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In 2008, David   Shiang wrote God Does Not Play Dice: The Fulfillment of Einstein's   Quest for Law and Order in Nature, a polemic against the idea that chance is involved   in the creation of the universe and the evolution of life. Shiang agrees with   Einstein's well known quotation.

Like Einstein, Shiang's god is not that of any religion, but his basis   for the origin of rational laws and order in nature.

Shiang's basic argument is that we can know through the use of memory   that the past could not have occurred otherwise. This means that the future   is not open to alternative   possibilities and that there are no such things as equally likely outcomes.

If a coin came up heads, it could not have come up tails, according to   Shiang. Each individual physical event is unique, and events can be treated   as identical only for statistical purposes. But predictions   about what will happen in the long run do not mean that chance or alternative   possibilities are possible for any given event.

It is of course only an assumption that events that   are otherwise similar can be assumed to have equal a priori probabilities.   However productive that assumption, Shiang is logically correct that we   cannot prove it to be true in any particular experiment.

Scientific evidence is always only statistical,   based on large numbers of experiments. Evidence can not prove or disprove,   so can not disprove the possibility (sic) that whatever happens is the only   possible thing that could have happened. This is called actualism.

The hypothesis of the "uniformity of nature" lies   behind the idea that a number of independent experiments can be treated as   "identical." But the metaphysical problem of identity shows that   although any two events can share some identical information, there is always   some information in which they differ. So identity is always only   "identical in some respects." which Shiang claims invalidates the   claims by scientists.

Actualism is consistent with the idea that the total information in the   universe is conserved. This is the case for a deterministic universe   like "classical" Newtonian mechanics. It also describes pre-determinism by the laws   of Nature or theological pre-destination by an omnipotent God.

The idea that information cannot be destroyed can be interpreted as the   lack of disorder in the universe, that thermodynamic entropy is zero, as   Shiang claimed in his 1979 book On the Absence of Disorder in Nature.

All science consists of theories built on statistical evidence gathered   from a very large number of experiments assumed to be identical. But as David   Hume's skepticism established centuries ago when he studied the problem   of induction, the constant conjunction of any number of events B following events A   cannot prove that a "causes" B.

Here is Shiang on chance...

It is often   contended that there is experimental evidence for the scientific viewpoint   that "chance" plays a part in the fundamental workings of nature,   but we will see that there is none. Only those who are ignorant of the   underpinnings of science state that nature has been shown to be ruled by   "chance" and "probability." It is unfortunate that   extraordinarily large numbers of scientists fall into this category.

When a fair coin is tossed several times, we observe that some of the   time it lands heads, some of the time it lands tails. In the long run, we   find that it lands heads about 50% of the time, tails about 50% of the time.   Does this observation about the long run in any way lead us to the conclusion   that on any single toss "we must give equal likelihoods for heads and   tails," as Feynman asserts? Not in the least.

If we think carefully about a specific toss that is about to be made,   all we can say is that one of two future states (heads or tails) will occur.   We have no actual evidence to support the notion that these states are   "equally likely" or "equally probable." This view of the   event is simply an assumption based on long-term frequencies. The assumption   is of such considerable importance that scientists and philosophers have even   given it a formal label, "the hypothesis of equal a priori probabilities."

(God Does Not Play Dice,   pp.49-51

Shiang's argument against free   will is very simply stated. Just as you cannot affect the past, he   argues that by symmetry, you cannot affect the future. Shiang is in the   tradition of actualists from Diodorus   Cronus to Daniel   Dennett, who claim that the only possible thing that can happen in the future   is the one thing that actually happens.

One confirms the   notion of actualism, the view that the actual, the real, is the only   possibility. Dennett poses the question, "Could anything happen other   than what actually happens?" The answer is a resounding and unequivocal   "No." One finds that nothing could have taken place in any way   other than the way it actually happened. "Could have," with all its   ghosts and shadows, is reduced to the actual. No more uncertainty and   speculation about "what might have been."

The shocking realization that the past could not have taken place   otherwise is made by consciously exploring what has been called the   "collective unconscious" or "universal mind." There is a   wealth of knowledge in the unconscious that extends far beyond the life of   the individual—some of this knowledge has to do with the past...

The actual (real) situation we find ourselves in today, whether arrived   at in a straightforward manner or through what may be (erroneously) seen as a   series of "chance encounters," "improbable accidents,"   "amazing coincidences," "astronomical odds," and   "fortuitous events," was bound to occur. The present was wholly   unavoidable and unpreventable. Physicists and evolutionarv biologists alike   are constantly telling us how lucky we are to be alive and how we have   overcome huge and overwhelming odds, but luck has nothing to do with it. The   mathematically wild improbabilities they calculate are based on a fundamental   misreading of reality, little more.

(God Does Not Play Dice,   pp.31-33

At first glance,   it may appear that human freedom has no place in a predetermined world.   Nothing could be further from the truth, although we must define precisely   what we mean by "freedom." It can be said that all future events   are completely predetermined, from the place where the next electron will   appear in an atomic experiment to the winners of all future Olympic Games,   but humans still make choices and act upon them. We feel free and go about   acting as though there are no artificial constraints that limit our   activities, but we are acting in the only manner possible.

We have the   feeling of being free but we are not free.

I myself find this an ingenious state of affairs (brilliantly simple,   one might say), but you can find it objectionable if you so desire. However,   if given the choice, I think most of us would rather feel free than be free.

Perhaps there is a paradox here. (No one ever said that nature was   straightforward.) We are reminded of Einstein's "Raffiniert ist der   Herr Gott, aber boshaft ist er nicht," which has been translated in   various ways, including, "The Lord God is subtle, but malicious he is   not." The only alternative in the future that is really "open"   to us is the one that actually occurs, but since we don't know in advance   which it will be, we are forced to choose among various courses of action. If   we don't make a choice, we will probably end up not doing anything! We might   not get out of bed in the morning. Or we might end up playing golf all the   time. (It's not such a bad life; I know a few people who wouldn't mind   trading places with Tiger Woods.) Incidentally, it is not as well known that   Einstein later added, "I have second thoughts. Maybe God is   malicious." Please keep this sentiment in mind as we explore why   scientists have allowed themselves to believe that the lack of perfect design   in nature is proof of Darwin's theory of evolution.

The fact that we don't know what the future will bring is an important   and absolutely essential part of the way things have been designed. If we   knew in advance that we were going to break a leg running the New York City   Marathon, how many of us would choose to make the effort? Before the race is   run, however, the future appears as limitless as our imaginations allow. We   may even have hopes of winning! If everything is predictable in principle,   things would be very boring (except in places like a casino or the   racetrack). Much activity would revolve around refining our measurements and   trying to make better predictions. Having irreducible human uncertainty about   the future is what makes things interesting and keeps us guessing. We know   that we cannot know what will happen, but we realize that only one outcome is   possible.

Very few of us go about feeling that we are manipulated by unseen   forces; to the contrary, most of us find that there is nothing stopping us   from doing what we want. We make choices all the time and exert efforts to   fulfill our desires. The fact that the future is not "open" poses   few practical problems. Think of the issue in another way. In the view of   reality I propose, you have been living in a predetermined world all along.   You never have had any "free will," despite what you may have   thought. But even though your choices may not have been "free,"   have you ever felt like a mere puppet? Have you ever felt a lack of   "freedom"? Of course not.

(God Does Not Play Dice,   pp.41-43

Shiang is also in the philosophical tradition of hard determinists   like Derk   Pereboom and Ted   Honderich. Philosophers of science like J.   J. C. Smart defend a belief in strict determinism on Einstein's theory of   special relativity, in which the future is already out there.

Shiang is sympathetic to the concept of superdeterminism.

[A]ccording to   John Bell (of Bell's Theorem), who used the term   "super-deterministic," the lack of free will solves a fundamental   mystery posed by quantum experiments. The physicist assumes that he or she   can choose which experiment to perform, but if this is not the case and there   is no real choice, then "'the difficulty which this experimental result   creates disappears." In response to an interviewer's question "Free   will is an illusion - that gets us out of the crisis, does it?," Bell   answers "That's correct." This elegant and uncomplicated solution   to many mysteries of the quantum world is of the utmost importance, but it is   hardly taken seriously by the vast majority of physicists. They would rather   reject Bell's "super-deterministic" explanation (despite its   beauty, symmetry, and simplicity) and keep the crisis of quantum theory alive   and well, as they want to preserve free will.

(God Does Not Play Dice,   pp.38-39

Superdeterminism denies the important "free   choice" of the experimenter (originally suggested by Niels   Bohr and Werner   Heisenberg) and later explored by John   Conway and Simon   Kochen. Conway and Kochen claim that the experimenters' free choice requires   that atoms must have free   will, something they call their Free   Will Theorem.

Following John Bell, Nicholas   Gisin and Antoine   Suarez argue that something might be coming from "outside space and   time" to correlate results in their own experimental tests of Bell's   Theorem. Since everything inside space and time is completely causal, the   scientific equivalent of divine intervention - something like Kant's noumenal   world - would be needed for a miracle or creative event outside the laws   of nature.

In his 1996 book, Time's Arrow and Archimedes' Point, Huw   Price proposes an Archimedean point "outside space and time"   as a solution to the problem of nonlocality in the Bell experiments in the   form of an "advanced action."

Rather than a "superdeterministic" common cause coming from   "outside space and time" (as proposed by Bell, Gisin, Suarez, and   others), Price argues that there might be a cause coming backwards in time   from some interaction in the future.

Roger   Penrose and Stuart   Hameroff have also promoted this idea of "backward causation,"   sending information backward in time in the EPR   experiments.

Shiang's insight into the unique character of each event is reminiscent   of John   McTaggart's "B-series" of time, which lies behind modern   metaphysicians who support a "presentist" or   "perdurantist" theory of persistence and the idea   of "temporal parts."

The great Anglo-American philosopher Alfred   North Whitehead attributed the continued existence of objects from moment to   moment to the intervention of God. Without a kind of continuous creation of   every entity, things would fall apart. This notion can also be traced back to   the American theologian Jonathan Edwards, who thought God creates every   person anew from moment to moment, and is responsible for the way the world   is at every instant.

Willard   van Orman Quine proposed that we consider an object as existing in   "stages." Quine's student, David   Lewis argues that at every instant of time, every object disappears,   ceases to exist, to be replaced by a very similar new entity.

He proposes temporal parts as a solution to the problem of persistence. He calls his   solution "perdurance," which he distinguishes from   "endurance," in which the whole entity exists at all times. Lewis   says:

Our question of   overlap of worlds parallels the this-worldly problem of identity through   time; and our problem of accidental intrinsics parallels a problem of   temporary intrinsics, which is the traditional problem of change. Let us say   that something persists iff, somehow or other, it exists at   various times; this is the neutral word. 

The road parts do not exactly   persist. They are intrinsically different parts. The enduring entity does   persist simpliciter.
 Matter that disappears and reappears violates the conservation laws for   matter and energy..

Something perdures iff   it persists by having different temporal parts, or stages, at different   times. though no one part of it is wholly present at more than one time;   whereas it endures iff it persists by being wholly present   at more than one time. Perdurance corresponds to the way a road persists   through space; part of it is here and part of it is there, and no part is   wholly present at two different places. Endurance corresponds to the way a   universal, if there are such things, would be wholly present wherever and   whenever it is instantiated. Endurance involves overlap: the content of two   different times has the enduring thing as a common part. Perdurance does not.

(On the Plurality of Worlds,   p. 202)

References

Shiang's God   Does Not Play Dice Video

Shiang's Weird   Scenes Inside the Gold Mine Video

   Andrea Foster considers herself an Aquarian age astrologer. While she speaks of reality and predictive events, her attitude about astrology is somewhat unique. She does not use benefics or malefics, per se, as she feels planetary energies are equally good or bad, depending on one’s consciousness. If one’s vibration is high, the planet/sign will be utilized or expressed at its best. If one’s vibration is low or there is a lack of consciousness on behalf of the querent, or at least the querent’s environment (family, job, friends), the planet might express its worst energies, and then, LOOK OUT! 

Andrea also has a different viewof aspects. For example, trines don’t necessarily make things good—they may even facilitate difficult events, whereas squares can throw a wrench in the works of supposedly good planets and events or block a negative event.

In addition, Andrea believes that certain signs have different rulers than typically offered in astrology—mainly those signs that share planets, such as Taurus/Libra and Gemini/Virgo. She also doesn’t buy into the negative descriptions of other planetary points, especially Lilith and other feminine asteroids and/or points with “bad raps.” Her studies of the origins of myths and the “patriarchization” of feminine myth compel her to mention that Taurus is really a Cow, for example, and Lilith requires autonomy and equity and therefore simply doesn’t take any shit. These may not be popular views.

Andrea has been studying astrology since around the age of 12, which gives her over 50 years’ worth of learning, practicing, teaching, and experience in the science of astrology. She has been studying metaphysics for at least that long as well. She studied karmic astrology with Judy Hall, has lectured at NCGR meetings, and currently teaches and practices astrology in the Oklahoma City area. Her expertise includes karmic astrology, the Arabic parts, and, occasionally, the use of fixed stars and asteroids in prediction. Her main interest in astrology involves the naming mythology of the celestial bodies and those expressions, investigating karma and past lives as expressed in one’s chart, the prediction of current events, timing of events, and weather predicting.

Andrea Foster is an editor and author who has been in the book business since 1977. She recently retired from coaching the Academic Team at Redlands Community College (8 national wins), teaches Creative Writing online, and how to Write Publish & Market Your Book at the Canadian Valley Technology Center, CVTech. She is a former adjunct instructor for Redlands Community College in Writing, Composition, and Argument. She also is a judge for the National Veteran’s Administration Yearly Creative Writing Contest., as well and helps others write, publish, and market their books. 

Andrea Foster is an editor and author who has been in the book business since 1977. She recently retired from coaching the Academic Team at Redlands Community College (8 national wins), teaches Creative Writing online, and how to Write Publish & Market Your Book at the Canadian Valley Technology Center, CVTech. She is a former adjunct instructor for Redlands Community College in Writing, Composition, and Argument. She also is a judge for the National Veteran’s Administration Yearly Creative Writing Contest.
 

She began as an Op Ed writerfor various newspapers in Connecticut and also did research and investigative reporting on such diverse subjects as government involvement in the arts, nuclear power plants, and toxic waste. She has worked in every form of the media, including television and radio, when living in Houston. In addition, she wrote for columns and blogs for several Houston newspapers and magazines.
 

Andrea has given workshops for booksellers on how to create events and how to improve autographing events as well as seminars for authors at Writer's Conventions on how to get your book published. Her expertise is “How to Market Your Book,” as she is well versed in social media and other forms of creative promotion.
 

Andrea's former life included being Community Relations & Events Coordinator for Borders Books & Music, PR Queen for authors as diverse as Captain Kangaroo and Kinky Friedman, the Regional Buyer (New England & New York City) for Waldenbooks during the Satanic Verses era and performing as a jazz & Motown vocalist while living in France in the late 1980s.
 

Andrea does private consulting with authors for editing, revising, getting published and creating marketing plans and has been doing so for the last 25+ years. Since beginning the Creative Writing group Creative Quills, she and her writers have published over a hundred books collectively. An editor and copywriter, Andrea has been published in magazines, newspapers, and online publications for decades, including TIMEmagazine, the Houston Tribune, the Waterbury Republican American, the Indigo Sun, Chron.com, and more. 

With over forty-five years' experience in the book business, including marketing and promotions, she has been interviewed on major networks about controversial books including Satanic Verses, American Psycho, and non-fiction books by the NRA's Wayne Lapierre.
 

The following is a list of some of the authors with whom Andrea has worked:
President Jimmy Carter                                                 

Newsman David Brinkley
Historian Hedrick Smith                                                

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin
Rational Emotive Therapist Dr. David Burns             

Fiction writer John Grisham
Romance writer Tami Hoag                                        

Screenplay Writer Tony Kushner
Comedian Steve Allen                                                   

"Romancing the Stone"'s Catherine Lanigan
Baseball star Mickey Mantle and sons                       

Mind Body Spirit author Joan Borysenko
Embraced By the Light author Betty Eadie               

 Spiritual author John Bradshaw
Relationships author John Gray                                  

Power of Prayer researcher Dr. Larry Dossey
TV host Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo)  

 Candidate, author, and musician Kinky Friedman

Foster graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interpersonal Communications and a minor in American Cultures from the University of Houston.  Having lived all over the world, she has made her living as a jazz and Motown vocalist and lived on a barge in Europe, along with other escapades in the art, music, and marketing world. She has a number of websites, including  http://www.thebooklady.info with details of other professional experience and volunteer work, http://www.creativequills.com and http://www.writepublishmarketyourbook.com.