Does science provide the same consolation as religion?

[sandandfoam]

I came across the idea put forward by an eminent scientist (R.Winston, Professor of fertility studies, Imperial College, London) that for some the belief that humans are expressions of an intricate genetic programme that creates the drive to have babies offers some of the same consolations as religion.
Does it?

 

[Seven]

For me - absolutely.
I'm filled with awe every time I try to comprehend the size of our solar system, the galaxy, the universe. When I try to imagine the evolutionary processes that led to our existence, or the seemingly endless chain of causes and effects that led to my being born. When I try to understand deep time, relative time, multiple dimensions.
And then there's the sense of mystery that comes from knowing that we don't fully understand it all just yet...

 

[Storm]

I came across the idea put forward by an eminent scientist (R.Winston, Professor of fertility studies, Imperial College, London) that for some the belief that humans are expressions of an intricate genetic programme that creates the drive to have babies offers some of the same consolations as religion.
Does it?

I'm not sure I get it. Could you elaborate a bit?

 

[Comicaze247]

I don't think it does. That's why people still rely on religion. I mean, compare:

"When you die, your body rots in the ground."

"When you die, your soul and consciousness live forever."

 

[Mike182]

I personally disagree, but then again, I don't reduce Religion to a purely social construct.

 

[Willamena]

...offers some of the same consolations as religion.
Does it?

As a generalization, no, simply because the original generalization doesn't work either.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I came across the idea put forward by an eminent scientist (R.Winston, Professor of fertility studies, Imperial College, London) that for some the belief that humans are expressions of an intricate genetic programme that creates the drive to have babies offers some of the same consolations as religion.
Does it?

Well, I've never really found religion to be consoling and I don't really see any consolation in the idea you mentioned, so yes, I think it does offer the same consolations as religion, in that (at least for me) both offer none.

 

[goldwing]

If you have never found religion consoling, how can you say then that genetic programming can be compared to religion in terms of coloation?

 

[goldwing]

i meant, "consolation"

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

If you have never found religion consoling, how can you say then that genetic programming can be compared to religion in terms of coloation?

Because zero equals zero.

If you don't like baseball, how can you say you like hockey just as much as baseball? Same idea.

Also, I was speaking from personal experience. Your experience may be different.

 

[3.14]

depends what you fear

if you fear death religion will console you but religion will not

but if you fear hepitites science is the one who is able to console you

 

[eugenius]

I believe it provides a different type of consolation.

What I get from not being religious are the removal of needless excuses as to why things happen, or god wishes certain events in my life to happen etc etc. I take comfort in knowing that my own decisions will effect the outcome (mainly) in my life, along with chance and other people and that god doesn't have a plan for me, I create my own plan.

If it rains and I crash my car, it isn't because I have sinned or god wants me to be an amputee, it's because of chance and weather and my ability or somebody else's to control the vehicle. The control over my life and future is my comfort. I also believe we have but one life, not another shot, and therefore try to life it to the fullest. Once we're gone, like every other living thing on earth, we're gone forever.

I just never saw the point of living ones life according to something you won't see until you are dead, or devoting yourself to a cause they may exist.

The question I always ask myself is this:

What if god does not exist and I have concentrated, obeyed, devoted, studied etc etc to something that isn't real? Thats scary.

 

[eugenius]

depends what you fear

if you fear death religion will console you but religion will not

but if you fear hepitites science is the one who is able to console you

Great point.

I don't fear death even though I don't believe there is a heaven. I fear AIDS, Cancer, and other deadly diseases and I don't believe religion is going to find a cure for those anytime soon.

I"ll take science and the truth.