Wednesday, July 30, 2003

From this 'In Focus' article from Butterflies & Wheels

Believers and theists seem to have no hesitation or diffidence whatever about assuming their beliefs are both true and synonymous with virtue, and saying as much. This is a peculiar arrangement, any way you look at it. The side that has it right, that considers evidence and logic and probablities, is politely silent. The side that has it wrong, that ignores evidence and logic and just believes, never shuts up.

This viewpoint troubles me for two reasons. If you consider 'Science' within this supposed holy grail of "evidence, logic, and probabilites", then this comment betrays at the very least a complete inability to believe, a priori.
'Science' is not a complete system by any means, it is only a method. In order for the scientific method to be used to study a given phenomena, that phenomena must be capable of meeting the prepositions of the method. These prepositions include- being observable and falsifiable. Are there not Truths which exist that cannot be predicated these? This says nothing about the validity or 'reality' of the phenomena, but only that a given method is unsuitable for its study. (BF Skinner railed against the path psychology was headed for the explicit reason that it began investigating phenomena that, in his opinion, were not subjected to the scientific method- non-observables.) The point being - if the scope of one's acceptance of is 'right' depends solely on 'evidence, logic, and probabilites', then one has not had the opportunity to truly weigh each alternative, dismissing one from the beginning not because of its inherent Truth but instead because it does not lend itself to your method of investigation.

There can be no dialogue between science and religion, because of this. Dialogue breaks down because of the limitations set up by defining "evidence" in a particular way. The only question left is whether you 'prove' one of two things in your own life- you either believe

"even when all possible scientific questions have been answered, the problems of life remain completely untouched. Of course there are then no questions left, and this itself is the answer."

or

"Dei providentia et homine confusione"

My choice? well, Im an optimist.