by PSacramento 58 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I do NOT think that one must leave their faith "at the door" to be a good scientist
Of course you must.
Theism makes science impossible - religious scientists can only work by leaving their beliefs outside the lab.
For example, if you are doing a study of epidemiology in connection with a cancer treatment how do you factor in how often god decided to answer a prayer in spite of an ineffective treatment?
Just the other day on here, an ultra-religious poster strongly held the opinion that doctors should not be diagnosing schizophrenia and should be telling schizophrenics that they are "normal".
Yes I saw that. It was despicable and dangerous.
Science and technology by their very nature require unconditional respect for fundamental moral criteria. They must be at the service of the human person, of his inalienable rights, of his true and integral good, in conformity with the plan and the will of God.
Uh, no. When I look at the things a large majority of religious people say, the last thing we want is for powerful technology to be conformed to what they think the will of God is.
Imagine if during the Inquisition the church had napalm? Imagine if, during the Crusades both sides had nuclear bombs? Imagine if Westboro had Iron Man suits? Imagine if Islamic terrorists has missles loaded with depleted uranium?
Of course you must.
Disagree and so would any religious scientist.
For example, if you are doing a study of epidemiology in connection with a cancer treatment how do you factor in how often god decided to answer a prayer in spite of an ineffective treatment?
I don't know what you mean here...
Disagree and so would any religious scientist.
Their religious faith cannot play a part in rational experimentation and research. In that sense, it must be left at the door.
I think it is an exagerration to say it has done everything init power to squelch science
I don't think it's an exaggeration. Religion has done more harm than good to the advancement of mankind and knowledge. In the past, they burned entire libraries, suppressed scientific research, persecuted those who tried to learn.
Today, they do it by politically fighting and outlawing research, such as stem cell research. (A whole 'nother topic, I know.)
Uh, no. When I look at the things a large majority of religious people say, the last thing we want is for powerful technology to be conformed to what they think the will of God is.
That is the tricky part, yes I agree that brings certain issues but that would depend on how a scientist understands the "will of God" and, in the ocntext of what was written, the will of God being mentioned mean that science must conform to a moral criteria and be for service of mankind.
I don't think anyone woudl disagree that science should harm mankind, do they?
Imagine if during the Inquisition the church had napalm? Imagine if, during the Crusades both sides had nuclear bombs? Imagine if Westboro had Iron Man suits? Imagine if Islamic terrorists has missles loaded with depleted uranium?
Lets be clear that, to commit attrocites, as we know, doesn't require one to be religious at all.
Their religious faith cannot play a part in rational experimentation and research. In that sense, it must be left at the door.
You mean it can't be a factor in determing how to understand the results?
The likes of Newton and Galileo and others sougth to understand that world BEACUSE of being religious
Newton is a classic example of how religion and science are in direct opposition.
He beautifully described many laws about planetary motion that we still use today, however he could not expain why all the planets revolve around the sun on the same ellipses. He concluded...
"The six primary Planets are revolv'd about the Sun, in circles concentric with the Sun, and with motions directed towards the same parts, and almost in the same plane. […] But it is not to be conceived that mere mechanical causes could give birth to so many regular motions. […] This most beautiful System of the Sun, Planets, and Comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being."
Newton stop being a scientist and started talking nonsense when he fell back on the supernatural as an explanation for things we now understand.
Religion and science are enemies that can only co-exist by the benevolent hypocrisy of religiously minded scientists.
That is the tricky part, yes I agree that brings certain issues but that would depend on how a scientist understands the "will of God" and, in the ocntext of what was written, the will of God being mentioned mean that science must conform to a moral criteria and be for service of mankind.
Everyone that is religious thinks their view is the moral one.
Lets be clear that, to commit attrocites, as we know, doesn't require one to be religious at all.
Of course not, but it certainly helps.
Lets be clear that, to commit attrocites, as we know, doesn't require one to be religious at all.
Or in how to form a hypothesis or carry out the tests or research.
