The Campbells

Hal and Jean Campbell moved to Sidney in 2008. Hal was a college professor at the California State University, and continues to teach via online courses. Jean is active in a variety of church and community activities. Jean and my wife (Shelley) have become the best of friends. I am friends with Hal Campbell, and find him to be a “regular guy” and also someone who has extremely intelligent and interesting views on Science, Philosophy and Religion.

Hal Campbell wrote the book, Why: The Philosophy and Science of Multivariate Reasoning. The book, which can be purchased online (from Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com) is used as a textbook for college students, but also has appeal to “normal people.” Hal has a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University with specialization in Statistics, Systems Analysis, Public Law, and Philosophy. His multidisciplinary training is unique, and qualifies him to speak on a variety of topics.

Campbell notes that scientists adopt a skeptical view of the world, and don’t accept something as true unless it can be proven to be so. From a statistical viewpoint, they start every inquiry with the Null Hypothesis, which states that no relationship exists between two variables. They insist that research and statistical analysis be completed before they are willing to scientifically say that a significant relationship exists between two things – the independent and dependent variables – and multiple studies are required before you can formulate a theory about “cause and effect” relationships. Campbell also notes that just because something hasn’t been “proven” doesn’t mean that it isn’t true.

In the Middle Ages there was a famous philosopher, William of Ockham, who claimed that “the simplest explanation tends to be the correct one.” And many people likewise want to believe that one thing leads directly to another thing. In Campbell’s book that is referred to as “univariate” analysis. Science has shown, however, that “multivariate” analysis more correctly explains real life phenomena. There are multiple things, for example, that influence the population of sea otters in Alaska: food supply, sea level, water temperature, presence of predators, etc. Campbell also notes that a young man’s search for “the perfect wife” also includes many variables: physical appearance, finances, capacity for fidelity, parenting skills, etc. In other words, if we don’t look at “multiple variables” then we are not likely to know much about sea otters – or what it takes to enter into a successful marriage.

Campbell’s book describes the statistical tools that are used to analyze natural events. This information is useful for students in all academic disciplines, but also is of interest to non-students. His writing uses many examples of things that “normal people” can relate to, and thereby reaches beyond the confines of the college classroom. His book is also bold enough to assert that Science, via deductive reasoning, can prove the existence of God. Campbell says that scientists need to broaden their intellectual horizons in order to discover new truths. And deductive reasoning for the existence of God is an example of how the gap between Science and Religion can be bridged.

Campbell offers several examples of phenomena in the material world that cannot be explained in human terms. (1) Our natural view of the world is inherently limited. The earth, after all, is not flat – as it was once thought to be. (2) The Bible has been shown to be a remarkably accurate historical record, which could not have happened (by a probability of 1 to ten million) unless it was divinely inspired. (3) Quantum Mechanics, according to Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein, proves that there are realms of existence (mass, energy, and subatomic parallel universes) that do exist – and these phenomena are well beyond a human’s ability to observe. (4) Some things, like the Shroud of Turin, can only be explained by the conversion of Matter to Energy, which qualifies as a miracle. (5) Some biologic topics (like the origin of the Bacterial Flagellum) cannot be explained in Darwinian terms, and could serve as proof of Intelligent Design.

Campbell says that these five premises “provide a plausible explanation that God is light (or energy) and because God is Light, [he] is not bound by temporal limitations.” Arguments of this nature might seem unnecessarily “scientific” to some, but are useful to those who have adopted Modern Man’s tendency to look at Life through the microscope of scientific inquiry.

I found Hal Campbell’s book to be an interesting discussion of Science and Statistics, and was impressed with his use of numerous examples to demonstrate these concepts. I feel fortunate to know Hal and Jean Campbell, and can state (with a high degree of probability) that they make Sidney a more interesting place to live in.