Thoughts on Theology in Science by Kenneth Francis: Berkeley Vs Solipsism
Theology in Science, written by Kenneth Francis, is a fascinating book that covers a variety of topics from quantum theory to the dream life of spiders. For myself, the portion of the book I found the most interesting was the discussion on George Berkeley and the philosophical idea known as solipsism. Solipsism claims the only thing that is sure to exist is one’s own mind. This is an idea that I find particularly irritating. If I am the only thing that exists, and my reality is some sort of byproduct of my own imagination, then I have some words for the manager. Speaking from a storytelling standpoint, I’ve always found the idea irritating because realities that are essentially an illusion are detrimental to stakes in a plot. There’s a reason the Matrix franchise has to consistently return to reality. If the whole movie were set in the Matrix and Neo died, nobody would have much reason to care because he’s probably still alive somewhere and can be rebooted at some point. In order for the suspension of disbelief to take place, the audience …
