I’ve mentioned that my latest field of inquiry is the quantum world, or what is called the “Standard Model of Particle Physics.” I still dabble in archeology, paleontology, geology, and astrophysics. It was astrophysics which was the “gateway drug” back into particle physics in the spring of this year. Again, my MO for this pursuit is an insatiable curiosity about the cosmos. When I was in elementary school, I read the entire 32 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica through twice, while my normal friends were playing ball. It wasn’t because I was smart, which I’m not, but because I’m extremely curious. It is hard for me to understand people who are not.

I had the plans of becoming a high school science teacher, and in ways I think that would have been a better fit for me. But medicine became a draw after a fellow science education major told me (after he had graduated in 1972) that is was near impossible to find a job. I knew I had a better chance of finding a job to support a family in medicine, and I really wanted a family, and medicine would give me a greater sense of helping people.

But science really took a back seat even further when I became part of an evangelical group in college. Much of Christianity, I’m afraid, is still flavored with the Platonic dualism of the Dark Ages, where the physical world is seen–sadly–as irrelevant, at best and only the so-called spiritual mattered. But once I left that movement, it became apparent to me, that if science is simply learning about the cosmos, and there was a God that created that cosmos, then science is one of the holiest ventures one can take in knowing about that God. A few monks discovered this truth (such as Hermann of Reichenau). But unfortunately, the Christian church spent much of its time squishing science, and knowledge, which threatened its power. Keep the serfs stupid and you can control them.”But science really took a back seat even further when I became part of an evangelical group in college. Much of Christianity, I’m afraid, is still flavored with the Platonic dualism of the Dark Ages, where the physical world is seen–sadly–as irrelevant, at best and only the so-called spiritual mattered. But once I left that movement, it became apparent to me, that if science is simply learning about the cosmos, and there was a God that created that cosmos, then science is one of the holiest ventures one can take in knowing about that God. A few monks discovered this truth (such as Hermann of Reichenau). But unfortunately, the Christian church spent much of its time squishing science, and knowledge, which threatened its power. “Keep the serfs stupid and you can control them.”

I was exposed to quantum physics in high school. I believe it was there that we did the classical double-slit experiment, which had opened the door to quantum mechanics in 1801. My favorite class in all of college (except an elective in the geology of national parks) was quantum mechanics, taught in a very interesting, but superficial way. So, I never fully gasped the concepts, no more than a casual acquaintance.

However, the lectures I’m listening to now, such as those by science educator, Arvin Ash, is taking me deeper than I’ve ever been before. But still, I’m sure there are plenty of high schoolers, and who knows, maybe middle schoolers, who understand the math of it better than me. I’m positive that while the majority of my readers wouldn’t give a rat’s ass about quantum mechanics, some of my readers know far more about it than I ever will. I learned today about the 108 subatomic particles, below being just a few of the categories.

But one thing that has grasped my attention so much in these past few months, that relates to present culture’s approach to metaphysics, is that quantum physics does not suggest an irrational, mystical world. If anything, it is the opposite. I know in this post-modern era, reason is not cool anymore and people, even atheists, are looking to mystical experiences as the meaning of their life or spirituality. Yes, there are some strange concepts within quantum physics such as entanglements (which I won’t explain here). But the quantum world is not chaotic. It is not random. It is not irrational. As a matter of fact, it is far more predictable than even classical Newtonian Physics. GPS, as precise as it is, must calculate positions with the help of quantum mechanics computations. As I said before, quantum computers will be the most reliable computers ever produced. We can land a robot on Mars by using exclusively classical Newtonian Physics ( while even that is like hitting a bullet with a bullet 10,000 miles away), but we cannot land a rover precisely on Mercury without quantum mechanics being part of the math because of the way the nearby Sun’s immense gravitational pull influences space/time (relativity) and the quantum world of subatomic particles. I will say for the umpteenth time, I believe that math is the native language of God, via this spoken word, all the cosmos hangs and is understood. It was when I rediscovered math in 1993 that I began to consider the existence of God again. When I see the computations that explain parts of the universe (the other parts beyond our comprehension), I am emotionally overcome with a sense of awe of God and it all. People don’t understand when I cry at Einstein’s or Oppenheimer’s caulk board of symbols. That is my “mysticism,” my “spirituality.” Who invented math anyway? It certainly wasn’t mortal man or woman.

If there is a point to my steroid-induced ramblings it is the following. The point I love to make is the cosmos is not mystical, or irrational, reflecting a God who is neither. It is complex, incredibly big and complex, rational and yet a mystery. Just like I juxtaposed magical thinking Vs thinking magically a few weeks ago, I want to do the same with mysticism and mystery. Mysticism is irrational and chaotic, being totally unpredictable. Mystery simply suggest that the cosmos is so damn complicated and big, mortal humans will never find the end to all their questions . . . ever. Yet, I know of no better from of worship of the creator of it all than to seek those answers. The God I know, must cry tears of sorrow to think of his created ones believing that the pursuit of answers as sacrilege. If there is a devil, he would be the one to assert that there is no truth, no answers, only emotional experiences (pitiful when compared to what’s really there) just to give us the shadow of meaning.

Typed without a pause to proof-read. Sorry for any typos, but it is late and I’ve a lot of work to do on the cottage tomorrow. With incalculable humility, Mike