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The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead by Frank J. Tipler
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Frank J. Tipler
14 books29 followersFrank Jennings Tipler is a mathematical physicist and cosmologist, holding a joint appointment in the Departments of Mathematics and Physics at Tulane University.
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August 17, 2024
ARE THE CENTRAL CLAIMS OF CHRISTIANITY "STRAIGHTFORWARD DEDUCTIONS OF THE LAWS OF PHYSICS”?
Frank Jennings Tipler (born 1947) is a mathematical physicist and cosmologist at Tulane University. He has written other books such as 'The Physics of Christianity,' 'The Anthropic Cosmological Principle,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1994 book, "It is unique to find a book asserting, as I shall... that theology is a branch of physics, that physicists can infer by calculation the existence of God and the likelihood of the resurrection of the dead to eternal life... When I began my career as a cosmologist ... I was a convinced atheist. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that one day I would be writing a book purporting to show that the central claims of Judeo-Christian theology are in fact true, that these claims are straightforward deductions of the laws of physics as we now understand them. I have been forced into these conclusions by the inexorable logic of my own special branch of physics." (Pg. ix) He says, "The main thrust of this book is to prove that such eternal progress is not only possible but inevitable, and will ultimately result in our salvation." (Pg. 104)
He begins with the statement, "This book is a description of the Omega Point Theory, which is a testable physical theory for an omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent God who will one day in the far future resurrect every single one of us to life forever in an abode which is in all essentials the Judeo-Christian Heaven." (Pg. 1) He summarizes, "the indefinitely continued existence of life ... leads naturally to a model of a God Who is evolving in His/Her immanent aspect... and yet is eternally complete in His/Her transcendent aspect (the Omega Point, which is neither space nor time nor matter, but is beyond all of these)." (Pg. 158) He suggests, "I am thus in effect proposing that we identify the universal wave function constrained by the Omega Point Boundary Condition with the Holy Spirit." (Pg. 185)
He contends, "the evidence is overwhelming that in about thirty-odd years we should be able to make a machine which is as intelligent as a human being, or more so." (Pg. 43) He adds, "in the very far future, near the end of time, only robots can survive in the extreme conditions that will prevail over the entire universe. BUT---if the robots survive, they can keep us alive also, as emulations in the computers of the far future." (Pg. 87) Later, he states, "the technical terms for the reality we as resurrected individuals shall inhabit in the far future is 'virtual reality' or 'cyberspace.'" (Pg. 220)
Perhaps surprisingly, he reveals, "I do not yet even believe in the Omega Point. The Omega Point Theory is a viable scientific theory of the future of the physical universe, but the only evidence in its favor at the moment is theoretical beauty, for there is as yet no confirming experimental evidence for it. Thus scientifically one is not compelled to accept it at the time of my writing these words. So I do not... But of course I also think the Omega Point Theory has a very good chance of being right... If the Omega Point Theory is confirmed, I shall then consider myself a theist." (Pg. 305)
Although Tipler comes up with some very quotable, orthodox-sounding "sound bites," I find his conclusions far from strongly supported by the evidence he adduces. But read the book for yourself, and reach your own conclusions.
Frank Jennings Tipler (born 1947) is a mathematical physicist and cosmologist at Tulane University. He has written other books such as 'The Physics of Christianity,' 'The Anthropic Cosmological Principle,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1994 book, "It is unique to find a book asserting, as I shall... that theology is a branch of physics, that physicists can infer by calculation the existence of God and the likelihood of the resurrection of the dead to eternal life... When I began my career as a cosmologist ... I was a convinced atheist. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that one day I would be writing a book purporting to show that the central claims of Judeo-Christian theology are in fact true, that these claims are straightforward deductions of the laws of physics as we now understand them. I have been forced into these conclusions by the inexorable logic of my own special branch of physics." (Pg. ix) He says, "The main thrust of this book is to prove that such eternal progress is not only possible but inevitable, and will ultimately result in our salvation." (Pg. 104)
He begins with the statement, "This book is a description of the Omega Point Theory, which is a testable physical theory for an omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent God who will one day in the far future resurrect every single one of us to life forever in an abode which is in all essentials the Judeo-Christian Heaven." (Pg. 1) He summarizes, "the indefinitely continued existence of life ... leads naturally to a model of a God Who is evolving in His/Her immanent aspect... and yet is eternally complete in His/Her transcendent aspect (the Omega Point, which is neither space nor time nor matter, but is beyond all of these)." (Pg. 158) He suggests, "I am thus in effect proposing that we identify the universal wave function constrained by the Omega Point Boundary Condition with the Holy Spirit." (Pg. 185)
He contends, "the evidence is overwhelming that in about thirty-odd years we should be able to make a machine which is as intelligent as a human being, or more so." (Pg. 43) He adds, "in the very far future, near the end of time, only robots can survive in the extreme conditions that will prevail over the entire universe. BUT---if the robots survive, they can keep us alive also, as emulations in the computers of the far future." (Pg. 87) Later, he states, "the technical terms for the reality we as resurrected individuals shall inhabit in the far future is 'virtual reality' or 'cyberspace.'" (Pg. 220)
Perhaps surprisingly, he reveals, "I do not yet even believe in the Omega Point. The Omega Point Theory is a viable scientific theory of the future of the physical universe, but the only evidence in its favor at the moment is theoretical beauty, for there is as yet no confirming experimental evidence for it. Thus scientifically one is not compelled to accept it at the time of my writing these words. So I do not... But of course I also think the Omega Point Theory has a very good chance of being right... If the Omega Point Theory is confirmed, I shall then consider myself a theist." (Pg. 305)
Although Tipler comes up with some very quotable, orthodox-sounding "sound bites," I find his conclusions far from strongly supported by the evidence he adduces. But read the book for yourself, and reach your own conclusions.
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