The Grand Design is the outworking of brilliant individuals on a quest for the reason behind the order, beauty, symmetry, and rational make-up of our The Grand Design is the outworking of brilliant individuals on a quest for the reason behind the order, beauty, symmetry, and rational make-up of our world. Order out of chaos? How could that be?
I am grateful for The Grand Design. Leonard Mlodinow and Stephen Hawking piece together Newton, Maxwell, Einstein and others to "try to help" curious people like me understand the works of the universe. The authors probe answers to a multitude of questions those of us locked in this world want to know:
1. How can we understand the world in when we find ourselves? 2. How does the universe behave? 3. What is the nature of reality? 4. Where did all this come from? 5. Did the universe need a creator?
I love the way the authors get to the root of a matter. They suggest, "If nature is governed by laws, three questions arise: (1) What is the origin of the laws? (2) Are there any exceptions to the laws, i.e. miracles? (3) Is there only one set of possible laws?"
These are questions with no easy answers. Mlodinow and Hawking will not allow the challenge to deter them.
The Proverbs tells us, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings." Proverbs 25:2. Mystery is a reality in a world formed and governed by One greater than man. That, of course, creates a rub for our authors whose life's work is predicated on observation and the quantitative relationships between physical phenomena.
Still, to "search out a matter" is the glory of kings and Hawking and Mlodinow search gloriously. Their excellence in the science of astronomy and amazing mental computing power are both a rebuke to my thinking and a reason for me to encourage my grandchildren to start early and work hard as students. Thank you, gentlemen.
The fictitious Harry Calahan famously quipped, "A man's got to know his limitations." The authors help me to see mine. I wonder, however, if their own brilliance has them blinded to that which was so clear to King David and elicited such a strong rebuke to those who think they can debunk it:
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Palm 14:1-4 ESV
Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1 NLT
I suppose many people can read The Grand Design and render their "agree/disagree." For me it is more complicated than that. While I find much to admire, I find it difficult as the authors do to juxtapose "a precise universe" and "lucky," "fortunate," "stroke of good luck" in the same paragraph. On one hand they look so carefully and, on another, not carefully enough.
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