Freedom vs. Determinism

Part 4. Autopoietic Emergence

In attempting to “keep faith” with Darwin some biologists have proposed a theory of “Autopoietic Emergence.”  Donald Braxton summarizes this theory as follows:

Emergence “designates moments when various systems develop an internal dynamic that generates an entirely new level of complexity, a qualitatively different mode of existence that cannot simply be reduced to its constituent parts.  To the natural scientist, emergence is an expression of transcendence without reference to final causality or central organizing principle.  Autopoietic [self-creating] emergence is more congruent with contemporary understandings of the universe than the traditional anthropomorphizing [God] concept of teleological design.”

This theory is asking us to accept the possibility that matter (us) can be shaped by physical laws in such a way that it can transcend the physical laws that created it.  They envision a biological world in which a myriad of microscopic components from molecules to cells have been aggregated through natural selection into organ systems (brain, nervous system, etc) that are a “qualitatively different mode of existence,” that is, they are able to transcend their creator—Chance and Necessity.  It would seem that Autopoietic Emergence has deified the immanent into the transcendent.  They have re-articulated the Christian paradigm as explained by St Irenaeus, “If the Word has been made man, it is so that men may be made gods,” into a “more congruent…contemporary understanding” by which “Scientific Materialism has explained that Natural Selection created man and through autopoietic emergence evolved him into god.”  And this transcendent man-god is truly free as he is free of “teleological design,” that is, purpose for which he/she is obligated to fulfill.  Indeed, this man-god is now the Protagorian man: He is now the measure of all things and in no need of being conformed into the image of the Word made flesh (Rom 8:29)—that was the Ancien Régime.

But before the Scientific Materialists get too excited about Autopoietic Emergence they have, as Ricky would say, some “splainin” to do”.  Can proponents of “Autopoietic Emergency” explain the nature of this “internal dynamic” that yields a qualitatively different mode of existence?”  Can they point to a single verifiable example of this phenomena without resorting to circular arguments that assumes only materialistic forces are at play and that free will exists so therefore the latter must have emerged from the former?  Can they propose a method by which they could either prove or falsify this theory?  If they cannot then I am left to suggest that it is far more likely that this is a rather desperate example of  “… a tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because of an a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism” and of a materialistic absolutism that will not “…allow a Divine Foot in the door.” 

So, I believe what the Materialistic Determinists have left us with is no good accounting for Free Will other than it is a delusion foisted upon us by our creator:  chance and necessity. 

“It is amazing that a process as amoral and crassly pragmatic as natural selection could design a mental organ that makes us feel as if we’re in touch with higher truth. Truly a shameless ploy.”
~ Robert Wright, Evolutionary Biologist

So if you don’t want to take personal responsibility for your actions, now instead of saying, “The devil made me do it, now you can say, “Chance and Necessity made me do it.”  If you agree that your sense of freedom and free will is just an illusion you can embrace your existential angst and distract yourself; may I suggest a smart phone and social media.  If you want to stop being angry at the way things are because other people are jerks, now you can remind yourself it not their fault or anybodies fault because, as Henry Standing Bear [from Longmire] would say, “It is what it is.”  If this is you, then you’ve found your home in Materialistic/Scientific Determinism.

Sorry, the previous comments were rather facetious of me.  I wonder, though, about the growing influence of Materialistic/Scientific Determinism in our culture and the absolute confidence that increasing numbers of our citizens have in an evolutionary theory that ultimately must deny human freedom.  I doubt many actually understand that there is much that classical Darwinism simply can’t explain regarding our human experience and they would probably rather be left in the dark in this regard.  Why?  I suspect that they rather agree with Lewontin in not allowing a “Divine foot in the door” of their lives, at least one they associate with a host of restriction on their personal “self-delusion” of freedom.  I trust you see the irony in this.  But now we’re going to let that Divine foot through the door and consider the Judeo-Christian view that, along with the contribution of Greek philosophy, became the foundation of Western civilization’s understanding of freedom, liberty, law, and our governmental institutions.

Next: The Marriage of Athens and Jerusalem