"The Theory of Everything"

The recent movie by this title is the story of Steven Hawking, a British physicist noted for his book "The Brief History of Time." The focus of Hawking's development as a physicist was his quest for "the perfect equation." He believed that there existed a single equation that could explain all of life, such as origin of universe and the meaning of time. The word "theory" does not refer to abstraction or "blue sky" as many generally think. A theory is simply explaining the way something is. While some of the fascination with Hawking has been his contribution to secular humanist philosophies, some has been his miraculous initiatives during his dehabilitating illness.

As I sat watching an interesting story, but trying to understand what he really was saying (he has a lot of contradicting positions), it dawned on me that "The Theory of Everything" great minds pursued is not AN EQUATION, but the demand there must be AN EQUATION. What do I mean by this? In my research and studies I have come to the conclusion that the core explanation of the natural world (as evidenced by economics, ecology, physics, religion, and humanity) is the equilibrium imperative. The very fact that everything needs an equation to be properly explained is in itself the basis for everything. The need to have the left side of an equation to be in balance with the right side of the equation is the fundamental explanation of everything. Hawking actually acknowledges this (albeit unknowingly) when he writes, "ever since the dawn of civilization, people have not been content to see events as unconnected and inexplicable. They have craved an understanding of the underlying order in the world."

Without ever questioning it, people immediately seek "cause and effect", every outcome must be connected to a cause -

    
Columbine, Katrina, 9/11, price of oil, 2008 financial crisis, and so on. People are obsessed with what's on the other side of the equation, never questioning their assumption that there must be an equation. What explains everything is the requirement for equation (equilibrium).

Hawking found his work especially problematic in dealing with humanity. In his book he states, "If there really is a complete unified theory that governs everything, it presumably also determines your actions. But it does so in a way that is impossible to calculate for an organism that is as complicated as a human being." I find his lack of application for his "theory of everything" in human behavior interesting because my theory of everything does explain human behavior. In the field of humanity the equilibrium imperative is explained by the companion theories of Social Exchange, Equity, and Attribution (as I have written about many times in various forms). BTW, my theory of everything is not really mine, God gave it to all of us in His word.

An interesting object lesson embedded in Hawking's story is his wife. Falling in love with Steven as a Ph D student before his illness, she decided to marry him when she found out about his illness and "committed her life" to helping him through his challenges, given she thought he would only live two years. After many years of tremendous courage (3 children with Steven) and sacrifice of her own pursuits for a Ph D, she eventually succumbed to the pressure of a seemingly one-way relationship. At some point what was on the left side of her equation denoting benefits of relationship with Steven didn't balance with her sacrifices and lack of self satisfying life experiences. So the marriage ended and she sought to live her life with another man. Disequilibrium seeking equilibrium explains the behavior of his wife. Although she was a member of the Church of England, her Christianity had not transformed her from being subject to the governance of her humanity.

This is where the "Theory of Everything" runs into a problem, even mine. Hawking's and my theory on the equilibrium imperative explains only the natural order of life. Lets call this the kingdom of this world, governed by equations. God tells us that He has a Kingdom and it is different. Grace, not equilibrium, explains how this Kingdom is governed. We are told that His Kingdom is eternal and invisible, while the kingdom of this world is temporal and visible. Jesus would often say, "The Kingdom of heaven is like this...", to emphasize another Kingdom.

Thus we have a problem with a theory for everything, there are two worlds, which are distinctly different. So different that the core theory for each are completely contradictory (incompatible). Maybe this is why Hawking kept finding a need to contradict himself. He was anchored in one kingdom but occasionally receiving glimpses of the other Kingdom.

That's how the movie made me ponder ......