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| Dr Manhattan |
So i've noticed how there are similarities between
Dr Manhattan from the graphic novel 'The Watchmen' by Alan Moore and the the
God presented by process theology developed by Alfred North Whitehead and
later developed by Charles
Hartshorne . I could not recommend the Watchmen more if you are remotely into anything around comic books, super heros you should pick it up it really is in my opinion like nothing else out there. I also recommend the movie to anyone who is feeling lazy and has the free time the opening credits may possibly be my favorite scene from a movie ever. (see below link)
http://vimeo.com/38649608
http://vimeo.com/38649608
The Watchmen was written as a means to reflect contemporary anxieties and to critique the superhero concept. Watchmen is set in an alternate history where superheroes emerged in the 1940s and 1960s, helping the United States to win the Vietnam War. With America heading towards a nuclear war with the Soviet Union, freelance costumed vigilantes have been outlawed and most former superheroes are in retirement or working for the government. The story focuses on the personal development and struggles of the protagonists as an investigation into the murder of a government sponsored superhero pulls them out of retirement.
Dr Manhattan
Due to being
accidently locked in a room during a nuclear physics experiment Dr Osterman was
taken outside of the physical realm and returned with God like powers. These
include Superhuman strength , telekinesis, the ability to teleport himself and
others over vast distances aswell as controlling matter at a subatomic
level.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGbUcqCXe14
So how is this like
the God of process theology?
Knowledge and Power
Well firstly Dr Manhattan can see the past, present and future all at once, however he still exists within time and space so feels that he is unable to change any of the events which happen, in other words Dr Manhattan is omniscient (all knowing ) but not omnipresence (all present) . While the God of process theology cannot see the future he to is omniscient and so therefore knows that events will happen in the future but like Dr Manhattan, God still exists within in time and space and so is unable to stop coming events, the process God does not act as it would interfere with human free will
( if god is knowledgeable on the events of the future does that mean that events are predetermined ?)
( if god is knowledgeable on the events of the future does that mean that events are predetermined ?)
One key scene from the novel which relates to the problem of evil is when the Comedian (another super hero, I could write pages on him if I had the time ) shots a Vietnamese women that he has impregnated during the course if the Vietnam war after a drunken fight . Dr Manhattan present at the time does nothing, when he confronts the Comedian the response he gets is striking
'you watched me. You could have changed the gun into steam or the bullets into mercury or the bottle in snowflakes! you could have teleported either of us to goddamn Australia....
But you didn't lift a finger. You don't really give a damn about human beings'
As said before Dr Manhattan cannot interfere with these events as he believes that it is predetermined but surly he could have stopped the shooting ? does he view of time take into account his own existence and power ?
The scene could also be interpreted as the view point of a protest atheist angry and questioning Gods allowance of evil to be present in the world . Although interestingly it is presented from the view point of the person causing the suffering (the comedian) who is essentially asking why haven't you stopped me being evil ? Maybe it is a look towards us letting go of divine intervention and looking more at the motives of why humans are evil rather than why evil itself is allowed to exist.
Change
The God of process theology is unlike the God of classical theism as the God is subject to change thus giving up the concept of divine immutability (un-changing). The process God is dynamic and ever changing taking in the new experiences as the universe grows and changes, it is said God develops in creative transformation.
Consequent Nature = Changing aspect of God
Primordial Nature = unchanging aspect of God
So how do you view Dr Manhattan is he God itself or is he the carnation of God ? indeed he has his physical body of which is his primordial nature while his mind is his consequent nature. Over the course of the novel Manhattan's mental health become progressively worse (for example a scene from the novel he ceases to us stairs and just starts walking up the walls and through walls ).
SPOILERS At the end Manhattan effectively gives up on humanity - i'm leaving this galaxy for a less complicated one '. Could this be seen as a weakness of the process God ? What real interest or care should God have over humanity if he did not create them further more why should we worship this God if he does little but influence our world ? Whats there to say that even if this God does exist, that he is still interested in earth. The only viability process has as a theology is that it answers the problem if evil, but then again so does the idea of Gods none existence and so it seems to have no effect than an interesting theory which is impossible to prove .
Process related kinda relevant thoughts
It seems strange to think of having a personal relationship with this God who it follows that we can indirectly influence God changes as a result of experience and so therefore his experience of humans changes him, it is interesting to think in what way Gods experience of us changes him does it make him more human or does it make him less human like, like Manhattan. If the process theology accepts the carnation of God in jesus (which quantum mechanics could possibly allow ) what effect did that have upon the process God ? Couldn't the God of process theology be seen as yet another projection of human nature onto the universe ( Durkheim or Freud ? ),the process God is not created with any purpose, he is not created creatio ex nihilo, God has influence humans but ultimately has no power over them and he is aware of the future but is unable to shape it.
So thats it I'm going to look and re-edit it later and maybe clean up some of the points I don't feel as if I wrote them as they should have been anyway enjoy (just remembered a bit about their power i'll add that later )
'you watched me. You could have changed the gun into steam or the bullets into mercury or the bottle in snowflakes! you could have teleported either of us to goddamn Australia....
But you didn't lift a finger. You don't really give a damn about human beings'
As said before Dr Manhattan cannot interfere with these events as he believes that it is predetermined but surly he could have stopped the shooting ? does he view of time take into account his own existence and power ?
The scene could also be interpreted as the view point of a protest atheist angry and questioning Gods allowance of evil to be present in the world . Although interestingly it is presented from the view point of the person causing the suffering (the comedian) who is essentially asking why haven't you stopped me being evil ? Maybe it is a look towards us letting go of divine intervention and looking more at the motives of why humans are evil rather than why evil itself is allowed to exist.
Change
The God of process theology is unlike the God of classical theism as the God is subject to change thus giving up the concept of divine immutability (un-changing). The process God is dynamic and ever changing taking in the new experiences as the universe grows and changes, it is said God develops in creative transformation.
Consequent Nature = Changing aspect of God
Primordial Nature = unchanging aspect of God
So how do you view Dr Manhattan is he God itself or is he the carnation of God ? indeed he has his physical body of which is his primordial nature while his mind is his consequent nature. Over the course of the novel Manhattan's mental health become progressively worse (for example a scene from the novel he ceases to us stairs and just starts walking up the walls and through walls ).
SPOILERS At the end Manhattan effectively gives up on humanity - i'm leaving this galaxy for a less complicated one '. Could this be seen as a weakness of the process God ? What real interest or care should God have over humanity if he did not create them further more why should we worship this God if he does little but influence our world ? Whats there to say that even if this God does exist, that he is still interested in earth. The only viability process has as a theology is that it answers the problem if evil, but then again so does the idea of Gods none existence and so it seems to have no effect than an interesting theory which is impossible to prove .
Process related kinda relevant thoughts
It seems strange to think of having a personal relationship with this God who it follows that we can indirectly influence God changes as a result of experience and so therefore his experience of humans changes him, it is interesting to think in what way Gods experience of us changes him does it make him more human or does it make him less human like, like Manhattan. If the process theology accepts the carnation of God in jesus (which quantum mechanics could possibly allow ) what effect did that have upon the process God ? Couldn't the God of process theology be seen as yet another projection of human nature onto the universe ( Durkheim or Freud ? ),the process God is not created with any purpose, he is not created creatio ex nihilo, God has influence humans but ultimately has no power over them and he is aware of the future but is unable to shape it.
So thats it I'm going to look and re-edit it later and maybe clean up some of the points I don't feel as if I wrote them as they should have been anyway enjoy (just remembered a bit about their power i'll add that later )
This is beyond awesome! I'm really impressed, Ed. This is evidence of your ability to work synoptically - already - and you show your understanding of what we covered in the lesson last week. The examiners love it when you use examples that relate to your wider reading, so I'm really pleased you've connected this with Watchmen (by the way, Mr Georgiou was excited that you used it!).
ReplyDeleteWe need to work on your written style a little bit, as I don't want that to hold you back when you're doing some really excellent study.