An Introduction for Humble Researchers

1. The focus of this book is to encourage researches for vastly more spiritual information to supplement the wonderful ancient scriptures. (Refer to discussion in book Preface.)

2. We stand on the shore facing a vast, uncertain ocean of reality from which future knowledge will be obtained. How large is this ocean? How far might its exploration take those who will live in the future and for whom what we know now may seem quaint? Clearly it is a vista that should humble us, in a similar way as it did even for the great scientist Sir Isaac Newton. Near the end of his remarkable life (1642–1727) of extraordinary scientific accomplishment, he wrote that to himself he had seemed only "like a boy, playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself, in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me."

3. Indeed Newton was correct scientifically. In 2000 his insights can be mastered by highschool students and college freshman. Physics at the cutting edge has come a long way from his day into our contemporary age of curved space-time, supernova explosion codes, high temperature superconductivity, quantum computation, and ten-dimensional superstrings. There are of course reasons to take great pride in what humanity has learned. But we have also learned that human knowledge expands and accelerates. So what the future is likely to bring over time surely will make even the most knowledgeable among us seem to be quite limited in our perspectives.

4. We stand upon an impressive bedrock of research and evidence and concepts secured over the latest five centuries of accelerated scientific progress. This vantage point seems secure and impressive. It looms like a high shore cliff. Human accomplishment has thrust high the solid and impressive tectonics of this landscape. But for each increment of altitude gained, the corresponding vista of the unknown sea expands as well. We can see with our creative imaginations only fleeting glimpses of the future visible ahead, flickering in the depths of our own uncharted human ignorance. To a large extent, the future lies before us like an ocean of unexplored reality.

5. It is exciting to be alive and to think about all the wonders of discovery that lie ahead for future generations. Where will it go? What will be its benefits? All we know is that if we knew we would be very surprised, because reality is surprising. The adventure of science has shown us that it is very deep, very subtle, often strange and ever stretching our imaginations and expanding our horizons. Persons who see the world theistically often think how inappropriate it is to imagine, as we sometimes are tempted to do, that divinity who created and sustains a vast evolving universe through eons of cosmic time placed our generation as the completed purpose of a creative process. Maybe we can expand our horizons and invigorate our sense of purpose if we think that god might have placed us at a new beginning. Are we here for the future and to participate in a grand adventure of the spirit?

6. The universe is vast and possibly eternal, whereas we are small and mortal. Yet, how exciting if our creativity were part of a marvelous, as yet uncomprehended plan. Pascal wrote that "it is not from space that I must seek my dignity, but from the government of my thought. I shall have no more if I possess worlds. By space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like an atom; by thought I comprehend the world." So though we seem insignificant, perhaps our role might be crucial. As human beings we are endowed with mind and spirit and purpose. We can think, imagine and dream. Can we search for future concepts in a rich expanding diversity of human thought? We seem to be permitted in some ways to be created by infinite divinity for an accelerating adventure of creativity.

7. Is there, however, a stumbling block called egotism? Any common closed-minded attitude of humans tempts people to think they might know it all. Egotism as used here refers not so much to the personal flaw but rather to a habit of mind which inhibits the learning process necessary for future progress. As part of a historical legacy of the scientific method, most scientists have learned to avoid the stagnation that comes from accepting a fixed perspective. As a community of inquiry focused on the process of research, they have learned to become epistemologically open-minded, always seeking to discover new insights and new perspectives. They research the wonders of the universe and research many questions which describe what they do not know. When their concepts break down, they devise new hypotheses and test them. They challenge old assumptions, competing with each other in creative professional rivalry. The material progress of human civilization is, in significant degree, in their creative professional hands, guided by open minds eager to explore new areas of information and understanding.

8. Does this appear equally true concerning humanity's spiritual future? Often theologians, religious leaders and laypeople can be blind to obstacles they themselves erect. Many religious people are not yet inspired to hope that the spiritual future could, or should, be improved from anything that has ever been learned before. Many do not imagine that progress in religion may be possible, perhaps by appreciating ways that sciences have learned to flourish and by being creatively open to a discovery-seeking and future-oriented perspective. For so many religious people, the future of religions seems nothing much beyond the preservation of ancient traditions. Some therefore may not want to consider the possibility of a future of progressively unfolding spiritual discoveries. Yet, if our creativity has significance, then what Newton called the "ocean of truth" may hold wonderful possibilities for the future of religion, as it clearly does for the future of science. Could it be possible that the adventure of science can both inspire and assist religion to explore a rich future of "boundless possibilities"?

9. When human beings take a more humble approach, they can welcome new ideas about the spirit just as they welcome new scientific and technological ideas about how to cure infections, how to heat or cool their homes or how to communicate quickly with people who are far away from them.

10. The humble approach is meant to help as a corrective to parochialism in religion. Humility reminds us that our concepts of god, the universe, even our own selves, may be too limited. It is universally a wise teaching in most of the great religions that we are all too self-centered. We overestimate the small amount of knowledge we possess. To be humble then means to admit the infinity of creation and the boundless possibilities within it. Thus can we become motivated and enthusiastic to search for opportunities for us to engage in creativity and gain benefits from experiences and possibilities we may never have dreamed of before? Such an approach asks each of us, whether we are scientists or mainly active in religious-focused lives, to become open to the possible abundance of spiritual potential in our own lives.

11. The key needed may be to cultivate a spirit of humility simply by being open to the possibility of our existence within a divine reality which dwarfs our personal reality. This spirit of humility can exalt us with something far greater and with concepts we may hardly have begun to understand. Can we use our talents to explore the universe to discover future concepts? Many evidences indicate that we have been given talents and intelligence with which to participate in this accelerating creative process.

12. Until the emergence of human beings on the face of the earth, evolution proceeded gradually, unfolding the rich complexity of mineral, vegetable and animal life. Now with human intelligence capable of studying the creator and his creation, evolution need no longer travel only on its previous slow path. Possibly it was the creator's plan that one day his children could serve as useful tools for his creative purposes.

13. At this present moment, the human race, even after thousands of years of historical development, is still at the dawn of new creation. This is a tremendous, awe-inspiring responsibility. It should humble us.

14. Can humility be a key to our future progress? Without it, will we be too self-satisfied with past glories to launch boldly into the challenges ahead? Without a hunger to explore new possibilities and a restlessness to transcend our ignorance, will we be wide-eyed and open-minded enough to discover new areas for research? If we are not humble enough to learn as children learn, we may be unable to admit mistakes, seek advice and try again. The humble approach creates enthusiasm for all of us who are concerned about improving the future of civilization. It is an inspirational approach for all of us who are not satisfied to let things drift and who want instead to channel our creative restlessness toward helping to build a world in which progress is vigorous in spiritual aspects of life as well as in scientific, technological and economic ones.

15. Every person's concept of god is too small. Through humility might we begin to glimpse encouraging glimmerings of the infinity of god? Could we develop a hunger to explore boundless new possibilities? This is the spirit of the humble approach.

16. It is also in open-minded humility that we can learn from each other. An attitude of humility can allow us to be open to each other and ready to see things from another's point of view and share ours with others freely. Through humility we can avoid the sins of pride and intolerance and avoid especially harmful religious strife because it is unlikely any religion could know more than a tiny bit about an infinite god. Humility opens the door to being hungry to discover basic realities of the spirit. Especially, it may allow us to discover ways to learn more, possibly by research methods and perhaps thereby to accelerate progress within religions in the future.

17. Twenty-five centuries ago Xenophanes and twelve centuries ago Shankara taught that maybe nothing exists independently of god and that god is immeasurably greater than all time and space, let alone the visible earth. But only in the 20th century have modern sciences come to realize how very tiny the earth is compared with the billions of galaxies and how very brief human history is in comparison with the age of the cosmos. Contemporary physics is beginning to unveil hitherto undreamed of aspects and even possibly new dimensions of reality that constitute a mysterious and wondrously rich and complex invisible space-time that generates and holds together within its astonishing configuration all that humans can directly observe. The nature of the cosmos hinted at by the direction of fundamental research indicates intricate, complex and sometimes bizarre realities reaching out beyond the known, inspiring wonder and inviting further inquiry. Can humility open the way forward toward even more astonishing aspects of reality?

18. It is hoped that this book will reach many people who have an interest in exploring the possibility that research methods can generate spiritual progress. Can our minds be stretched far beyond the range of their grasp hitherto?

19. Perhaps people will be uplifted and inspired to catch glimpses of unexpected aspects of reality that beckon their inquiry. It is clear that this is a radical notion. Yet, perhaps learning if it is possible to advance research into spiritual reality can be a fruitful exploratory effort, simply to see if there are ways to move forward beyond limits we might ordinarily expect. Were such a goal possible, how fruitful it might be to pursue it. But if we do not even think to try, then how will we know what we will have missed? But if we discovered or had some inkling, then we might be eager to devote our time, talents, creativity and financial resources toward promoting spiritual research.

20. Many highly educated people feel that religion is obsolete. In some senses they may have a point. We typically do not observe the kind of dynamism in religion that we see in other areas of life such as science, technology and business. To many, religion sometimes seems like a kind of history museum which lacks the excitement and vibrancy of other aspects of life that constantly experience innovation.

21. Could young people and intellectuals be attracted to forms of religion that are genuinely dynamic and rapidly progressing? Does this mean that the old ways have to be discarded totally? I hope not, because it is clear that much of the strength of religion is in the precious core of wisdom and truth that it transmits from each generation to the next. So opening up a few religious communities to new concepts and new adventures of spiritual learning should not be like a revolution which attempts to build the new upon the ashes of the old. My own hopes for rescuing various religions from obsolescence would be for the visions and the teachings of the great prophets and teachers of the past not to be disputed. Rather they should be studied again and considered together with recent concepts of reality as springboards toward creating new and even expanded understanding of divinity and inspiration in worship and ritual.

22. This book begins to explore the possibility that developing a humble approach in theology, which encourages research and engages carefully with science, may be even more fruitful than endeavors to reinvigorate inherited systems of thought, whether they be polytheistic, deistic, theistic, monotheistic, pantheistic, panentheistic or even older concepts. Gradually each of us may learn to feel unlimited love for every person, with never any exception, and be grateful for an increasingly rich diversity of thought emanating from research and worship in every land. One of the purposes of this book is to examine or foster the idea that through an expanded search for more knowledge, in which we are open-minded and willing to experiment, theology may produce positive results even more amazing than the discoveries of scientists that have electrified the world with their discoveries in the 20th century.

23. Some experts rather roughly estimate that the total of practically useful information available to human beings has increased over a million fold since Gutenberg invented movable type, a period that is only 10% of the age of human religions, which in turn is less than one millionth of our sun's history. Total information is likely to increase over another millionfold just in the 21st century. But how long will we humans take to multiply even 100 fold our spiritual information? (Refer to discussion in book Preface.)

24. Why do so many intelligent people think theology may have become obsolete, that it no longer addresses reality? Surely, few intelligent people think of physics or astronomy as obsolescent? That is the subject of this book, Possibilities for Over One Hundredfold More Spiritual Information: The Humble Approach in Theology and Science. Theology was once considered as queen of the sciences. It may someday regain that title; but first we may have to learn how to learn in order to regain that title. The Templeton Foundations are eager to make initial investments in careful and rigorous research in order to seek new possibilities. Initially, we realize that it is important to move forward in a clear and rigorous manner and to research topics which may seem quite simple, as, for example, how participating in religious life can help you to be healthier, or how the human mind has an intrinsic spiritual perspective or how the laws of physics seem conspiratorially arranged to allow consciousness or creativity. Later, if some of these studies are successful and are persuasive to skeptics, then we may see more and more research opportunities. Part of science itself and of the humble approach is working on simple, tractable problems and refining the researcher's methods and hypotheses.