1-2-3: Cosmology and the beginnings

An illustration of four men walking side by side, representing notable figures associated with atheism, each in different attire, conveying a sense of authority and confidence.

‪Introduction: Richard Dawkins – Christopher Hitchens – Sam Harris – Daniel Dennett

The Four Horsemen

PERFECTION STUDIES: CONTINUITY  • SYMMETRY  • HARMONY  • AUSTIN, TEXAS • USA • Goals • 2018

Please note: This is the first session of a nine-week study group. For an overview of the entire effort. Also, see below.

Also known as “The Four Horsemen of the Non-Apocalypse” these people have become world-reknown for their attacks on religious beliefs and their impatience with people who believe in God. All four are brilliant, highly-articulate, and entirely sure of themselves. Collectively, they have millions of followers. At one time atheists quietly went about their business and were not evangelists. These four, each in their own way, are evangelists for Atheism. Even though Hitchens (and now Dennett as of 2024) are dead, their books, articles, and videos live on and remain popular.  

At different times each has been listed among the 100 Most Influential People in the World. All of them believe in some variation of the big bang theory.

Our historic cosmologies started with various religious cosmologies.

Wikipedia begins with Mesopotamian cosmology (as early as 16th century BCE) and comes up to the modern era. Within that period there is a variegation of  religious cosmologies. And, within that scope, there is biblical cosmology. Though part of my heritage, it is perhaps best reflected in the Genesis 1 and John 1 stories. Both open with these words, “In the beginning…”  Of course, these passages do not appear to jive with modern cosmology, especially the big bang theory.

However, neither our horsemen nor any of our religionists have explored an integrated view of the universe.

Let us consider what might constitute an integrated view of the universe?

  1. You will grant that mathematics and logic help to structure and give order to data.
  2. If there are units of data that are profoundly instructive in the way that they order data, can they be used to order all the data within the universe?
  3. In December 2011, we certainly didn’t think so, but we weren’t sure, so we called it a “Big Board of our little universe.”
  4. By April 2014, there were growing questions. We also had developed our first UniverseTable
  5. By April 2016 we had a chart of the universe that we called a Quiet Expansion.
 

References:

INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW
SESSION 1: MODELS OF THE UNIVERSE   WORKSHEET #1   S1A   S1B   S1C
SESSION 2: MODELS OF THE UNIVERSE
SESSION 3: FINITE-INFINITE: CONTINUITY-SYMMETRY-HARMONY
SESSION 4: FINITE-INFINITE: ORDER-RELATIONS-DYNAMICS
SESSION 5: LIGHT AS DEFINED BY THE PLANCK LENGTH AND PLANCK TIME
SESSION 6: LIGHT AND TIME. TEN WAYS TO RECONSIDER THE NATURE OF TIME.
SESSION 7: EIGHT KEY IDEAS
SESSION 8: PLANCK EXPLAINS EINSTEIN AND REDEFINES SPACE-TIME AND PI.
SESSION 9: “IT’S A WRAP.”
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