Knowledge of the Unseen: A New Vision for Science and Religion Dialogue

URL:

http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2001/PSCF6-01Choi.html

Keywords:

Seen; Unseen; Visible; Invisible; Natural; Supernatural; Quantum; Relativity

Abstract:

While contemporary physics and cosmology take seriously the knowledge of invisible realities, the discussion of the unseen in religion has been largely neglected in the recent science-and-religion discussion. Neglecting the issue in theology is ultimately self- defeating since God is considered the Unseen. In light of contemporary understanding of the unseen in science, we contend that that there are significant parallels between scientific and theological claims concerning the unseen. The epistemic distinction between the seen and the unseen does not necessarily imply the ontological demarcation between the natural and the supernatural. New heuristic frameworks such as a multi- dimensional model are suggested for more holistic and dynamical understanding of reality that includes both the seen and the unseen.