God versus Big Bang
The following article describes the origin of the big bang theory.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Lema%C3%AEtre
Possibly the largest question of our lives, the beginning of the universe definitely plays a strong hand in having been dealt with the effects of information cascade. The big bang theory was first proposed by Georges Lemaitre. Initially, he was dealt with significant opposition. This is a perfect example from the herding example where, irrespective of the inference from the person, the second person will always go with his signal.
With alternate views on this theory, the cascade had not started. After more significantly prominent figures such as Albert Einstein, started supporting Lemaitre’s theory, the cascade finally took off and there began the mass acceptance of the big bang theory as the most probable reason for the start of the universe.
However, there are still currently people who oppose the idea gravely. If the cascade has indeed taken effect, why hasn’t it eradicated people’s doubts? Information cascade does an excellent job of playing the river in the end of a poker match. The reason not everyone believes in the theory is because of the existence of clusters in the world that have densities stronger than the threshold of the cascade. And who comprises these clusters? Religious individuals, for example, oppose this theory as they have a very strong net of neighbors who, like them, believe in the alternative theory that the world was created in 6 days by God.
The following makes another interesting point about the similarities between the two ideas.
http://www.krioma.net/articles/God%20versus%20big%20bang/God%20versus%20Bigbang.htm
Information cascade does not help us predict what will happen in the future, whether we will ever reach a consensus in the matter. However, it does explain reason for the current existence of the debate. It is interesting to think about what would happen if prominent scientists began preaching the existence of miracles and priests began demonstrating the laws of physics. Would it alternate the effects of the cascade and reverse people’s beliefs?