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In order for a syllogism to hold true, the axioms must be perfectly valid, and there
must be no other valid generalisations to upset the logical process of the syllogism
(Howard 2001: 25). A syllogism is form of argument that contains a major premise, a
minor premise and a conclusion.
In order for the conclusion to be valid, the premises must be correct. For example,
consider the following:
This is clearly invalid, as the first premise is incorrect, and Obama is the first black
president.
Consider this mystical experience by psychiatrist Edwin Bucke over a century ago.
This is taken from his book Cosmic Consciousness.
Directly afterwards came upon him a sense of exultation, of immense
joyousness, accompanied or immediately followed by an intellectual
illumination quite impossible to describe. Into his brain streamed one
momentary lightning-flash of the Brahmic Splendor which has ever
since lightened his life; upon his heart fell one drop of Brahmic Bliss,
leaving thenceforward for always an after taste of heaven. Among other
things...he saw and knew that the Cosmos is not dead matter but a living
Presence, that the soul of man is immortal, that the universe is so built
and ordered that without any peradventure all things work together for
the good of each and all… He claims that he learned more within the few
seconds… than in previous months or even years of study, and that he
learned much that no study could ever have taught.
The crucial presupposition within the theory of natural selection is that of the
mechanistic paradigm (seeing the universe as a great machine). This paradigm still
dominates mainstream science, and acts as an implicit and invisible generalisation
which underpins the syllogism of natural selection. The assumption is that ‘nature’ is
part of a mechanical universe. However, if that generalisation is invalid, all subsequent
steps within the syllogism are potentially limited or incorrect. Most notably the idea
that individual variation is hereditary, the second premise. If there is an intelligence
which lies just beyond perception of the rational mind, it may be that this intelligence
can intervene, to greater or lesser degree, in evolution. It may also 'interfere' in the
individual lives of specific people, something which potentially shifts cultural evolution.
The existence of personal spiritual guidance, something universal to almost every
culture on the planet, suggest that this guiding intelligence has a kind of 'volition' or
direction. Many mystics have noted that when an individual reaches a certain point in
consciousness development, their personal will diminishes, and a divine light begins to
guide them. That elevation in consciousness is not merely an individual 'interference',
but affects the consciousness of all humanity to some degree, because all minds are
connected.
Of course even if the perception of mystics that there is a guiding intelligence behind the
working of the cosmos is true, it doesn't necessarily invalidate the law of natural
selection completely. There are a number of logical possibilities, including that this
intelligence makes no intervention in proceedings once the evolutionary ball has started
rolling. Nor does the existence of such an intelligence validate any specific religious
philosophy, or representation of "God".
Finally, as long standing former editor of Nature, Maddox argued in his book, What
Remains to be Known, science is far from being at an end. He finds that “there will be
many unknowns brought to attention in the years to come”, and that “The 500 years of
modern science are a good beginning, but only a beginning” (Maddox 1999 p 331). He
states:
The truth is that the sheer success of science in the past half-millennium
has engendered a corrosive impatience. We too easily forget how recent
are the empirical and theoretical foundations of present understanding.
Prudence, or merely good manners would dictate a seemly recognition
that they may also be incomplete (Maddox 1999 p. 375).
References
1. J. Howard, (2001). Darwin: A very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
2. Marcus T. Anthony (2008). Integrated Intelligence. Copenhagen: Sense
Publishers.
Marcus T. Anthony