A Meaningful World: How the Arts and Sciences Reveal the Genius of Nature Paperback – July 12, 2006

In A Meaningful World: How the Arts and Sciences Reveal the Genius of Nature (2006), Benjamin Wiker and Jonathan Witt join forces to challenge the false assumption that science proves a meaningless universe. Wiker (Ph.D., Vanderbilt) lectures on theology and science at the Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio) and has published numerous related works, including The Darwin Myth; The Catholic Church and Science; and Moral Darwinism. Witt (Ph.D., University of Kansas) is a Senior Fellow for Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture and co-author of Intelligent Design Uncensored: An Easy-to-Understand Guide to the Controversy (2010).Wiker and Witt present their thesis in chapter one’s opening sentence: the universe is meaningful. They regard the necessity of having to prove this as odd, but recognize that a nihilist philosophy, propagated by some of academia’s elite, has infiltrated popular culture to the extent that proving meaningfulness is not only a matter of necessity, but one of great urgency. Contrary to the pervasive dogma of meaninglessness, they observe that the universe is “like a great work of art” which overflows with numerous and complex layers of ingenuity and intelligibility.Given the vast scope of “meaning-fullness” in the universe, Wiker and Witt cast a wide net in their analysis, which includes an evaluation of philosophy, literature, math, and science. A corresponding motivation for assessing this array of categories is their desire to break the spell of intellectual blindness which manifests in virtually every discipline of thought. To that end, they commence their endeavor of demonstrating the absurdity of material reductionism with an analysis of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (chapter 2) and The Tempest (chapter 3), which teem with rich layers of meaning and complexity that are inexplicable on materialism’s unjustified terms. The works of Shakespeare also provide a springboard for introducing the notion of genius, the essence of which entails such properties as depth, clarity, harmony, and elegance.Their study of genius segues to the realm of geometry (chapter 4), where one must inevitably ask how abstract mathematical entities are so remarkably fruitful in deciphering a concrete universe. Such genius is also the subject of chapter 5, which surveys a brief history of chemistry and the development of the periodic table of elements, which itself exemplifies multiple layers of discoverable order in nature. Chapters 6 and 7 explore the extreme improbability of life permitting universes and reflect upon earth’s privileged position in the cosmos for scientific discovery, while chapters 8 and 9 dive the depths of cellular complexity and emphasize, against reductionism, that the essence of biological order is the living whole, not its non-living parts.A great strength of Wiker and Witt’s approach is their integrated analysis of both the arts and sciences; whereas books of this nature generally focus on the latter, A Meaningful World develops a cohesive and interesting discussion around seemingly odd bedfellows (e.g., Darwin and Shakespeare) in a way that develops stronger argumentation than if either the arts or the sciences were neglected. Moreover, the complexities of these subjects are presented in appropriate technical detail, but in a manner that remains accessible to a popular audience. If readers find themselves rusty with regard to iambic pentameter or Euclidian geometry, not to worry, as such elements are sufficiently explained to illustrate the authors’ broader points.In addition to its clear and engaging quality, the style is quick, witty and full of humorous insights and commentary. For example, chapter 2 describes an experiment involving monkeys, a typewriter, and a month-long stay in captivity. Commenting on the results, the authors observe that “while familiarity may not breed contempt with monkeys, it does breed indifference towards things inedible.” Or with regard to the complexity of elements required for life, they jest that “while the possibility of a one-element periodic table might be some consolation to the struggling chemistry student, it would have the unhappy effect of eliminating the student himself.” It is to Wiker and Witt’s great credit that readers will find themselves entertained amidst geometry and chemistry tutorials that might otherwise lull them to sleep.Its engaging style notwithstanding, prospective readers should be mindful that A Meaningful World was written for the explicit purpose of arguing a case; i.e., proponents of metaphysical naturalism, for example, may find themselves put off by its straightforward handling of the subject. However, any such offense would not be attributable to the presentation, which is as respectful as it is thoughtful. In fact, the authors carefully avoid committing the typical fallacies that accompany controversial projects, such as ad hominens, question-begging, and attacking straw men. Still, they do not pretend to occupy the mythical realm of neutrality, and they do not sugarcoat the inadequacies of the reductionist worldview they critique.For example, as a parting salvo to an extended treatment of arguments against reductionism, they observe that reducing reality to a subatomic level “flattens the world in a way that a flat-earth zealot could only envy.” They also observe that “materialism has outlived its usefulness and obscures far more than it clarifies.” While such statements will certainly offend the dogmatic materialist, they are never asserted in the absence of rigorous and comprehensive interaction with the most salient arguments and evidence. Moreover, it is precisely because of such thoroughness that Wiker and Witt succeed in supporting their thesis, against reductionism, that the universe is objectively meaningful.Finally, this book is written in an accessible, engaging, and even entertaining manner with a broad audience in view and is therefore suitable for anyone interested in delving the great depths of meaning in nature. It is highly recommended for students entering the secular university, where they will certainly encounter assumed reductionist philosophies across the spectrum of the arts and sciences; furthermore, this work can serve as an antidote for those already inflicted by an existential nihilism onset by a materialist indoctrination. Regardless of one’s motivation for reading it, A Meaningful World is sure to provoke thought and inspire greater appreciation for the marvelous and multifaceted genius of nature.

With a Ph.D. in Theological Ethics, Benjamin Wiker lends his expertise along with the literary insights of Jonathan Witt, Senior Fellow for Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, to the question of just what kind of world we live in. Wiker and Witt do not simply disagree with the reigning paradigm of metaphysical naturalism found in science. They see it as harmful. They have written this book as an antidote to the “poison” that is “the assumption that science has proven that the universe is without purpose, without meaning—proven it so clearly that one need not even produce an argument.” (Wiker and Witt, Location 61.) The question of meaning has implications for how all of reality is seen. For Christians concerned with preaching the gospel, juxtaposing a divine creator with a meaningless universe is incoherent. This is one of the reasons why the apologetic project is needed in order to make Christianity a live option in the marketplace of ideas. In this particular case, the meaningfulness of the universe needs to be recognized. The poison must be counteracted. Recognizing the fact that human beings are an integral part of the universe, and that we have lived, acted, and created as though the world has meaning, Wiker adds his analysis of the works of Shakespeare which are best understood if meaning were central to human understanding of the world, as well as a comparative analogy to the creativity found in nature.“The book’s central claim is clearly stated: the universe is meaning-full.” (63) The authors make it plain that they reject the nihilistic paradigm that is claimed to be “proven” by science. They build their case beginning with a historical overview of how the idea of a random, meaningless world goes back to the ancient Greeks and found resurgence in Darwin, Nietzsche, Freud and Marx. The assumption of meaninglessness began to lose momentum as discoveries of order and specified complexity began to emerge such that even a hardened skeptic like Antony Flew was moved to theism. From this background, Wiker and Witt note that just as parts of the cosmos made sense in light of the whole, and perhaps only so, the same is clearly so in literature. Shakespeare’s works are examined to illustrate the point, showing that contrary to Dawkins’ illustration of “Methinks it like a Weasel,” the parts fit the whole, but also that the whole makes no sense if the works and their author are nothing more than matter in motion, or animals driven by the urge to procreate. The genius exhibited by Shakespeare is then used to illustrate the genius Euclid points to in mathematics. The authors show how on a materialist worldview, the existence of mathematics makes no sense, much less its applicability to the material universe. From mathematics, the order and intelligibility of the cosmos, chemistry (especially the periodic table) and biology is examined. Through each discipline, the antidote of structuralism is counteracting the poison of reductionism. Structuralism approaches these questions from the top-down, parts-to-whole view. Such a view is not even considered a live option if one starts from meaninglessness. In fact, it is the only way scientists can discern “the meaning of the data they gather.” Wiker and Witt present case after interrelated case for the meaningful whole of the created order into which each of its parts --matter, energy, chemistry, life in general, and humanity in particular-- fits. While so many books of this type focus on particular arguments for God’s existence from specific areas such as cosmogony, fine-tuning, or information theory, Meaningful World looks at the big picture. If the other works study the trees, Wiker and Witt look at the whole forest. They show not only that these things fit, but also that they are made to be discovered as such. They do so with a clear, accessible style and a refreshing dose of humor. While their arguments are logically cogent, their discussion of Shakespeare’s literary acumen appeals to aesthetics. Moreover, while they mention some of the astronomically high levels of improbability of the world being the way it is by chance, they do not hang their whole case there. Another way the thesis of the book can be stated is, “Intelligent design? More like creative genius.”The literary element they introduce by way of analogy and as a particular example is a rarity in books on this subject. Their use of Shakespeare to illustrate their point is not only a novel way to argue in this arena, but they inspire a new appreciation for the literature itself. Their presentation reaches the reader at the cognitive as well as the intuitive level. Moreover, they present a strong case in favor of their thesis, rather than simply relying on defeaters for its negation. They do more than show that reductionism is false. They present a powerful case for a meaningful world. More than merely meaningful, the authors offer a case for elements of genius in the created order that is analogous to the creative genius of Shakespeare. Wiker and Witt argue that the knowledge offered by the study of mathematics, cosmology, chemistry and biology have the depth, clarity, harmony and elegance one would expect to find in the works of geniuses. This is not design by a minimally intelligent mind, but a designing Genius. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the philosophy of science, or the history of the controversy over the Intelligent Design hypothesis. The book is accessible to the layperson without dumbing down the content. While the scholarship of the authors is evident in the content, the engaging style of the prose has none of the dryness that can come from the subject matter. The integrated approach will inform a more fully orbed apologetic than those books that focus on a narrower topic such as the origin of information or the complexity of the living cell. As important as these details are, this book will help you see the forest and the trees.

Absolutely excellent! The subtitle is "How The Arts And Sciences Reveal The Genius Of Nature". The authors set out to refute the fundamental nihilism of modern culture - the idea that the universe is random and meaningless - and do so brilliantly, proceding through Shakespeare (Hamlet and The Tempest) through Geometry (and Euclid), Chemistry (and the Periodic Table), Physics (starting with the Big Bang and its startling fine-tuning), the remarkable properties of carbon and of water, the incredible complexity of the living cell, and the biological school of structuralism and the focus on the whole organism.This may sound dry or boring, but on the contrary - it's fascinating! The authors make a powerful case for the "designing intelligence" behind the cosmos (although in deference, I expect, to those with a knee-jerk rejection of "religion", they mostly avoid identifying this Genius behind nature - God).

Genial mostrar a essência da teoria do design inteligente partindo de (um) Shakespeare. A quem não se recusa a enxergar, nossos macrocosmo e microcosmo se mostram obras de (Um) Grande "Gênio"!

The debate between theism and atheism has led to the publication of some outstanding written work over the last twenty years - probably some of the defining books of the era. Of all the books on the great debate that I have read - and there are a fair few on both sides! - this is probably the one I have enjoyed the most, and the one which ought ideally to have the most potential to influence.The debate has been dominated by the field of biology - Richard Dawkins and Stephen Gould versus a variety of less well-known creationists and proponents of Intelligent Design. Astronomy and cosmology have also featured to a lesser extent, with people like Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking more recently being matched against Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards ("The Privileged Planet"). But to the best of my knowledge, most of the books in the genre have focussed on one "specialist subject" - interaction more broadly with a range of human knowledge has generally been absent.Wiker and Witt's thesis is that the universe is rich in "meaning" - the dominance of the materialist worldview has blinded us to this. And the "meaning" testifies to a creative genius. To make this case, they start in English literature, looking at Shakespeare, and then move into mathematics and chemistry before revisiting the world of biology. In the process, they identify depth, clarity, harmony and elegance as hallmarks of genius, and for good measure rehabilitate the study of Shakespeare and geometry!They set their view against the reductionism of materialism - which, for example, talks about the evolution of the eye without recognising that sight is actually part of the whole organism, or talks about the fact that a panda's thumb (which not opposable: it is used by the panda to strip bamboo) is not the optimum structure from a design perspective without considering that there might be more to design than an optimum engineering solution to a problem.Unsurprisingly, their conclusion is that the meaningfulness that is found at all levels in the universe is indicative of an underlying creative genius.This book captured my imagination like only a few others that I have read before ("Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid" by Douglas Hofstadter, "Sophie's World" by Jostein Gaarder, "How Should We Then Live?" by Francis Schaeffer). It took a discussion that had reached a sterile impasse and presented it from an entirely new perspective. For theists, this book has the potential to help them see beyond the wrangling over details of materialism again, and remind them of how rich the universe is. For atheists, this book has the potential to lift their eyes from narrow discussion about whether or not it is possible to prove that bacterial flagellum evolved, to take in again the vast panorama which once captivated and amazed them.

The section of 'elements' and the miracle in the 'Periodic Table' are eye-openers for me. Recommended read.

Excellent Book, and arrived in good time. Very happy!