When God makes staurolites, it takes a long time–but they are no less beautiful for that process and history.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://biologos.org/blogs/guest/what-staurolites-teach-us-about-god-nature-and-design
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Thanks for sharing. Beautiful example of how natural processes mimic design, especially when selective pressure is applied (in this case human selection of those crystals that have 90 degree angles.)
@jpm wrote Beautiful example of how natural processes mimic design
How can natural processes mimic design? They are either designed or they are not.
I am concerned that this argument turns on definitions, some of them are false. Science believes that nature is not designed, therefore if something is natural, it is not designed. Only that which is artificial is designed.
Nonetheless ice is designed to float, while other solids do not float. If ice were not designed so that it floats life would be much different and possibly nonexistent.
Reality, Nature is rational. It has a defined structure and is not random in that real sense. However if we define natural as not designed and we define random as natural, then it follows that natural is random, which is also not the case.
The earth revolves around the sun. This is natural, but it is not random, and it is designed.
I actually agree with you, so perhaps my statement was imprecise. I suppose that I should have said, “Processes consistent with known physical principles mimic intentional designs and production by an artisan.” But, whatever.
Ice floats because when water freezes, it forms ice crystals that weigh approximately 90% as much as an equivalent volume of water. (That would explain why they say that an iceberg visible above water is only 10% of the total amount of ice.)
Science does not consider ice to be “designed,” but simply the natural process that occurs when water goes from the liquid to the solid state. We ECs believe that God designed natural processes, along with matter, but that this belief is not an area that is within the range science. Humans are very fond of finding patterns in nature, whether or not there is any real design present. We find ice crystals in the form of snowflakes to be beautiful, randomly spaced stars to form constellations, and randomly shaped clouds to form familiar images.
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God designed many rational processes based on natural laws. God put all these rational processes together to create a one huge process called ecology or the environment. Science has learned to understand Nature by thinking God’s thoughts after God.
We believe that natural processes are designed, which is the reason why they can be rationally understood by human beings. Science believes that the universe is rational because they believe that science can understand it.
This area of the comprehensibility of the universe is governed by philosophy and not by science or theology, but all three at least in the Western tradition agree that Nature can be understood, because it is rationally designed (by God.)
The problem arises when many scientists claim that reality is solely physical, and thus not rational and purposeful, which is not true.
Good stuff Dennis!