A Coffee, The Hudson and My Echoes

” Everything in your life is affected by your own inner experience. Everything outside you is a reflection of your state of consciousness “. I begin my little write up inspired by this very simple sentence. No different from most mornings of mine I begin this one with my customary cup of tea and the online edition of our very own Times of India. As I spend my few precious morning minutes reading a random article I let my thoughts wander to a day not so far behind.A few weeks back, when working in the bookstore, a young friend of mine from Uganda told me that he believed more in God than in science and that he agrees with the theory of evolution because he has been told to…in order to pass his course. He went further to let me know that Darwin’s theory of evolution was completely flawed and God solely was responsible for the creation of all forms of life on our lonely planet. Did God indeed create life? or Was Darwin and therefore science right?For centuries, scholars of science and theologians alike from all over the world have debated the very length and breadth of this issue. Proof lies in the life of Galileo Galilei, his several interrogations before the inquisitions and so on. How does one debate an issue such as this – one that has blurred lines between faith and intellect (Does faith include intellect?). The trouble with taking a stand on this issue is far more complex than it appears at first light. Having come from a background that believes in the existence of God, a culture that attributes a substantial percentage of everyday events to the Almighty and from a society that is deep rooted in spirituality, the vedas and the 2 great epics while at the same time as a student of science and a believer in logic, how does one approach this question?It may be helpful to point out at this juncture that my friend wasn’t wrong when he said that Darwins theory of evolution is flawed. Scientists have come to believe in the existance of an intelligent design – a design that helped create the first primitive life in the primordial waters of ancient earth. Darwins theory of evolution does explain most phenomena of life but it fails to convince the best scientific minds about the very beginning of the first life forms. The idea that life was created by a medley of the building blocks of life fused together by lightning or with the help of any other physical elements fails to explain the amazingly complex structure of the DNA – the very basis of living matter. So, How was the first life created? Did it involve a hand of some kind of supernatural power? Or was it a chance occurence? (Insights from mathematicians regarding the probability of such an event might be an interesting pointer)Darwin himself states in his book (The origin of species) that if one could provide proof of an intelligent design, then his theory would fall apart. Darwins theory of natural selection does not include intelligence. It leaves evolution to the mercy of nature and explains life based on theory of natural selection and the survival of the fittest. Darwins theory is the closest science has come in terms of explaining why you and I are walking on the face of this earth and why dinosaurs dont. Can we afford to say this theory, the only one that we have, is flawed?Can we ignore the fact that every society, no matter how remote, has a concept of a supernatural being? Can this all be a conincidence?Is it important to know the secret of life? Why? Can this explain if we are alone in this universe or if we are just players in the game of a supernatural being? How many such games does this ‘being’ play?? Can a brain with a cranial capacity of about 1500cc (or so I’m told) have the capacity to answer such question?As the tanin in my tea wakes me up from my reverie, I realise that there are more important questions in life that I should be addressing…….like those regarding my financial difficulties.So, I’m off. To makes some money, ofcourse! Wonder what it takes to become a millionaire?