Scientist and Religion
This entry by Adam Bosworth started me thinking about the scientist/technologist that speaks to religion. I found two very ironic counter examples to Bosworth’s thinking on “reason”, Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.
Only recently did I learn from Dr. Dale Johnson (listen for yourself, week 3) that Isaac Newton wrote more about religion that he did science. The referenced Wikipedia entry confirms that, and also quotes Newton as saying, “I have a fundamental belief in the Bible as the Word of God, written by those who were inspired. I study the Bible daily.” and “Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done.”
On the other hand, Charles Darwin, author of the most influential book in biology, would quote the Bible on moral issues, but later in life rejected the Bible. In his own words: “my judgment often fluctuates…In my most extreme fluctuations I have never been an Atheist in the sense of denying the existence of a God. I think that generally (and more and more as I grow older), but not always, that an Agnostic would be the more correct description of my state of mind.”
I think that most would agree that both Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin have had an infinately greater impact on science and technology than Adam Bosworth. I’m not suggesting that Bosworth can’t voice his opinions…after all Adam Bosworth has had an infinately greater impact on technology that me…but I think that his comments require perspective, especially since he sells himself as a historian.
Intelligent people can come to very different conclusions, and this is why I’m so surprised when scientist quickly dismiss intelligent design. After all, aren’t observation and the fomulation of an hypothesis a key steps in the scientific method? No one was present to observe the creation of our world, so we are left to speculate. Credible scientist do concede that the universe has been “fine tuned.”
