Is The Higgs-Boson Proof Of God?

by Bridget on August 2, 2012

Lately there has been much news regarding the discovery of what some refer to as “The God Particle”. The Higgs boson is the greatest discovery in the field of particle physics, but what does it really mean? People question if this is proof of God or if it will have an effect on creation science. It’s important, however, to fully understand what the Higgs boson is.

Higgs-Boson

The Higgs particle, also known as the Higgs boson, is classified as an elementary particle. It was discovered on July 4th, 2012. The Higgs particle was initially predicted by the Standard Model theory in physics. It was considered to be one of the seventeen fundamental particles found in the Standard Model. Its actual discovery has confirmed this theory. The other sixteen particles include six quarks, six leptons, the photon, gluon, W, and Z. The latter elements and Higgs particles are classified as bosons. They are responsible for all of the forces in nature except the force of gravity. At this time scientists are still unsure as to how to classify gravity within the Standard Model.

God Particle

The Higgs boson was deemed the “God particle” by Leon Lederman a Nobel Laureate and Director Emeritus of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. This term is widely disapproved of for the Higgs boson. This is because the existence of this particle neither acts as proof of God or disproof. The term “God Particle” was only used once by Leon Lederman in the title of his book. It is important to point out that no scientist actually refers to the Higgs boson as such, but the term has been picked up by the media and as with most issues the media relays, it is widely inaccurate and inappropriate.

Something from Nothing

Unfortunately, due to the media’s hype of the term “God particle” there is much controversy as well as ignorance regarding the Higgs boson. Ultimately, there is a bit of credence to the title as many view the creation of the universe as something from nothing, or that God created something from nothing. Therefore, the Higgs boson offers an explanation as something from nothing, but is not a substitute for God and does not prove or disprove God.

Why It Matters

All matters have mass. However, particles do not contain mass. If this is the case then how do they gain mass? Enter the Higgs boson, the Standard Model hypothesized the unobserved particle, the Higgs boson, and believed that this undiscovered particle could be the key in gaining mass from nothing. The theory purported that particles that entered through the Higgs field would gain mass, so a massless particle would gain mass. The discovery of the Higgs boson validates the Standard Model theory and leads to many more questions regarding the origin of the universe. What it does not do is prove that God exists or does not exist.

Ultimately, the affect Higgs boson has on creation science is minimal. Creationists believe that God created everything in this universe and the discovery and proven existence of this particle only shows how truly awe-inspiring God’s creation is. Proof of God does not come from physicists or scientific discoveries and the Higgs boson does not prove the existence or disprove it. The Higgs boson is just a fantastic discovery in the realm of particle science and helps us understand our universe better.

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