Miracles - Philosophical Concept | Alexandria
Miracles: Those extraordinary events defying natural law or scientific understanding, often attributed to divine intervention, and perpetually challenging our notions of possibility. Are they violations of nature, or glimpses beyond what we currently comprehend?
The earliest documented considerations of miracles weave through ancient texts and oral traditions. References appear in the Epic of Gilgamesh (circa 2100 BC) and later in the Hebrew Bible (circa 1200-165 BC), where extraordinary acts demonstrate divine power, and were iconized through Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and other events which shaped a distinct intellectual atmosphere. These narratives were not merely historical accounts but served as foundational testaments to religious authority, prompting ongoing debate about the veracity and nature of these events. The Greeks also described strange prodigies through philosophy, such as in Thales's philosophy of naturalism, where rare astronomical events and coincidences were often perceived as divine signs.
Across centuries, the concept of miracles evolved. During the medieval period, figures like Thomas Aquinas integrated Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology, arguing that miracles were indeed acts of God, surpassing created nature yet not contradicting it. The Enlightenment era saw a surge of skepticism, with thinkers like David Hume challenging the empirical basis of miracles, suggesting they were more likely due to deception or misinterpretation. Yet, in the 19th and 20th centuries, figures such as Soren Kierkegaard and later existentialist thinkers like existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre posited that the experience of miracle could also be personal, as subjective phenomenons can be regarded as a miracle of personal experience. Consider the alleged Marian apparitions at Fatima in 1917, or the varying experiences of people during near-death experiences or shamanic experiences. How do these cultural instances of the miraculous affect our understanding of causality and belief? Does faith create the miracle, or does the miracle inspire faith?
Today, miracles continue to captivate and confound. While science seeks natural explanations for seemingly inexplicable phenomena, many still hold firm to the belief in divine intervention. Contemporary moral frameworks grapple with the implications of advanced technologies, like genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, leading us to ask whether manipulating the natural world equates to a form of "miracle-making"--a notion that tests our understanding of moral philosophy, especially when dealing with existentialism or virtue ethics. Are we on the cusp of creating new "miracles," therefore redefining what we consider possible? What are the ethical and philosophical ramifications if we could create or witness events defying our conventional understanding of the cosmos?