28 July 2013

On reason, cause and it's proper use

In the teaching of physics for however long it's been, each year I gain various insights on different subjects...


In the beginning, we always teach kinematics and dynamics. Kinematics is the study of motion without regards to cause, and Dynamics is the study of motion with regards to cause. 

The word aitia (αιτια) means cause, reason, or reason which is worthy of punishment

Ex 9, 18 Behold I will cause it to rain tomorrow at this same hour, an exceeding great hail: such as hath not been in Egypt from the day that it was founded, until this present time.

In this situation, God is the reason for the rain that will happen on the next day. That is to say that He is the agent of motion that is giving the visual effect. 

In Dynamics (δυνα-force)....we study the motion with regards to different causes

generally, we call these causes forces (a push or a pull on a body)...

All of these causes have an agent through which they can happen. Whether it be a rope, our own hands, various machines, or even God can act as an agent through which the cause happens. 

However, in our understanding of the earth, our existence is real, and so truly we can be causes or agents in things that happen in the universe. Tis one of the gifts of free will, that we can freely participate in the actions of the universe...thus it's appropriate to say:

  • I threw the ball at the tree
  • You jumped on top of a truck
  • She hit the ball out of the park
  • We pulled the wagon
  • They caused rotation of the glider.
What I find interesting on this is that we get to participate in the very act that God did himself....what we do is called pro-creation for a reason. It's a participation in the creation of the universe that God created for our use. 

The greek word for create is δημιουργία (recognize part of this word, the same word for force is involved)...so really something to think about creation might more literally be translated as to force by nothing. that is to say ex nihil....

Continuing thoughts later as the computer is about to die soon...:)


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