Philosophical Thought of the Day
A question was posed on my class message board recently:
Are the principles of science and the beliefs in a theistic god compatible or incompatible?
This was my response:
I feel that belief in a theistic god is mostly incompatible with the principles of science. Foremost is the Christian Creation story: Adam and Eve. Christianity is a widely followed monotheistic religion with many different branches. These branches range from those which believe in a literal translation of the Bible to those which have begun to reconcile the differences between science and religion. At the heart every branch of Christianity, however, is the belief that man was created in God's image and that the only way to reach heaven is by achieving salvation through Jesus Christ.
One of the primary goals of scientific reasoning is to prove or disprove scientific theories. It is easier to disprove a theory than it is to prove one, and while science cannot expressly disprove the presence of some omnipotent being (such as God), it can provide a very convincing argument against Creationism to those who are willing to be convinced: evolution.
However, religion and science do not differ fundamentally, and in fact can coexist peacefully. Religions developed around the world because of the human need to justify our existence. Scientific research exists because of the human need to better understand ourselves and the world around us.
That being said, I pose the question: without faith that there is something worth understanding, would science have a place in the world's cultures?
Are the principles of science and the beliefs in a theistic god compatible or incompatible?
This was my response:
I feel that belief in a theistic god is mostly incompatible with the principles of science. Foremost is the Christian Creation story: Adam and Eve. Christianity is a widely followed monotheistic religion with many different branches. These branches range from those which believe in a literal translation of the Bible to those which have begun to reconcile the differences between science and religion. At the heart every branch of Christianity, however, is the belief that man was created in God's image and that the only way to reach heaven is by achieving salvation through Jesus Christ.
One of the primary goals of scientific reasoning is to prove or disprove scientific theories. It is easier to disprove a theory than it is to prove one, and while science cannot expressly disprove the presence of some omnipotent being (such as God), it can provide a very convincing argument against Creationism to those who are willing to be convinced: evolution.
However, religion and science do not differ fundamentally, and in fact can coexist peacefully. Religions developed around the world because of the human need to justify our existence. Scientific research exists because of the human need to better understand ourselves and the world around us.
That being said, I pose the question: without faith that there is something worth understanding, would science have a place in the world's cultures?