Wrapping up the spirituality probe. (v1.0)

In all my science essays, there has always been a spirituality undercurrent and quest present.. Does science provide any evidence of gods existence or gods nature? In this essay I wrap that all up. This is the last essay on spirituality. Any future steps on spirituality will be completely private. 

I started this probe in March 2022 and wrote my first essay on the subject. Here is that essay: first spirituality essay

I approached it from 6 angles.

1. What is the world's major religion's core beliefs and how did they impact society and how did it evolve? 
2. What physics can potentially say about "god". 
3. What is consciousness from multiple angles and how does it relate to atman in Advaita Vedanta Philosophy. 
4. What can evolution science potentially say about "god".
5. What does examining life at the molecular core level, which is the end result of evolution, potentially say about "god"?
6. Has mankind evolved into a "god" itself with the ability to create life?

I have completed my essays on world religions here:

1. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-evolution-cultural-and-historical.html
2. Judaism: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-historical-cultural-social-and.html
3. Buddhism: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-historical-and-evolution-aspects-of.html

I have completed my essays on physics and the universe and creation here. This is a summary that drills down into what primarily physics has to say about God existing: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-goals-of-my-science-essays-earlier.html

The summary is primarily based on these underlying essays:

1. The strange world of quantum mechanics and quantum chemistry: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-strange-world-of-quantum-mechanics.html
2. Quantum mechanics and light: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/quantum-mechanics-and-light.html
3. Einsteins relativity and beyond: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/einsteins-relativity-and-beyond.html
4. More validation of relativity: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/01/einstein-validated-yet-again.html
5. Philosophical questions arising from physics: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/philosophical-questions-arising-out-of.html
6. The birth of the universe: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-birth-of-universe.html
7. What the heavens show us and why? https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/what-do-heavens-show-us-and-why.html
8. Is nuclear fusion occurring in the cosmos? https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/12/is-nuclear-fission-occurring-in-cosmos.html
9. Two big mysteries - Dark matter and Dark Energy: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-search-for-dark-matter.html and https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/01/dark-energy.html
10. The promise of the theory of everything: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-promise-of-theory-of-everything.html
11. The opportunities and challenges of superstring theory: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-opportunity-and-challenge-of.html
12. Is spacetime quantized? https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/01/is-spacetime-quantized.html
13. The origins of mass: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/a-respectful-obituary-to-peter-higgs.html

I examined consciousness from multiple angles here:

1. Neural dimension: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-neural-correlates-of-consciousness.html
2. Evolution dimension: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/06/evolution-and-consciousness.html
3. Psychology and Eastern philosophy dimension: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/03/who-am-i.html
4. Western philosophy dimension: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/06/what-is-self-consciousness.html
5. My views on consciousness: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/09/consciousness-5-my-views-on.html

I worked on tracing of human evolution in these essays here (paleoanthropology):

1. An interesting origin story: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/an-anthropology-example-of-how-science.html
2. Appearance of Homo Genus: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/when-and-where-did-homo-genus-first.html
3. Appearance of Homo Sapiens: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/when-and-where-did-humans-first-appear.html
4. Emergence of language: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/how-did-humans-evolve-to-acquire.html
5. Emergence of Art: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/how-did-art-evolve-in-humans.html
6. Emergence of Farming: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/when-and-where-did-farming-originate.html
7. Ancient Human civilizations: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-oldest-human-civilizations.html

I worked on evolution fundamentals, and tracing the evolution of life on earth itself from its origins (mostly paleontology): 

1. Evolution and Genetics fundamentals: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2022/04/fundamentals-of-evolution-genetics-and.html
2. Are evolution changes random? https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/01/are-evolutionary-changes-random.html
3. Very early evolution: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/paleontology-1-most-fundamental.html
4. Emergence of skeleton: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/paleontology-2-emergence-of-skeleton.html
5. Emergence of land life: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/paleontology-3-land-ho.html
6. Emergence of seed plants: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/paleontology-4-rise-of-seed-plants-and.html
7. Emergence of land 4 legged animals: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/paleontology-5-evolution-from-fish-to.html
8. Emergence of reptiles: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/paleontology-6-rise-of-reptiles.html
9. Emergence of birds: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/11/paleontology7-rise-of-birds.html   
10. Emergence of Mammals: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/11/paleontology8-rise-of-mammals.html
11. Emergence of Primates: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/11/paleantology9-rise-of-primates-and-onto.html
12. What are Viruses? https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/10/what-are-viruses.html
13. Sixth Mass Extinction? https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/12/paleontology11-is-sixth-mass-extinction.html

I worked on examining how life works at the molecular level to see the end result of evolution (biochemistry and molecular biology): 

1. Emergence of life from inert chemicals: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/01/bio0-how-did-life-first-form.html
2. Key components of life: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/11/bio1-proteins-carbs-and-fats.html
3. Human Cell: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/11/bio2-human-cell.html
4. Metabolism: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/11/bio3-metabolism.html
5. Proteins: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/11/bio4-protein-synthesis-structure-and.html
6. Hormones: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2023/11/bio5-hormones.html
7. Lipoproteins: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/01/bio6-lipoproteins-and-cholesterol.html
8. Our senses: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/01/bio7-biochemistry-of-our-senses.html

I worked on examining how mankind has mastered DNA synthesis and creation of new synthetic life.

1. Intro to SynBio: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/03/synbio1-introduction-to-synthetic.html
2. Key SynBio tools: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio2-reading-writing-and-editing-dna.html
3. SynBIo and DNA Computers: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio3-dna-computers-in-future.html
4. SynBio and AI: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio4-marriage-of-synbio-and-ai.html
5. Risks of SynBio: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio5-finding-new-useful-biological.html
6. SynBio and Metabolic Engineering: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio6-metabolic-engineering.html
7. SynBio and Regenerative Medicine: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio7-synbio-and-regenerative-medicine.html
8. SynBio and Cancer Treatment: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio8-synbio-and-cancer-treatment.html
9. SynBio and Vaccines: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio9-synbio-and-vaccines.html
10. SynBio and De-Extinction: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio10-synbio-and-de-extinction.html
11. SynBio and XenoBiology: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio11-synbio-and-xenobots.html
12. SynBio and Environment: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio13-synbio-and-environment.html
13. SynBio and Food: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio13-synbio-and-foodagriculture.html
14. SynBio and materials: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/symbio14-materials-synthetic-biology.html
15. SynBio and Xenobots: https://jaykasi.blogspot.com/2024/04/synbio15-meet-xenobots.html

All of the above life and universe evolution and end state essays seems to demonstrate an almost doggedly systematic and almost purposeful sequence of events in a seemingly intelligent way. Life and the Universe is seemingly intelligently and intricately put together with a lot of interconnectedness. There are intermittent evolution mass extinction events that seems almost like corrections to improve evolutions direction. 

To me, with mastery of synthetic biology and creation of new life forms, mankind has not suddenly become "God". Instead, he has learnt from nature/gods work and heavily copied it. Mankind has learnt to harness this knowledge to build useful creatures to do useful work. The original inventor and designer and creator of biological processes and blueprints remain nature/God. 

But 4 billion years is a very long time for life on earth and 14 billion years is a very long time for the universe. I cannot wrap my head around such scales, and some see that as enough time for the remarkable and extraordinary changes that took effect through the laws of evolution for life and the laws of physics for the universe. But there is great haziness at the origins of both the universe and life. How did DNA come to be on earth in the first place? Isn't that extraordinary?  How did consciousness come to be in humans in the first place?  Isn't that extraordinary? How did the singularity of the big bang come to be in the first place and what was "before" that, if "before" even has meaning? How did the laws of physics, chemistry, and evolution come to be in the first place? Aren't they extraordinary? How did the order in the universe and life come to be? Isn't that extraordinary? These don't have clear answers from science. 

For those who sense the laws of evolution, physics, chemistry, biology, etc are insufficient to explain what we see today in the universe and life, and feel something is missing, I read this today (Apr 2024). It is a long road from publishing a paper to broad acceptance from the scientific and philosophical community, but the proposal is interesting!!

Missing 'Law of Nature' Found That Describes The Way All Things Evolve (msn.com)

Here is a radical theory that says the universe is all in your head. 

The Radical Theory That Says That Life Creates The Universe (msn.com) 

I like Einstein find some aspects of a Spinoza's God intriguing (the universe and everything in it including the mind is God - Spinoza was a philosopher). There however though is quantum mechanics in Physics and some free will in life that both argue against Spinoza's concept of complete determinism. I also find Advaita Vedanta intriguing. Advaita Vedanta goes beyond Spinoza's God by not only talking about Brahman (universe and everything in it, as well as creation and the eternal reality) as God but also the true self (atman) distinct from the sensory conscious self as being God and asserting Atman = Brahman. These concepts cannot be proven/disproven or established by science but requires one to soar beyond science. 

I believe like Einstein that "God" and its true nature is beyond anything humans can possibly comprehend. I believe there is an incredible  intelligence manifest in the universe and life. Like Einstein, I am not really a believer in a "personal" God that operates on a principle of rewards and punishments. I remain an "agnostic" like Einstein on the spiritual plane. The best I can do at this time is God is the intelligence that causes the universe to exist and acts at-least discernably through its creations - the laws of physics, chemistry, biology and evolution. 

I am content for now with just what I can learn of the universe and self from science, and of consciousness, thought, reason and logic from philosophy. For now, I am not inclined to expend even more effort to better understand Spinoza's Philosophy or Advaita Vedanta philosophy on the spirituality side. Any future progress on spirituality will be private. 

Each person should inquire at some point in life and reach their belief. There is a wealth of ideas and formal religions out there to pick from. What is bad is extremism/intolerance. Your truth is solely your own to find and everything available out there are just assists, tools and frameworks.  

I will end this essay with a quote from Einstein when he was asked if he believes in God and what his beliefs were on God. 

"Your question is the most difficult in the world. It is not a question I can answer simply with yes or no. I am not an Atheist. I do not know if I can define myself as a Pantheist. The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds. May I not reply with a parable? The human mind, no matter how highly trained, cannot grasp the universe. We are in the position of a little child, entering a huge library whose walls are covered to the ceiling with books in many different tongues. The child knows that someone must have written those books. It does not know who or how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child notes a definite plan in the arrangement of the books, a mysterious order, which it does not comprehend, but only dimly suspects. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of the human mind, even the greatest and most cultured, toward God. We see a universe marvelously arranged, obeying certain laws, but we understand the laws only dimly. Our limited minds cannot grasp the mysterious force that sways the constellations. I am fascinated by Spinoza's Pantheism. I admire even more his contributions to modern thought. Spinoza is the greatest of modern philosophers, because he is the first philosopher who deals with the soul and the body as one, not as two separate things."

Here is a reference to Albert Einstein's beliefs. 

Religious and philosophical views of Albert Einstein - Wikipedia

Here is a reference to Spinoza's philosophy. 

Baruch Spinoza (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) 

Here is a reference to Advaita Vedanta Philosophy. 

Advaita | Hinduism, Monism & Non-dualism | Britannica