By seeking to redefine the Standard Kilogram (Le Grand K) in terms of energy, as described in last week’s blog, scientists have moved from a material absolute toward an immaterial absolute. And they essentially admitted the superiority of the one over the other. In doing so they capitalized on the famous equation e = mc2, where mass is related to atomic energy and the speed of light. And they capitalized on the proportionality of quantum energy with oscillation frequency of electro-magnetic radiation e = hn, where (n) is the frequency of the radiation and (h) is Planck’s constant. Scientists can thus describe a plug of metal weighing 1 kilogram, the old standard being “Le Grand K” (which was evidently changing), using very intangible but more stable terms - quantized wave phenomena!
If energy is more intangible than mass, and light arguably more intangible than energy, what is yet more intangible upon which we can hang the truth? The scientist is limited in how far he can go with chunking-up from the tangible to the intangible. But scientists describe real-world processes with the language of mathematics. In the real world, things are messy and imperfect, while in mathematics, the language is exact and absolute. Could it be then that the logic sequences of mathematics, theoretical concepts if you will (such as 2 + 2 = 4), are a still higher form of truth? - a form that is not subject to change in time and space, especially a time/space creation under the curse of decay? A philosopher would answer yes. Beyond that, though, how far can we go toward a higher form of truth? How far can we move in the direction of non-material absolutes?
With the Biblical worldview, we can go much further than the scientist or the philosopher in the relationship and dependency of material truth on immaterial truth. We can find eternal truth. We can link mass, energy, light, and mathematical concept to intelligent design; to the Concept and Command (the Word) of God. “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God so that what can be seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:1-3).
Materialism is limited in its ability to comprehend truth. Absolute references must ultimately depend on something so concrete that they transcend the creation; they transcend time and space; they transcend the imagination and intelligence of a limited and flawed mankind.
Image: Weighing a prototype kilogram, Scan by Kogo, PD, Wikimedia Commons.
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