The intellectual journey of Gerd Ganteför, a professor at the University of Konstanz. “I no longer believe in a materialistic universe,” he says, explaining how his study of physics ultimately led him to God.

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From anti-theism to God, thanks to physics.

This is the intellectual path of Gerd Ganteför, Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Konstanz (Germany). The structure of the universe, he explains, strongly invites reflection on a reality that goes beyond pure matter.

He has been retired for two years and now devotes himself to prolific online science outreach, publishing two videos a week on his channel “Grenzen des Wissens“: one on astrophysics, the other on energy and climate.

 

Climatology and alarmism

On this latter topic, he criticizes current climatology as being “characterized by dogmatism and alarmism”, and is in turn accused of denialism.

However, he stands his ground: “The greenhouse effect exists, caused by CO₂ and the burning of coal, gas, and oil,” he stresses, “and there is global warming caused by humans, no doubt. But the media and climate activists are turning it into hysteria.”

“We are not doomed,” he says. “Humanity will not go extinct because of climate change.”

 

“I no longer believe in a materialistic universe”

His other major interest is astrophysics and what he calls the “limits of knowledge.”

In his latest book, “The Enigmatic Fabric of Our Reality and the Limits of Physics”, Ganteför explains why he no longer believes in a materialistic universe – that is, a worldview in which the universe resembles a gigantic machine whose gears, in the form of natural laws, control the course of determined processes.

Gerd Ganteför points out that although physics is effective at describing laws and constants, it cannot explain the ultimate “why”: why is the speed of light exactly 300,000 km/s? Why are physical parameters such that life becomes possible?

The reflections in his videos, followed by about 125,000 people, cover some of the most debated topics in modern cosmology: the apparent “fine-tuning” of the universe, the multitude of natural constants that allow the existence of complex systems, and the nature of information as a constitutive element of reality.

From here, the renowned physicist draws a conclusion: “The deepest level of our existence contains a metaphysical, spiritual level. It is simply not purely material.”

He is convinced that the materialistic worldview has long been shaped by an atheist perspective, to the point that in one YouTube video he targets Richard Dawkins, author of “The God Delusion”, stating that Dawkins does not argue as a natural scientist but as an ideological activist.

 

An universe designed precisely for life

Another surprising discovery made the physicist think.

“The universe seems made specifically for life,” says Ganteför. “If the fundamental constants and the laws of nature were even slightly different, our universe would appear completely different, and we would not exist. If it were one or two parameters, we could dismiss it as mere chance. But there are 50 to 100 of them! That really makes you think.”

In another of his videos, he reflects on Darwinism and Christianity with these words: “Grace is a Christian concept. Christianity is the overcoming of Darwinism. I would not want to live in a world where Darwinism prevails.”

He discussed this in conversation with a colleague, Ralf B. Bergmann, professor of physics at the University of Bremen, agreeing on the reasonableness of belief in God.

Meanwhile, in a more personal video he stated that he is “Christian down to his roots,” and that “the substance of the world is spirit: ‘In the beginning was the Word,’ even if this cannot be demonstrated through physics.”