Prof. Ron Margolin of Tel Aviv University on meaning, the laws of nature, and whether the universe is “directed” — from Tel Aviv 360, Tel Aviv University’s podcast channel (Hebrew only)
Professor Ron Margolin, philosopher and researcher of modern Jewish thought in the Department of Jewish Philosophy at Tel Aviv University
Man has always sought meaning for his life, as an individual and as a species. Are we here for a reason? What should I do with my life? Do they have meaning and purpose, what awaits them at the end?
And what about the entire world? Does it also have meaning and a reason? The more we delve deeper into the way the universe is built, from the tiniest particles to the vast and distant galaxies, from the structure of DNA to climatic phenomena – we realize how little we understand. The laws of nature are precise, beautiful. Is there an intelligence behind it that directs, or are we looking for meaning where there is none?
Professor Ron Margolin, a philosopher and researcher of modern Jewish thought in the Department of Jewish Philosophy, has arrived and together we are trying to answer this big question. And perhaps experience is the true meaning?
6 תגובות
First you need to prove that God exists before we can address what you wrote.
Is there intelligence in the universe?
Yes
No
Is there intelligence in the universe?
Yes
Given a certain number of people standing at a traffic light, assuming I know the type of distribution and the parameter of the rate at which people arrive, can I predict in how many seconds the traffic light will change?
I feel like my response is more or less related to the guy with the Bible.
How can such a lunatic refer to something he understands nothing about?
All he has to say is recite verses without understanding anything.
I didn't listen to the podcast itself (because my browser doesn't support playing videos), so my response is only to the caption below.
The Creator of the universe has already answered the question of the essence and purpose of life in the Torah: "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes, which I command you today, for your good." (Deuteronomy, chapter 10, verses 12-13). In fact, Moses said this, and the Lord agreed with him and told him to write it in the Torah. The Lord is the only one who can demand anything from us, because He is the one who created us (even if through evolution). "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis, chapter 1, verse 1)
For skeptics of all kinds, the Torah already contains proof that the Lord is God: "For ask now... hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you heard, and live... and know today and consider it in your heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other." (Deuteronomy 4:32-39. There is more detail there) and almost no changes were made to the verses of the Torah, as it says, "All the word which I command you, you shall observe to do; you shall not add to it or subtract from it." (Deuteronomy 13:1)