EvC Forum: God as the source for man's creative explosion

CatholicScientist writes:

I would like to propose the infamous, God did it, explanation for this “creative explosion”(CE). This CE seems like a good candidate for us, humans, receiving our spiritual component, the soul. Could this be God’s method of creating us “in his image”?
I would like to discuss other people’s theories on the source of this CE and/or read support for either Soffer or Klein’s theories.
I would like to avoid the simple smartass comments like “What is this soul thing you’re talking about?” or “That’s easy, Principle of Parsimony, just leave God out of it.”
I just think its interesting and because I accept that our species evolved and I believe that we have a soul, I think there has to be some point on our evolutionary pathway where we were separated from the rest of the homonids, not only physically or behaviorly but spiritually as well.

Humans are unique in ways removed from the other animals. Language is one way that we are unique.

Catholic Scientist writes:

Social Issues and Creation/Evolution please.

OK...the tagline of this forum states: Is evolution the source of the decline in modern morality?

But "morality" is getting slightly off topic as pertains to your thread, CS!

Alasdair writes:

Why do you find Soffer or Klein's explanations inadequate?

actionbioscience dot org writes:

Soffer suggests that changes in social relations, such as development of the nuclear family, played a key role in bringing about the transformation. ...Klein, on the other hand, proffers the notion that it was probably a biological change brought about by mutations that played the key role in the emergence of behaviorally modern humans. His biologically based explanation implies that a major neural reorganization of the brain resulted in a significant enhancement in the manner in which the brain processed information.

In a nutshell, Sofer explains creativeness as a socially learned behavior
whereas Klein seems to lean towards a biological adaptation....am I right?

CatholicScientist writes:

I also find them inadequate becuase they don't mention the soul!

OK...I know that you guys can have sole or cod or whatever...on Fridays, though!

( Phat knows little of catholicism! )

(Phat also knows little of science!

)

jar writes:

Why not just say that at this time the cause of the Cultural Explosion is unknown?

I think that Catholic Scientist wants to verify the philosophical arguments leading to God creating a unique spark in humans....if we can quantify such an event! I mean...if dolphins go to Heaven, it would not negate the Bibles message. Perhaps the question could be framed as Are humans unique among the animals? One way is our communication and our ability to quantify and theorize. Dolphins, however, can communicate in ways that we do not. Do they have a soul? (Don't even think about having Dolphin on Friday, either!

)

CatholicScientist writes:

I'd like to hear from people who believe in the soul about whether or not this CE looks like it could be the result of the soul, or some interaction from god and how it fits with others belief and the bible.
I'd like to hear from people who don't believe in the soul about possible natural explanations in addition to or support for the two I pasted.

According to the Bible, God talked to humans before they found Him. I believe that it is the same way today. The creative explosion is evolving through education and discovery, yet it could be said that the creative impartation of the Creator reaches many people every day in unique and special ways. And you don't have to be at Mass to receive it, either. A Communion is a Common Union between two or more individuals. If you are alone in a room, think about who you could still have a common union with. HINT: Its not Harvey the big white rabbit, unless you slipped up on taking your meds again!

nwr writes:

As for the "God did it" part - that's something we can each decide for ourselves. Science should stick to what was done, and not who did it.

I quite agree, NWR!

Science can no more be explained "creatively" (Through a Creator) than can Jesus be verified scientifically!

Creation Science is an oxymoron.

CS writes:

When the Bible says we were made in god’s image, I don’t take it to mean that we have the same physical form. I think it is referring to some spiritual common that we have with god, and the breath of life parallels that view. So, god is a creator, and we have creativity and we share a common spiritual aspect (our soul), this leads me to think that maybe the soul is a source for our creativity.

I believe that God has an imagination and that His imagination is the Spirit that touches us. When God imagines, He creates. God is not evolving. The concept of God is evolving within our human minds, however. We can both trust God (and His impartation) and also educate ourselves and evolve into what we were meant to become. What we cannot do is imagine our own way of how things get created. Our imagination is never a creative force...it is a recreative force. Everything has already been created, in my opinion. We just have to find out how its done!

This message has been edited by Phat, 03-28-2006 04:28 PM

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