How do we know that there is anything beyond the physical universe, under study by various empirical sciences, called the non-physical? If there is any claim for the existence of anything non-physical how do we come to know the same, which is obviously beyond the realm of the physical world? This very vital question can be answered only if those interested in it have an open mind without any preconceived notions of the nature of reality. Can anyone be that open so as to have, so to say, a blank mind as all of us are at various stages of our life with multiple experiences and ideas gained through them? What we have to do at the beginning of our investigations is to bracket them all for the duration of our investigations so that an unbiased mind can look and see what is involved.
The various empirical sciences like physics, chemistry, biology and any other that deals with this physical world uses the principle of causality as the means to inquire into the depths of reality. This investigation from effects to their causes reaches a point where the first cause that starts the process cannot be located, since everything must have a cause. Many scientists fail to realize the logically impossible situation where a closed system of causality is unable to cross over its own limits and locate the beginning of the process of cause and effect.The solution to their dilemma lies in the recognition that their principle of causality is valid only in the material physical world they are engaged in and not to any other dimension of reality. As they are bound up with the physical aspect of reality, they cannot have an overview of the entire spectrum of possible reality that may exist over and above the material, physical
world.
As the scientific method is applicable only to this physical universe and is restricted by the principle of causality that cannot go over the limit of this universe and yet we yearn to know about the beginning of everything, our sole refuge is philosophy. Logic is the stronghold of Philosophy, although it is also applied in Empirical Sciences as well as in Mathematics in their restricted fields. The first principle in Philosophy for explanations or justifications is the Principle of Sufficient Reason that states: Everything that is or exists should have a reason either in itself or outside of it. An existence that has reason in itself and does not depend on the reasons from outside of itself is supported by the prime principles of identity and contradiction or non-contradiction. These two principles underlie a statement like "I AM WHO AM" (See Exodus, 3:14). Anything that has a reason outside itself is governed by the Principle of Causality. Everything that exists in the order of cause and effect is ruled by the Principle of Causality that says that every effect must have a cause outside of itself. This Principle is used by the Empirical Sciences in their investigations and they cannot go beyond the last cause or causes in the empirical order and are handicapped to say anything about the absolute beginning of everything. Here Philosophy comes to our aid with the Principle of Sufficient Reason that can go beyond the Principle of Causality used by the scientific method.This Principle asks for a reason in itself in cases where there cannot be a reason from outside itself, because an infinite regress does not help explain even the Principle of Causality. For the same reason, there cannot be many beings as the ultimate one, but only one. As it has no reason or cause outside of itself, its essence and existence cannot be separate, but identical. Its essence must be its existence and that means that it cannot not exist and that is the Necessary Being whom we call God.
This being the case with our capacity to know things, the fact that the resurrection of Jesus from the dead has elements both physical and non-physical need not baffle us in any way. If it does in anyone's case, that is only because he or she is blindly addicted to the scientific method that is restricted to the merely physical. The scientific method has its uses in its proper field of this physical universe and even in the case of the resurrection of Jesus, the historical and physical elements have been subjected to innumerable scientific studies. Such studies have to stop at the physical level leaving to faith of the believers the transcendental aspect of the reality of resurrection. If the reality of the resurrection of Jesus were restricted to this world alone without any reference to the world to come, it would be of not much consequence to us. Now, to insist, without any reason, that there is nothing beyond this physical universe is most illogical, unwarranted, unscientific and reprehensible. The scientific method sees everything as an object of investigation even in the case of the subject who investigates and does not bother about the world of consciousness that makes every investigation possible in the first place. It is not negligence, but incapacity of the scientific method, where Philosophy is able to make contributions. In the case of resurrection, the role of consciousness is supreme that cannot be touched by the scientific method that includes the neurological, psychological, etc., studies of the mind
The various empirical sciences like physics, chemistry, biology and any other that deals with this physical world uses the principle of causality as the means to inquire into the depths of reality. This investigation from effects to their causes reaches a point where the first cause that starts the process cannot be located, since everything must have a cause. Many scientists fail to realize the logically impossible situation where a closed system of causality is unable to cross over its own limits and locate the beginning of the process of cause and effect.The solution to their dilemma lies in the recognition that their principle of causality is valid only in the material physical world they are engaged in and not to any other dimension of reality. As they are bound up with the physical aspect of reality, they cannot have an overview of the entire spectrum of possible reality that may exist over and above the material, physical
world.
As the scientific method is applicable only to this physical universe and is restricted by the principle of causality that cannot go over the limit of this universe and yet we yearn to know about the beginning of everything, our sole refuge is philosophy. Logic is the stronghold of Philosophy, although it is also applied in Empirical Sciences as well as in Mathematics in their restricted fields. The first principle in Philosophy for explanations or justifications is the Principle of Sufficient Reason that states: Everything that is or exists should have a reason either in itself or outside of it. An existence that has reason in itself and does not depend on the reasons from outside of itself is supported by the prime principles of identity and contradiction or non-contradiction. These two principles underlie a statement like "I AM WHO AM" (See Exodus, 3:14). Anything that has a reason outside itself is governed by the Principle of Causality. Everything that exists in the order of cause and effect is ruled by the Principle of Causality that says that every effect must have a cause outside of itself. This Principle is used by the Empirical Sciences in their investigations and they cannot go beyond the last cause or causes in the empirical order and are handicapped to say anything about the absolute beginning of everything. Here Philosophy comes to our aid with the Principle of Sufficient Reason that can go beyond the Principle of Causality used by the scientific method.This Principle asks for a reason in itself in cases where there cannot be a reason from outside itself, because an infinite regress does not help explain even the Principle of Causality. For the same reason, there cannot be many beings as the ultimate one, but only one. As it has no reason or cause outside of itself, its essence and existence cannot be separate, but identical. Its essence must be its existence and that means that it cannot not exist and that is the Necessary Being whom we call God.
This being the case with our capacity to know things, the fact that the resurrection of Jesus from the dead has elements both physical and non-physical need not baffle us in any way. If it does in anyone's case, that is only because he or she is blindly addicted to the scientific method that is restricted to the merely physical. The scientific method has its uses in its proper field of this physical universe and even in the case of the resurrection of Jesus, the historical and physical elements have been subjected to innumerable scientific studies. Such studies have to stop at the physical level leaving to faith of the believers the transcendental aspect of the reality of resurrection. If the reality of the resurrection of Jesus were restricted to this world alone without any reference to the world to come, it would be of not much consequence to us. Now, to insist, without any reason, that there is nothing beyond this physical universe is most illogical, unwarranted, unscientific and reprehensible. The scientific method sees everything as an object of investigation even in the case of the subject who investigates and does not bother about the world of consciousness that makes every investigation possible in the first place. It is not negligence, but incapacity of the scientific method, where Philosophy is able to make contributions. In the case of resurrection, the role of consciousness is supreme that cannot be touched by the scientific method that includes the neurological, psychological, etc., studies of the mind
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