Science vs Religion round #8397

Apologies if this discussion has already happened here.

Both are ways with dealing with the unknown. With religion, you start with a theory and then look for evidence to support it. There isn't a better way to do it, because you're dealing with big questions like the structure of the universe.

With science, you start with the evidence and then come up with a theory to explain it. Once you have a theory, you can apply it in other situations and test it. If the theory doesn't work, at least you have more evidence.

The two views are not necessarily incompatible, because they're starting on opposite sides and working in opposite directions. Ideally, the two sides would meet somewhere in the middle, and then we'd understand everything.

However. There are people in both camps who believe that their way is the only way, that they have a monopoly on truth.

Isn't it possible that everyone has pieces of the truth but no one yet has found them all? Will we ever know everything? Why can't we look for pieces we don't have instead of fight over pieces we do have? Is it more important for you to be right or for Them to be wrong?

Under World. It rocks!

No... no. That would be science. Religion is having a dogma, and that's that. Religion is about "revealed truth", and has nothing to do with evidence.

Maybe. How would you find that out? Oh, right, science.

edited 22nd Apr '11 7:15:26 AM by Octo

Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken. Unrelated ME1 Fanfic

I agree with you totally but a word to the wise. This is gonna get ugly fast.

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial

So fun fact, according to Sacred and Secular by Norris and Inglehart the science loving countries are the god loving ones, there is an interesting positive correlation there. Now this may not be true on an individual level but it does speak to a shared cultural value I think (I'd be optimism).

Obligatory self promotion: http://unemployedacademic.tumblr.com/

http://hypnosis.home.netcom.com/iq_vs_religiosity.htm

Da Rules excuse all the inaccuracy in the world. Listen to them, not me.

See: Secularization theory.

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I'm staying out of this, and declaring myself a winner.

Happy Good Friday!

There's no justice in the world and there never was~

^^

This.

edited 22nd Apr '11 9:13:26 AM by Barkey

That.

Edit: Oi.

edited 22nd Apr '11 9:27:42 AM by Yej

Da Rules excuse all the inaccuracy in the world. Listen to them, not me.

Here We Go Again!

With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.

A mental life that included only the elements that science can provide would be too impoverished for me.

"We learn from history that we do not learn from history."

At least we're too busy commenting on Here We Go Again!, than attempting to sink to new lows in Internet Debating.

Science and religion, I has them. Barring specifics, I can't understand why generic faith and scientific reasoning can't co-exist together.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.

While I do not view science as supporting religion, there are many people who do. For that matter, even without following a formal religion, a logical, "scientific" approach can still produce powerful philosophical statements. However, if "religion" is taken to mean "dogma," it inherently violates the scientific method and the concept of testing one's ideas. Religion can exist on science's terms, but science is incapable of existing on religion's terms.

Edit: Let's extend this further. Can't science, seeking to understand the mysteries of the universe, be viewed as a parallel to religion, and potentially even a form of worship?

edited 22nd Apr '11 12:06:41 PM by feotakahari

That's Feo . . . He's a disgusting, mysoginistic, paedophilic asshat who moonlights as a shitty writer—Something Awful

Yay, someone with an idea!

Science is inherently a quest for knowledge. Many people drift from church to church, and I would argue they too are on a quest for knowledge. Those who have stopped looking (or never started) have found their answers and are concentrating on living their lives.

Churches are losing relevance. They need to get back to what they do best—explaining the inexplicable. We now know Genesis is folklore, the true Creation was much more complicated and messy and beautiful. We know much of how the universe happened, but we still don't know why. Can we combine science and religion without getting something like Scientology?

Under World. It rocks!

No such thing. Or if there is, religion is not better equipped to deal with it than science. Because what does religion have to explain stuff? Some old texts?

Science is, at its bottom, a method. The scientific principle. And it works. The counterpoint to the scientific principle is unchangeable, unfalsifiable, unexplained dogma. And that is what religion uses. I don't see how that makes it any better equipped to deal with "why".

edited 22nd Apr '11 12:58:19 PM by Octo

Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken. Unrelated ME1 Fanfic

Oh dear...

...so who wants to jump ship now and go set up a meditation group or something?

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

I hear that torches and pitchforks are really good for roasting marshmallows though.

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian

This is true...We could have roasted marshmallows before we meditate! And after!

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

I'll bring the chocolate bars, who's bringing the grahm crackers so we can do S'mores?

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.

[explaining the inexplicable.]

Think about it. Where did religion come from? "Whoa! Where did that terrific light and noise come from?" "It's, uh, it's this guy in the clouds with a beard and a hammer. Yeah, that's it." Nobody knew where lightning really came from, so they had to guess. They guessed wrong, but they had an answer.

We have a lot more information now. We can make educated guesses about the things we still don't know. If you make the best guesses, you too could become a messiah....

Under World. It rocks!

...I, ah, don't have anything to add to your post. Because that is a perfectly good argument against granted religion an equal place besides science all by itself.

Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken. Unrelated ME1 Fanfic

I'll bring the crackers. I have some at home. You guys can take sitting on your ass for an hour or two doing nothing yeah?

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

To be fair, I think the science VS religion war as it is right now is the result of 15th-16th century "What are you talking about, the seasons aren't a creation of god? Men! ARREST THAT HERETIC" has left modern people thinking that religious men always oppose people/"heratics" coming up with scientific theories for so-called "acts of god", and in turn scientists hate religious people for opposing scientific progress. Realy, THAT STUFF STOPPED AROUND THE LATE 18th/EARLY 19th CENTURY!!!!!

Sorry. just had to get it out. science vs religion was valid long ago, but DEFINATLY not now.

edited 22nd Apr '11 1:52:43 PM by paradisedj32

The names of the electrical charges really ought to be swapped. It is just DUMB that the place with MORE electrons is NEGATIVELY charged.