Vern Poythress sets out to instruct (mostly) Christians in
the coherence and randomness God has given us in this world. I say ‘mostly
Christians’ because he allows room for unbelievers to read and follow his
arguments, but his book is quite explicitly theistic; and while Poythress
offers sound mathematics and logic, this book is only an Apologetic, not an
Evangelistic—and although I was convinced of the Theo-centricity of his
arguments concerning chance, probability, coherence, and harmony, I am also in
his same camp and cannot properly evaluate how ‘an outsider’ would respond to
his depictions.
Book thesis: We need to look at the nature of chance not
only to address personal questions that we have about the meaning of everyday
events in human life, but to address the issue of what confidence we should
have in the sciences and their claims. (15)
Poythress includes several common reasons people are
interested in the idea of chance and the sovereignty of God as a stimulant: “Why
did my family escape the mountain highway accident? Why did another person
suffer from a ‘chance accident?” “Is God in charge of these ‘accidental’ events
or not?” Of course, these are excellent questions, and fortunately I believe
Poythress well answers them—at least to the extent of which our human knowledge
is capable, a point Poythress is astute to frequently return to. In fact, there
are several ideas Poythress often elucidates that could be said form the core of
his presentation:
- God is infinitely knowledgeable and wise.
- Man is finitely knowledgeable and wise—patterned after God’s own.
- There is harmony between the world and our thoughts because God created it, and we think his thoughts after him.
- God has created laws of chance and probability which he controls.
- We cannot expect God to alter outcomes for personal benefit/detriment, though he can.
- If God does not control chance, then another god must—whom materialists call Chance.
Of course, with nearly 350 pages, Poythress fills in all the
gaps, supports, and draws further conclusions such as the probability that God
exits—a mathematical question; the futility of gambling—though many of us want
to doubt his veracity; classic math problems like the game show and the same
birthday questions; and the ‘just so happens’ serendipity that influences so
much of our life.
I’m aware that some reviewers have claimed that the
mathematical portions are too full of calculations and not for the average
reader. While it’s true that the math will not make sense to all, I believe
Poythress made the math as accessible as possible. In other words: if you
failed your college math class and aren’t willing to spend time trying to
understand, the math sections will be disappointing; and since the math
sections are what give support to Poythress’ claims, you will be left slightly
unconvinced.
Poythress is thorough. In fact, that’s the only thing I
would have had changed. Poythress offers equation after equation after equation
and chapter after chapter after chapter elaborating on the major principles time
and again. By the end, no one will have said he left anything out; but some
will never get to the end for that very reason. I’m aware that in mathematics,
it’s necessary to prove everything in
ways that logic might mistakenly call “circular,” but it may be too much for
the non-mathematician to handle with perpetual excitement. That being said, I
believe the book is excellent in all categories, and it certainly deserves some
time: perhaps just not all that it requires.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in
mathematical philosophy, as well as any apologist in a collegiate setting. And
perhaps the pastor in a college-city.
10/10 in Theology, in Math, in Accessibility, in answering
Thesis
Comparable to no books of which I’m aware, though it’s closely
related to a series by Poythress on the sciences: “Redeeming…”
I hope that you walk away with deeper assurance in the
loving hand of our sovereign God and delight in the mastery of his creation.
