The Landscape of Reality

By Pierre Doucet and Paul Doucet

How does a single acorn produce an intricate structure of branches and leaves? How do migrating birds organize into sweeping patterns across the sky? How does a grounded caterpillar acquire wings and the gift of flight? These are just a few of many questions that arise by observing nature with a keen and watchful eye. By addressing these questions, Pierre Doucet and Paul Doucet are inspired to ask an even deeper question. Is the complexity of nature designed or the result of chance events over time?

Through an extensive inquiry into the natural world, they uncover a number of timeless principles that shed light on the question of design or chance. The authors show how these principles offer a rational explanation for the complexity of nature, and also how they apply to the unfolding of life. The Landscape of Reality provides an evidence-based perspective that is grounded in science and nature. From this framework readers are invited to examine their own lives. They will see how the timeless principles in nature—and the universe as a whole—have a profound influence on the nature of reality, and finally, on their unique life experience.

Paul Doucet and Pierre Doucet are identical twins. They live in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, and share the same occupation as operators of a landscape gardening business. Beyond their work experience they are both intensely curious and share a number of common interests. Some of these include: natural science, philosophy, spirituality, world history and current events. For over 25 years they have worked in close contact with nature, and have pondered how nature accomplishes such magnificence and complexity. The Landscape of Reality follows their progression of thoughts, questions and ideas to a logical conclusion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pierre Doucet
• Release date: Nov 18, 2014
• ISBN: 9781770844896

Book preview

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Contents

PART ONE: SETTING THE STAGE FOR DISCOVERY

Chapter 1: Introduction – The Twin Perspective

Chapter 2: One Simple Idea

Chapter 3: Addressing the Big Questions

Chapter 4: Reality and the Concept of God

Chapter 5: The Conflict Between Science and Religion

Chapter 6: The Tower of Knowledge

Chapter 7: Cause and Effect

Chapter 8: Myths and Miracles

PART TWO: A SCIENTIFIC VIEW OF REALITY

Chapter 9: The Universe Revealed Through Modern Science

Chapter 10: The Large the Small and the Forces of Nature

Chapter 11: The Building Blocks

Chapter 12: It Started With a Bang

Chapter 13: The Tree of Life

Chapter 14: The Web of Life

Chapter 15: Super-Size it

Chapter 16: The Principles of Creation

PART THREE: THE NATURAL FLOW OF LIFE

Chapter 17: A Brief Moment of Awareness

Chapter 18: Seeing the Forest for the Trees

Chapter 19: Stuck in Time

Chapter 20: The Time is Now

Chapter 21: Life and Death in the Universe

Chapter 22: Self-Organization

Chapter 23: From Simplicity to Complexity

PART FOUR: SOMETHING ABOUT THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Chapter 24: The Elusive Nature of Consciousness

Chapter 25: Feelings Aren’t Necessarily Facts

Chapter 26: A Response to Uncertainty

Chapter 27: How not Why

Chapter 28: Acts and Consequences

Chapter 29: The Longing for Perfection

Chapter 30: An Era of Disconnect

Chapter 31: Conclusion – The Nature of Reality

Acknowledgements

References

Resources

The Landscape of Reality

Copyright ©2014

Pierre Doucet & Paul Doucet

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, and recording or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the author, except for brief passages quoted by a reviewer in a newspaper or magazine. To perform any of the above is an infringement of copyright law.

Note for Librarians: A cataloguing record for this book is available from Library

and Archives Canada at www.collectionscanada.ca/amicus/index-e.html

ISBN – 978-1-77084-476-7 (pbk)

ISBN – 978-1-77084-489-6 (ebook)

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PART ONE

SETTING THE STAGE FOR DISCOVERY

Chapter 1

Introduction – The Twin Perspective

We are identical twins, and co-authors of The Landscape of Reality. Experiencing life from the perspective of identical twins is fairly unique. Statistics show that only about 3 in 1,000 births are identical twins. From the moment of birth, we were destined to experience life a little differently than most people. In the early years of our lives, our sense of identity was just as much a unity of two individuals, as that of completely separate individuals. It was reinforced by every relationship that surrounded and nourished us. This was neither good nor bad—it just was. It is only as we aged a little, and matured a little that we developed a stronger sense of individual identity, however, the bond was never completely severed.

We share identical genes, and as a result, many common traits. We share common thoughts, feelings, mannerisms, behaviors and interests. Although we are different, our common traits give us a stronger bond than almost any other human relationship. Aside from sharing many aspects of our lives, we also share a uniquely common perspective of life. It is similar to having a second self, with whom we can relay information back and forth. This gives us more than just a second opinion on issues. It gives us a second opinion from practically the same frame of reference. Although there are situations that require a different perspective from someone very different from us, having a common perspective has been invaluable for writing this book. We were able to share ideas, and critique each other’s work, with a common vision for the finished product in mind.

For simplicity, the book is narrated in the first person (I). When we describe personal experiences, we do not specify who is having the experience—it could be either of us. When we present information, provide comments and opinions, it implies that we have agreed on its contents. Although we have individually written separate parts of the book, we have agreed on the ideas, concepts and conclusions. For you, the reader, you can either assume that it was written by one or two persons. Both assumptions would be partly correct. With that cleared up, let’s get started.

* * *

The typical human journey towards understanding the world begins from within the individual, and gradually expands outward with time. For instance, an infant is aware only of his or her immediate surroundings. As a child grows, the knowledge of his world expands outward. This process continues throughout adult life. Although this is a natural and understandable process, it usually leads to an egocentric viewpoint. Life is observed and experienced as it relates to the individual. In this book I take a different approach. I reverse the order of the typical learning process—I begin with the outer world (nature), and work my way inward. I believe that this viewpoint provides a wider and more objective view of reality—at least as much as it is humanly possible.

I am a landscape gardener, an occupation I share with my twin brother. As an operator of a family landscaping business I spend a considerable amount of time in close contact with nature. My work teaches me a great deal about nature, but even more so, it gives me the opportunity to witness the subtle activities of nature. These experiences have imprinted a sense of appreciation and wonder for the complex interactions of the natural world. These are mostly unexpected experiences, like seeing a butterfly gracefully fly overhead, hearing the soothing songs of the birds in the background, and noticing the changes in the plants as the seasons change. And perhaps even more remarkable is the functioning of the insect world. A world far removed from the human experience, and yet just as real. Nature has taught me that there are powerful forces at work outside of human concerns.

Science has been a lifelong interest of mine, and along with the experience of nature, it forms the foundation for this book. After all, what is science but the study of nature? Science, with its devices can probe deep into the heart of reality. It can detect radio waves, microwaves, light spectrums, electrical charges and chemical reactions, just to name a few. Science can reveal aspects of the world that lies beyond the direct reach of our senses. Simply put, science has the most effective tools for describing reality.

From a layman’s point of view, I present an overall picture of what science is saying about reality. When I refer to science, I am not talking about medicine, machines or technology; or how humankind manipulates nature. I focus on the physical and natural sciences—how nature works at its purest level. I rely on the expertise of several past and present leaders in the field. I look at science from different perspectives, focusing mainly on four areas. 1) Cosmology: the study of the origin and evolution of the universe. 2) The microscopic world: the world of atoms, molecules, bacteria and genetics. 3) Evolution and life on earth. 4) Physics: some of the laws that govern the motion and interactions of matter and energy.

If you are not keen on science, please bear with me. It is necessary for the direction this book takes; however, once I cover my bases I will move on. For those who are scientifically inclined, I apologize if you find any notable omissions. Keep in mind that my goal is to present an overall picture from various fields of science, somewhat like connecting the dots, and seeing what picture emerges. By no means is it a complete picture, more like an outline, which the imagination can visualize. More than providing factual scientific information, I also interpret that information. I periodically break away from science with observations from nature, or sometimes with a philosophical angle, which are related to the facts I have covered. If one goes by traditional scientific language, what I present is not a scientific model or theory, but rather, a perspective that is derived from evidence.

* * *

Although this book is grounded in science and observations from nature, a portion of Part One is devoted to examining concepts of God and spirituality. I do so for a few reasons. 1) The content of this book will at times lead readers to their own thoughts about God. 2) Traditional religion was an influential part of my personal journey. 3) There is an unavoidable overlap between science and religion on some of life’s fundamental questions. As the book progresses, I leave religious ideas behind. In Part Two, I turn my attention to science and nature. In Parts Three and Four, I apply what I discover to the human experience, and see how it all fits together.

A substantial portion of this book deals with exploring the nature of reality. It examines the world that exists beyond human perceptions, but also includes human perceptions. People experience reality differently, a product of our individual and subjective perceptions. Although it is impossible to completely remove our subjective perceptions, I propose that the closer we come to identifying the true nature of reality, the better chance we have to align our lives with it. A closer alignment with reality can give us a better understanding of our lives, and will aid us to find more peace and fulfillment. It is similar to determining what direction the water is flowing in a river, and then deciding to row our boat with the current. How often do we struggle in life simply because we are rowing against the current? As the song goes: Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream.

In many ways, this book represents my journey of discovery. It has been a life-long journey towards exploring the nature of reality, and finding my place in it. I invite you to come along for the ride. But before we depart, I have a few words of caution. This journey is not for the faint of heart. Some parts of the journey challenge conventional thinking and it may lead you to re-examine some basic assumptions. I ask that you travel light, and as much as it is humanly possible, leave your preconceived notions of reality behind. All that is required for the journey is a curious and open mind. So fasten your seat belt, and get ready for a wild ride through The Landscape of Reality.

Chapter 2

One Simple Idea

On occasion, a single event can have a dramatic impact on a person’s perspective. Something unexpected happens, and all of a sudden everything seems to be different. A few years ago an unforeseen experience drastically changed my perspective on life. My experience was nothing more than an idea that came to me as a complete surprise. For me, this idea shed new light on a long lasting puzzle, and was the birth of this book.

A concept that had been rolling in my head for many years, yet without any real clarity, was the concept of God. I was first exposed to God as a child in a traditional Roman Catholic setting. Through readings from the Bible, sermons and rituals, I acquired a feeling about God. This God was all-powerful, sometimes harsh, but overall was loving and good. As I matured, I yearned to know more about God, and consequently a number of questions arose. I can’t remember exactly when I started asking questions, but I suppose it was in my teenage years. At first the questions remained in my head, but then I started asking people that I thought had a better handle on the issue. I asked many questions, yet each answer I received merely lead to more questions.

Although I had several questions, a few fundamental questions bothered me more than others. Despite the many pleasures of life, why would an all-powerful loving God allow mankind to endure so much suffering and misery? The faithful would try to explain it away by suggesting it was as a matter of free will, the idea being that poor choices were responsible for causing the suffering. From my perspective this explanation was hollow, lacking the depth and logic I was looking for. It is true that mankind’s behavior has created much misery; however, there are many other causes that are clearly not of our doing. For example, some children are born with terrible afflictions or in horrible circumstances. There are diseases that can strike anyone at any time. And what are we to make of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes (sometimes called acts of God). The arbitrary manner in which these events occurred also troubled me; it all seemed grossly unfair. It appeared to me that if God was all-powerful, he wasn’t all that loving. And if he was a loving God, he wasn’t all that powerful. Perhaps an even more troubling question was related to my own personal experiences. Why had I not experienced God in the darkest hours of my own life? At the worst of times I felt completely alone in my struggle.

Despite these questions, or you might call them doubts at this point, I rationalized that something must have created the universe. How could chance alone have created such an amazing and complex creation? I was stuck in this mode of thinking for many years, until one day everything changed. While I was driving my car on a cool and windy spring afternoon, my thoughts drifted to some of these questions. I could see the trees along the roadside, and the cloud formations being moved by the wind. The activity of the landscape held my attention, and then it came; a simple idea that never occurred to me before. And yet, it was right in front of my eyes all along.

As I pondered this one simple idea, I quickly realized that it had potentially far-reaching implications for me, and perhaps for someone else. When I arrived home the first thing I did was contact my twin brother. Being identical twins we often share ideas, and I was curious to get his opinion. I immediately picked up the telephone and told him what I was thinking. The universe can create itself! There was a slight pause, and then he responded in an affirmative tone, I think you’re right. This idea will be fully explained as the book progresses. But first, there are a number of relevant concepts and questions I want to examine.

Chapter 3

Addressing the Big Questions

There are some fundamental questions that humans have been grappling with since we have developed the ability to reason. These questions deal with the nature of our existence. For instance: Where do we come from? Why are we here? Does the universe have a creator? What is our place in the universe? Is there life after death? What is the nature of reality?

These and other related questions have often been called the big questions. And they have been addressed in various ways, from the dawn of civilization, throughout the ages to modern times. Religions, myths, rituals, celebrations, and even architecture have been built as a response to these questions. Some fields of science have also responded to the big questions. In order to form a view of reality, one will usually have to contemplate some of these questions. Therefore, our answers to these questions play a major role in determining how we see the world.

Although many people may not be consciously aware of their picture of reality, at least not on a daily basis, I believe that the majority of people have some form of picture in the back of their minds. We accept things as facts without regularly thinking about it. For example, we know that gravity keeps us from flying off the earth, and an object thrown in the air will fall down. We know it to the extent that we don’t even think about it. This is a simple example; however, I believe we respond in similar ways on the more complex questions. At different points in our lives we arrive at conclusions to some of these questions, and consequently, it forms our view of reality.

Our view is usually composed of things we know as facts, things we believe by faith, and things we accept as unknown or unknowable. The degree to which each aspect is present varies with the individual. This view of reality is determined over a long period of time, and in segments, eventually creating a whole. It is internalized and we go on with our lives. Some seldom question their view, while others are aware that their view is subject to change. If we were to question and examine our view of reality, would it stand up to reason? Would it form a cohesive whole? Would one part contradict another? Would we have properly separated the knowable from the unknowable? And how would faith factor into the equation?

There are many factors that contribute to establishing our picture. We are influenced by family, friends, society, religion, and life experiences. Genetics also likely plays a role. However, it ultimately comes down to how we interpret the world that we observe and experience. In our modern world we can draw a great deal of insight from science. It is an advantage that no other civilization in history would have had, at least not to the extent we have today.

In ancient times, people were limited to the observable world, lacking the knowledge of modern science. They would have observed the world around them, and drawn conclusions based on their observations. They were actually using a simplified form of the scientific method; however, it was significantly more primitive. The ancients must have intuitively