Interesting series. By “organismic”, do we simply mean having a final cause? So the debate is whether the Universe as a whole has a final cause or not (also getting into whether the Universe is a substance in its own right or just a collection of substances)?
For Jaki, the question is about physics. What causes a failure in physics? What prevents us from progressing in modern science? By progress he means progress toward the truth and benefit of humanity. So, he agreed that there is final causality, just not as a principle of nature but rather of God's creative action. He saw this is something theology and philosophy prove by their own methods and not something physics can prove since it is only about quantifying motion. Physics also cannot prove whether the universe is an organism. He warned against imposing a world view a priori. The question of whether the universe is a substance is another question altogether, and it's a good one. I've wondered the same.
Interesting series. By “organismic”, do we simply mean having a final cause? So the debate is whether the Universe as a whole has a final cause or not (also getting into whether the Universe is a substance in its own right or just a collection of substances)?
For Jaki, the question is about physics. What causes a failure in physics? What prevents us from progressing in modern science? By progress he means progress toward the truth and benefit of humanity. So, he agreed that there is final causality, just not as a principle of nature but rather of God's creative action. He saw this is something theology and philosophy prove by their own methods and not something physics can prove since it is only about quantifying motion. Physics also cannot prove whether the universe is an organism. He warned against imposing a world view a priori. The question of whether the universe is a substance is another question altogether, and it's a good one. I've wondered the same.
Motion seems to be eternal since the term 'complete rest' (static) is not possible in the sense of ie:
absolute zero -the cessation of molecular motion. The rock at rest is still vibrating atoms which
constitutes eternal motion; otherwise (I would think) the rock couldn't exist if the strong and weak nuclear forces holding it together were absent.