Randomness


Three kinds:

  1. Of evolution: random mutations operated upon via natural selection.
  2. Of quantum mechanics: the location of the electron (for example) upon wave function collapse is random.
  3. Even if the path of a moving particle (for example) is fully determined by previous cause and effect, when observing it at some randomly chosen time, its location (for example) is random, because you can't construct the cause and effect chain back to the big bang.

Also, free will introduces randomness. But free will must be a result option #2 above. Whatever it is that triggers a free will choice must do so at the quantum mechanics level, by monkeying with the randomness of quantum mechanics (unless you want to propose that the soul violates the laws of physics).

And likewise, if you want to propose that God or the intelligent designer created things supernaturally and miraculously, then this must be achieved by monkeying with the randomness of quantum mechanics (unless you want to propose that God violates the laws of physics).

A side effect of interacting at the quantum mechanics level is that it involves extreme micromanagement of every elementary particle, and this has to be done in such a way as to not violate the randomness. As an analogy, if you willfully throw a coin as heads, you have to also throw a coin as tails to balance out the odds so they are always 50%.