1965 Geloof en Wetenschap : Orgaan van de Christelijke vereeniging van natuur- en geneeskundigen in Nederland - pagina 243

THE NATURE AND VALUE OF PHYSICAL KNOWLEDGE

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given by Eddington in his proposition, „that all the fundamental laws and constants of physics can be deduced unambiguously from a priori considerations and therefore are wholly subjective" i). Though certainly not all physicists are ready to assent to this proposition, it can hardly be denied that the current views on the nature of physical science show strong subjectivistic features and are linking up with idealistic and rationalistic tendencies in philosophy. Whereas the objectivistic conception had caused such serious problems for religious thinking, the question may be raised whether the opposite one would be able to provide the solution for these difficulties. It is my firm opinion, however, that neither a realistic-objectivistic, nor an idealistic-subjectivistic philosophical doctrine can be the basis for a christian conception of the nature of physical knowledge. I feel that this basis can only be found in the revelation about the origin of the world, as it comes to us through the Word of God. The Bible does not bring forward the idea of creation as a philosophical concept. But the Bible does tell us about all things and phenomena, which we can perceive around us, unambiguously and emphatically, that they have been created and are being preserved by one and the same almighty God, and that also the order and uniformity, which we can observe and discover in the multiplicity and diversity of the phenomena, have been determined and are being sustained by His all-powerfull Will. In this respect there is no difference between man and his environment. Man also, both in his bodily and in his spiritual existence, is fully part of the creation and dependent upon the Creator. Still, his position in the creation is unique, because, in contradistinction to all other creatures, he has been made „after God's image and likeness" and he was given the special instruction to dominate all other creatures. Though this is not a philosophical proposition, but a statement to which we can only assent in religious faith, it is to my opinion of great significance for our philosophy of physical knowledge. The very first and most fundamental problem which we meet in our thinking about physical knowledge is its possibility. 1) A. Eddington. The philosophy of physical science (1938), p. 62.

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