Tuesday, June 15, 2010

God

God, being part of the same reality as we (and all other entities), is at the ultimate end of the spectrum. All entities being related, God is the most related. All entities are sympathetic to other entities, God is the most sympathetic. All entities are creative, God is the most creative. All entities are active, God is the most active. All entities have experience, God has the most experience.

Whitehead talks about the Consequent Nature of God. Because God is part of reality, God is a nexus of the collected experience of reality as well as the recipient of novelty -- God grows and changes as all entities do. Whitehead also talks about the Lure of God. God encourages choices that will lead to a healthier, more mature order. There are, for Whitehead, two main directions for life, one towards destructive and the other towards constructive order. Whitehead sees God as the action that works towards constructive order and the order in reality as an indication of the reality of God. It helps answer the questions: Why is there something instead of nothing? and  If things naturally decay (entropy), why do things form into any higher orders?

1 comment:

  1. The written material which you have blogged here is exceptional and most graciously constructed, easily understood by the common man and yet profound in enveloping the mystery of life and creation.
    Life has both its complexities and its simple beauties and you have captured the purity and genuine divine nature of Whiteheads writings.
    I look forward to continuing to read your blog.
    LT.

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