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I am reading with interest Lawrence Krauss' book "A Universe From Nothing". I must admit that I was surprised how much I enjoyed the opening few chapters and I am looking forward to completing this fascinating book. That said, I flicked to the back of the book and read the section "Q & A with the author" before reading beyond chapter 3.
What struck me about the Q & A with the author was his answer to the question "Are you an atheist?"
His answer was as follows:
"Not in the sense that I can claim definitively that there is no God or purpose to the universe. I cannot claim definitively that there isn't a teapot orbiting Jupiter, as Bertrand Russell once said. It is highly unlikely, of course. But what I can claim definitively is that I wouldn't want to live in a universe with a God - that makes me an anti-theist, as my friend Christopher Hitchens was."
I was so surprised at this answer.
The author acknowledges that he cannot definitively claim there isn't a God or purpose to life. I found this statement honest and refreshing as it is true. Indeed, I always wonder why atheists (or anti theists as the author claims he is) claim so strongly not to believe and even ridicule believers when they know as a fact there is no definitive answer to the claim as to whether there is a God or a purpose to life. There is a possibility that the claim might be true. We can disagree on the level of that possibility but I am sure it is easy for believers and disbelievers to accept the position of the other point of view.
The author goes on to say that the claim as to whether there is a God or a purpose to life is "highly unlikely" and compares such claim to Bertrand Russell's obvious fallacious claim that there might be a teapot orbiting Jupiter. I have two things to say about this. As the author is so fond of the scientific method and basing our beliefs on empirical evidence, what such evidence does the author have to conclude that the existence of God or a purpose of life is "highly unlikely"? What is his empirical evidence that such claim is the same as the claim about a teapot? What makes the claim a little bit likely so as not to dismiss it entirely? I think the simple answer is, no one knows the answer to this question. As for the comparison of a teapot orbiting Jupiter, I don't think that the likelihood of the two claims are the same. The claim that there is (or maybe there is) a God or a purpose to life seems to have been a persistent and universal one to Mankind and is one that whilst we seem to have pondered on this since the beginning (whenever that is!), we do not have an answer to it. The claim of a teapot orbiting around Jupiter is merely the statement of ridiculous and unlikely possibility which whilst we cannot definitively prove it false it isn't a question that has been persistent and universal and indeed in the not too distant future I would not be surprised if the question about a teapot orbiting around Jupiter is forgotten.
Having said all of that, I understand the author's point, we cannot prove there is a God or a purpose to life and we also cannot disprove this.
The most surprising thing I thought of the author's answer was when he said "I wouldn't want to live in a universe with a God". Maybe I am wrong but I interpreted this as the author saying even if we prove there is a God and we therefore know that he exists then still the author wouldn't want to live in a World with a God. I thought such a statement strange and almost child like and immature. I really didn't expect such a statement given that the author's first few chapters of his book are so steeped in sense and reasoning. To say you wouldn't want to live in a World with a God obviously implies a choice. Of course, if there is a God then the choice wouldn't be there. You would be living in a World with God and it would follow he had made you and everything else. I can imagine a child saying I wouldn't want to go to a school with teachers in it. If we assume that there is a God wouldn't it be sensible not to say you don't want to live in the World with such a God. Wouldn't you be worried that the God would make your wish come true?
I think the author's answer shows more emotion than logic. What I cannot understand why so much emotion against God? Also, if you don't believe in him, how could you know him enough to say you wouldn't want to live in the same World as him? Are you blaming him for the "bad" in the World? If so why not try to get to know him and appreciate him for the "good" in the World. Also, what do you think God would think of a creature he had created which says he doesn't want to live with God?
