Mixed Metaphors

Last night I saw the film "Knowing." I had seen the previews and, as a Sci Fi fan, there was little chance that I was going to miss a movie like this. However, before I committed to buying the tickets, I consulted Rotten Tomatoes [http://www.rottentomatoes.com] The site is sort of a clearinghouse for all things movie. Specifically, it gathers reviews, compiles the commentary and declares a particular film either "fresh" or rotten." At the time of my consultation, the fresh-o-meter was weighing Nicolas Cage's latest movie 24% fresh. That is, 3 out of every 4 expert had judged "Knowing" not really worth seeing.

In addition to a general distaste for science fiction, several critics were put off by the inclusion of divergent worldviews to tell the story. The critics resisted the director's employment of scientific and mathematical explanations along with religious and spiritual elements. They seemed offended by what appeared to be a crossing of borders. I found this a curious criticism for a science fiction film but I was not altogether surprised.

There is a common assumption within our society. It is the misguided belief that science and religion are diametrically opposed--that one can either have a scientific view of the world or a religious view of the world. The assumption probably has its roots in the early modern era when some philosophers and scientists believed that it was possible for human beings to discover and know external truth. The movement, commonly called, The Enlightenment, promoted a path to knowledge that was based not on existing authorities (such as the Church or culture or various governments) but through "objective inquiry." This model continues to be the prevailing methodology for human knowledge today. However, most scientists now understand that there is a significant problem with the initial assumption of The Enlightenment. Specifically, there is a problem with objectivity. As long as human beings remain part of the very world that they are seeking to know, true objectivity is simply impossible.

This is not to say that science is wrong. It is rather to say that any claims to truth that we make, even those based on scientific inquiry, are bound by our human condition and the languages that we use to describe the world in which we live. For example, atomic theory or quantum mechanics are not really definitive explanations for the universe. These are rather helpful--and currently the most helpful--ways for us to explain the world around us. Some scientists rightly call them "best guess." In this way, science is actually a religion--not in the traditional sense of worshiping a deity but in terms of it's basic purpose of supplying meaning to the world.

Now some people find this offensive. Curiously, they find it offensive in exactly the same kinds of ways that some Christians once found the The Enlightenment offensive. This is because we build our lives upon the beliefs we hold. We engage the world through the metaphors that we trust. It is only when we perceive them to be under attack that we typically bother to consider the foundations upon which we are standing. In this way, hearing about the limitations of human knowledge always feels at least a little threatening. This is true for traditional religion. But it is also true for modern explanations of the world such as secularism, atheism and even modern science. The irony here is that most of the Church has already gone through this. Our universal claims have long since been relegated to one, now very small, corner of the room. So it's sort of funny to watch the people who stuck us there come to grips with that demeaning refrain, "well that's just religion."

Of course, I doubt little of this history went into the making of "Knowing." I suspect that it is more like the director wanted to tell an interesting story and felt free to use various metaphors to do so. At the same time, this freedom is probably a sign that things have changed. Science is no longer the iron-clad metaphor that it once was. Again, this is not good or bad. It is just a reminder that human knowledge remains an ongoing conversation.

Is "Knowing" a good film? I don't know. I like science fiction so I liked it. From a religious perspective I certainly found it engaging. What is perhaps most engaging is how well the film captures the limits of human knowledge. While this can be a threatening consideration, it can also be an insightful moment of growth for us.

The Bible consistently calls for the importance of faith. Perhaps the importance here is not so much about blind obedience as it is an acceptance of the limitations of the human condition. It is a good thing to seek and learn and know. Scientific inquiry is a critically important part of this. In the same way, it is wise and good to seek and know beyond the mechanics and processes.

Curiously, toward the end of Einstein's life and work, this became his most urgent question. Although he could not yet identify it, he firmly believed that there must be a singular, unified theory of the universe. The question remains: are human beings capable of comprehending such a thing from our current perspective? In the end, if and when we actually do come to "know," are we not likely to find that the explanation is indeed unified? That the truth finally includes the best of what we call science and religion?