Some might take this as proof of the divine.

But I'll take this as reasonable, if flawed, skepticism. I'm taking about an opinion piece written by Paul Davies. In it, he argues that science is just as much a kind of faith as any religion, based on the belief that the rules governing the observed universe are consistent in all its precincts, unvarying in every respect. I agree that it is absurd to believe this--and equally absurd not to, given our observations so far.

There are some problems with his article. He fails to emphasize how the Physics establishment he assails as unwilling to examine its assumptions has actually overturned major theories every now and then. Relativity? Particle Physics? He's unwilling to simply acknowledge that the practice of science itself is not rational, let alone some of its social and metaphysical underpinnings.

The error here is that the author has forgotten about the bizarre immutability of reason itself, especially in its purest form: mathematics. Two plus two equals four, and it seems beyond imagining that this formula would ever produce a different result. Until we can conceive of a universe or a location within our own where two plus two equals three (imagine how easy nuclear waste disposal would be--just bring two barrels together with two more and you have 25% less waste?), I remain rooted in my faith that there are "laws" of physics. He's right to question this, but the questioning is as irrational as science itself and refuted by reason and mathematics.

CDs listened to today:

• Pop Will Eat Itself: Box Frenzy
• Ingram Marshall: Hymnodic Delays
• Ottorino Respighi: La Boutique Fantasque
• Kenny Wheeler: Music For Large & Small Ensembles
• Bill Watrous: The Tiger Of San Pedro
• Sleater-Kinney: The Hot Rock
• Alfred Schnittke: Symphony No. 8