This chapter focuses on the way Science currently views the end of the universe indispensability looks at the limitations science has in it's understanding of the point of the whole universe. There seems little point to this chapter other than to point out the futility of holding an atheistic viewpoint to the possible collapse of the universe due to gravitational attractions. In linking in the world of quantum physics Polkinghorne brings the possibility of unknown forces into the picture. Little is understood about the world of quantum physics and I feel that this demonstrates the scientific communities difficulties in postulating about future times. Science is an overcame field, each day new theories put paid to old ones and every couple of decades an old law of physics is challenged and often found wanting. As mentioned in my previous post the concept of such unknown elements as dark matter, skew our thoughts and figures and calculations and although the findings currently fit our mathematical calculations who is to say that this will always be the case. The mystical term omega which determines the fate of the universe may not be a constant and may fluctuate, the universe may not expand and accelerate uniformly.
This chapter ends on a positive note for theologians, the acceptance that by itself science offers us only futility and pointlessness to our existence threatening to deny us of the concept of past, present and future as man made concepts that hold no sway in the big scheme of things, the possibility that our lives on earth are merely a transient phase of insignificance which will invariably have no lasting significance or value. Only a belief in a higher order, a purposeful life and a future that offers hope and salvation can provide us with the means to accept the need to live in a community with our neighbours throughout the world and I hope that this is a theme that Polkinghorne goes on to examine in the subsequent chapters.
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