format_quote Originally Posted by
Yahya Sulaiman
What does any of it have to do with whether anything is an open or closed system??
It's an important distinction emphasized by Karl Popper.
For closed systems (such as all games), truth can be ascertained. For example, in the game of baseball, it's "true" that "three strikes and you're out" (according to the rules of the game). Similarly, in pure mathematics (according to the rules of the game), it's "true" that 1 + 1 = 2.
For open systems, however (e.g., the human body, legal systems, and all natural systems), we can never be certain that we possess "the truth"; at best, we can determine only the probability that some claim is true (or, similarly, false).
Einstein made the distinction referring to mathematics as follows:
As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.
Thus, for example, if 1 molecule (or mole) of carbon dioxide (CO2) reacts with 1 molecule (or mole) of water (H2O), the result is one molecule (or mole) of carbonic acid (H2CO3), i.e., 1 + 1 = 1. Similarly, if two pieces of putty or two black holes merge, then 1 + 1 = 1.
The philosophical consequences of such ideas to religion are significant: insofar as they are closed systems (defined by their scriptures), then religious "truths" can be ascertained, but insofar as they are open systems, at best only the probability of the truths of their claims can be determined. For example, if Christianity is treated as a closed system, then the "truth" that Jesus is the son of God can be determined from the New Testament. But in reality, the best that we can do is examine the evidence and, from the evidence, estimate the probability that such a claim is true.
Similarly for the "truth claims" of all religions - thus returning to my original question: How do you determine if some claimed "truth" is true?