Subj : Re: The universe
To   : Dave Oldridge
From : Joshua Lee
Date : Sun Dec 17 2000 12:05 am

-=> DAVE OLDRIDGE wrote to TODD HENSON <=-

 DO> It's mathematically in the same category as "north" of the north pole.
 DO> As Hawking points out, you can normalize the whole picture by treating
 DO> time (as we measure it) as an imaginary quantity (in the mathematical
 DO> sense).  The singularity at t=0 then simply becomes a point on a

Hawking's theories are not without controversy; though he manages to
sell a lot of popular books based on his theory of an atheistic big
bang.

 DO> Gen 1
 DO> In the beginning the God is creating the world.  Present tense!

Beraishis bara elokim...

"bara" is in "complete" (my terminology; the usual terminology for
Hebrew grammer uses Hebrew terms that would be incomprehensable here)
tense. (In Biblical Hebrew, there is only complete and incomplete
tenses; either something is complete or something is not; no past,
future, etc; though these can be used, and often are, to allude to
these states. Also noteable is that the word for a long period of
time, world, and universe in Hebrew is identical; Olam; so it's
no wonder that a Jew, Einstein, came up with a theory of physics,
relativity, that incorporates such perspectives. :-) )

However, I think you are right theologically; Chassidus, rational
mystical Jewish theology, tends to claim that the universe is being
continuously created by the words of creation; which are part of
G-d himself. (Panentheism.)

 TH> What do you think about that?

 DO> See above.  This is the case throughout the entire Bible!  Compare
 DO> also:

 DO> Before Abraham was, I AM.

That's not in *my* Bible... :-)

                       JBL

.... Scepticism is the chastity of the intellect. - Santayana
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