What Scientists Believe
March 9, 2011 8:37 PM Subscribe
Just what do scientists — including the most influential scientists — actually believe concerning religion?
Einstein gently reminds us that the highest achievements of the intellect cannot inspire or sustain themselves. The true scientist finds inspiration beyond science — in a sense of reverence for the order of the universe and wonderment at its mysteries.
Einstein gently reminds us that the highest achievements of the intellect cannot inspire or sustain themselves. The true scientist finds inspiration beyond science — in a sense of reverence for the order of the universe and wonderment at its mysteries.
This post was deleted for the following reason: poster's request -- cortex
I received your letter of June 10th. I have never talked to a Jesuit priest in my life and I am astonished by the audacity to tell such lies about me. From the viewpoint of a Jesuit priest I am, of course, and have always been an atheist.
- Albert Einstein, letter to Guy H. Raner Jr, July 2, 1945, responding to a rumor that a Jesuit priest had caused Einstein to convert from atheism; quoted by Michael R. Gilmore in Skeptic, Vol. 5, No. 2
posted by jet_manifesto at 8:51 PM on March 9, 2011 [4 favorites]
- Albert Einstein, letter to Guy H. Raner Jr, July 2, 1945, responding to a rumor that a Jesuit priest had caused Einstein to convert from atheism; quoted by Michael R. Gilmore in Skeptic, Vol. 5, No. 2
posted by jet_manifesto at 8:51 PM on March 9, 2011 [4 favorites]
Just what do SOME scientists — including the most influential AND LONG DEAD scientists — actually SEEM TO believe concerning religion?
Ahh. That's better.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:56 PM on March 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
Ahh. That's better.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:56 PM on March 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
Oh, and in case anyone else was wondering, The New Atlantis is apparently published by the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative lobbying group self-described as "dedicated to applying the Judeo-Christian moral tradition to critical issues of public policy."
So, uh, yeah.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:00 PM on March 9, 2011
So, uh, yeah.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:00 PM on March 9, 2011
Wait, so scientists too fear death and seek comfort in their cultures' dominant myths about all-powerful loving Fathers who reward belief in all-powerful loving Fathers?
posted by orthogonality at 9:07 PM on March 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by orthogonality at 9:07 PM on March 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
"sense of reverence for the order of the universe and wonderment at its mysteries" != belief in God or religion
posted by parrot_person at 9:07 PM on March 9, 2011
posted by parrot_person at 9:07 PM on March 9, 2011
Can we talk about this later? I have a grant application due Friday, some reviews to do and a paper to write before the end of next week.
posted by bonehead at 9:10 PM on March 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by bonehead at 9:10 PM on March 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Oh, and in case anyone else was wondering, The New Atlantis is apparently published by the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative lobbying group self-described as "dedicated to applying the Judeo-Christian moral tradition to critical issues of public policy."
So, uh, yeah.
That Ethics and Public Policy Center looks pretty odious. I did not detect a hidden pro-religion agenda in the piece (I actually (mis?)read the conclusion to be the opposite of that). If I had realized that connection I would not have posted it.
posted by jjray at 9:10 PM on March 9, 2011
So, uh, yeah.
That Ethics and Public Policy Center looks pretty odious. I did not detect a hidden pro-religion agenda in the piece (I actually (mis?)read the conclusion to be the opposite of that). If I had realized that connection I would not have posted it.
posted by jjray at 9:10 PM on March 9, 2011
I experience wonderment emptying the sink after doing the dishes. All that hydrogen and oxygen, merrily forming a liquid, topped with a chemical foam, littered with particles of stuff that was made in stars billions of years ago, the sound of it blurping down the drain, vibrating the same hydrogen and oxygen around my head, into the extraordinary construction that is my middle ear, and from there to my brain.
But that doesn't mean I believe Jeebus is going to do the drying up.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 9:11 PM on March 9, 2011 [4 favorites]
But that doesn't mean I believe Jeebus is going to do the drying up.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 9:11 PM on March 9, 2011 [4 favorites]
I see the author is a professor but honestly that is just some sloppy writing. He summarizes what some scientists have thought about religion throughout history and then concludes that "true scientists" think a certain way.
I'm honestly not surprised that this came from some sort of quasi-conservative journal (I had never heard of New Atlantis before now) because this is exactly the kind of sloppy shoe-horning hatchet job that I've come to expect from conservative commentators.
There isn't even an argument here. It's just "Einstein said things about God. True scientists are religious. In conclusion, France is a land of contrasts. Thank you."
posted by Avenger at 9:12 PM on March 9, 2011
I'm honestly not surprised that this came from some sort of quasi-conservative journal (I had never heard of New Atlantis before now) because this is exactly the kind of sloppy shoe-horning hatchet job that I've come to expect from conservative commentators.
There isn't even an argument here. It's just "Einstein said things about God. True scientists are religious. In conclusion, France is a land of contrasts. Thank you."
posted by Avenger at 9:12 PM on March 9, 2011
Just what do SOME American scientists — including the most influential AND LONG DEAD scientists — actually SEEM TO believe concerning religion?
Ahh. That's better.
posted by Decani at 9:13 PM on March 9, 2011
Ahh. That's better.
posted by Decani at 9:13 PM on March 9, 2011
To be charitable, Kepler and Galileo and such were not Americans.
What scant statistics there were given do not seem to be causative, and it seems pretty hard to get causative data. I could believe that scientists are mostly composed of the doubters of life: the question is, if you make a person a scientist, do they then become a nonbeliever?
posted by curuinor at 9:15 PM on March 9, 2011
What scant statistics there were given do not seem to be causative, and it seems pretty hard to get causative data. I could believe that scientists are mostly composed of the doubters of life: the question is, if you make a person a scientist, do they then become a nonbeliever?
posted by curuinor at 9:15 PM on March 9, 2011
"In the summer of 1939, Albert Einstein spent his summer on Nassau Point, on eastern Long Island. My grandfather, David Rothman, was owner of Rothman’s Department Store in nearby Southold.
One June day, Einstein came into the store. Of course, my grandfather recognized him at once. He decided, though, to treat him just like any other customer.
“Are you looking for something in particular?” he asked
“Sundials,” Einstein said in his thick German accent.
Now, Rothman’s has always had a large variety of items—just about everything from housewares, to fishing tackle and bait, to hardware, to toys, to appliances. But no sundials. Not for sale, anyway. But…
“I do have one in my back yard,” my grandfather said.
He led Einstein—who seems a bit bewildered—to the back yard, to show him the sundial. “If you need one you can have this.”
Einstein took one look and began to laugh. He pointed to his feet. “No. Sundials.”
Sandals. Those, he had."
posted by growabrain at 9:16 PM on March 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
One June day, Einstein came into the store. Of course, my grandfather recognized him at once. He decided, though, to treat him just like any other customer.
“Are you looking for something in particular?” he asked
“Sundials,” Einstein said in his thick German accent.
Now, Rothman’s has always had a large variety of items—just about everything from housewares, to fishing tackle and bait, to hardware, to toys, to appliances. But no sundials. Not for sale, anyway. But…
“I do have one in my back yard,” my grandfather said.
He led Einstein—who seems a bit bewildered—to the back yard, to show him the sundial. “If you need one you can have this.”
Einstein took one look and began to laugh. He pointed to his feet. “No. Sundials.”
Sandals. Those, he had."
posted by growabrain at 9:16 PM on March 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
« Older The Ashtray: A Series on Incommensurability | The future, for a little while anyway Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Avenger at 8:44 PM on March 9, 2011 [7 favorites]