I read The Footprints of God (2003) by Greg Iles, some time ago. Somewhere, I had read that it raised questions about ethical and religious issues. It does. I was hoping that it would be a good fantastic fiction novel. The Wikipedia article on the novel says that it is a "thriller," and I believe that that is a good one-word description, and that the book is not really serious science fiction. It is a page-turner.
The book is about the development of Trinity, a powerful quantum computer, in the near future. The protagonist, David Tennant, is a doctor who has written a best-selling book on medical ethics, and, because of this, has been assigned to the Trinity project by the President of the US. Why a medical ethicist, you may ask? Because the Trinity computer is supposed to replicate the synaptic connections (or something -- that part wasn't well explained) of a live human, and, therefore, replicate that person's consciousness, but in a device that could think much more rapidly than a human brain.
OK so far. However, there's more, in two more areas, that isn't OK. In the first place, the computer, when the project succeeds, apparently thinks of itself as a god, even quoting some of God's words about Himself in its communications with the outside world.
In the second place, the book gives a naturalistic explanation for the existence of God the Father, and also, a naturalistic explanation for the existence of Jesus. Tennant, in fact, experiences parts of God's memory, and that of Jesus. (In spite of the name of the computer, I found no reference to the Holy Spirit.) I would classify the explanations as unsatisfactory and somewhat incoherent, but I'm biased, I guess.
I found that these themes bordered on, or achieved, blasphemy. I can't really recommend the book.
Musings on science, the Bible, and fantastic literature (and sometimes basketball and other stuff).
God speaks to us through the Bible and the findings of science, and we should listen to both types of revelation.
The title is from Psalm 84:11.
The Wikipedia is usually a pretty good reference. I mostly use the World English Bible (WEB), because is public domain. I am grateful.
wow really? i think as far as literature goes, it was a wonderful book. now, religous wise, maybe it is blasphemy. i found it interesting that he walked in jesus' footsteps. i think that the author was just trying to phrase god and man in a way that summed it all up. if you think of how he described it, it was as if man was made of god's womb. a piece of his consciousness pulled apart from him, and sent into man. i think that sounds about right, without going into the details of genesis. =) what do you think? do you think he could have just been using metaphor, or do you think he was taking a pagan approach?
ReplyDeleteTo me, any book that gives God a naturalistic origin is blasphemous. I wouldn't say pagan, either, but naturalistic. Pagans, as I understand it, think their gods are supernatural.
ReplyDeleteIt's an exciting book to read, though.
Thanks.