total anarchy.

Initially I have raised few question the essence of which was:

What is the source of that intelligent code that is controlling all the events in the universe in intelligent way?

Alas! No one has come up with a decent philosophical or scientific response.

Let me interpret my own premises in simple way for you who have problem in understanding them.

1. Everything in the universe is a created being

Science has not yet discovered anything in the universe that has created its own self. In other words, there is nothing that pops out from nowhere without any cause. Therefore, everything is the outcome of some cause or everything is a created being.

2. Universe is a created being

All objects of the universe are created beings. Universe is made of created objects therefore universe is a created being. For example: every single object in a galaxy is part of galaxy and if all objects of a galaxy are created beings then galaxy is a created being.

3. Every created being is a contingent being

All beings in the universe are reliant on the principles that cause them in first place.

4. Universe is a contingent being

All objects of the universe are created beings therefore all objects of the universe are contingent beings. When all objects of the universe are contingent beings then whole universe a contingent being.

5. If universe does not depend on God then whatever it depends upon is God

Whether genetic instructions produce specific proteins or gravitation controls cosmic balance, every event is controlled by some system of coding which cause all events to happen on specific and predictable pattern and thus making the universe predictable and intelligible for human intellect.

However, invention of any coding system always requires an intelligent origin and matter as such is unable to generate any code. Humans on the other side are the only agent who have the capacity to produce code however code of nature is not written by humans.

As matter cannot generate code on its own and human is not the author therefore there should be some author, a thinking being, who voluntarily exercising his own free will, cognition, and creativity in writing code for the conduct of every single object in the universe.

An intelligent activity always requires an intelligent source. Whoever or whatever is controlling all the activities through systematic coding system in the universe is God.