Q&A: How Do We Know Not Everything Is Materialistic?
How Do We Know Not Everything Is Materialistic?
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I’m writing to you from my current philosophical standpoint—you could call it postmodernism.
I’m fairly sure that reality exists; you can call it God, you can call it reality, or any other name that comes to mind.
At the same time, it’s hard for me to believe that we have a purpose in life or a moral system that obligates all of humanity.
I wanted to hear what you think—that is, how you understand, as a rabbi and a physicist, that not everything is materialistic, but rather that there is meaning and fixed, clear moral laws for humanity, and what sets man above the beast aside from a bit of intelligence and exaggerated self-confidence?
Thanks in advance
Answer
Hello,
This is a collection of questions that is too broad for an email. So I hope you’ll forgive me for answering telegraphically.
1. The certainty that there is spirit in the world, on a higher plane than matter. Matter is known to me only because my spirit perceives it. This is the essence of Descartes’ cogito, as I explained in the prologue to my book The Science of Freedom.
2. I directly sense the existence of spirit, and therefore I see no need to justify it any more than I need to justify the fact that there is a computer in front of me (which I see with my eyes). In both cases I have no explanation for skeptics, but in both cases I do not share their skepticism.
3. If we are indeed unique creatures, and therefore it is unlikely that we were created by chance (see the third notebook on my site, and my book God Plays Dice, and briefly also in an article here: https://mikyab.net/%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%98-%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%98%D7%AA%D7%99-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%99%D7%97%D7%A1%D7%99-%D7%90%D7%91%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%94-%D7%95%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%94/), then it is only reasonable that whoever created us probably wanted something from us. The tradition that brings us an expression of His will through His revelation only completes that picture.
4. In the fourth notebook I explained that the existence of morality also proves the non-material dimension in creation. But of course this is founded on the intuition and initial perception that morality really does exist. See there.
5. Before getting to exaggerated self-confidence (which indeed should be toned down), the very differences cry out for explanation. For example, free will is a sharper characteristic than intelligence. See my book The Science of Freedom, and briefly also in the article on the site: https://mikyab.net/%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%98-%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%98%D7%AA%D7%99-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A9-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%9F/
Regarding the relationship between intelligence and free will, see also column 35 on the site: https://mikyab.net/%D7%9E%D7%94%D7%99-%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%92%D7%A0%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%94-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A9-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9C-%D7%93/