Is Science a Good Thing?

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

Is Science a good thing? Does it do good?

Most assuredly!

And properly used, it most certainly does good! (If not, then the opposite may be the case.)

In the Baha'i view science and religion are NOT in contradiction, but rather dovetail very nicely!

Science may be said to explain the "how" of things, whereas religion explains "Who" and "why." They thus address different, largely non-overlapping domains, but come together nicely to form a complete whole!

The quickest way to get into trouble is to use either one without the other!: Science without religion is gross materialism (bigger and better nukes); religion without science is superstition (witch-burning).

And the Baha'i scriptures also say (sorry: I don't have the citation handy) that if a religious doctrine disagrees with established science, then that doctrine is simply wrong.

There is also this marvelous quote from 'Abdu'l-Baha in the Baha’i scriptures:

“[E]ven in Europe it is admitted that religion is the opponent of science, and that science is the destroyer of the foundations of religion. While the religion of God is the promoter of truth, the founder of science and knowledge, it is full of goodwill for learned men; it is the civilizer of mankind, the discoverer of the secrets of nature, and the enlightener of the horizons of the world. Consequently, how can it be said to oppose knowledge? God forbid! Nay, for God, knowledge is the most glorious gift of man and the most noble of human perfections. To oppose knowledge is ignorant, and he who detests knowledge and science is not a man, but rather an animal without intelligence. For knowledge is light, life, felicity, perfection, beauty and the means of approaching the Threshold of Unity. It is the honor and glory of the world of humanity, and the greatest bounty of God. Knowledge is identical with guidance, and ignorance is real error.

“Happy are those who spend their days in gaining knowledge, in discovering the secrets of nature, and in penetrating the subtleties of pure truth! Woe to those who are contented with ignorance, whose hearts are gladdened by thoughtless imitation, who have fallen into the lowest depths of ignorance and foolishness, and who have wasted their lives!”
—(Some Answered Questions, page 137)

Best!

Bruce

 

[Kurt31416]

Greetings!

Most assuredly!

And properly used, it most certainly does good! (If not, then the opposite may be the case.)

In the Baha'i view science and religion are NOT in contradiction, but rather dovetail very nicely!

Science may be said to explain the "how" of things, whereas religion explains "Who" and "why." They thus address different, largely non-overlapping domains, but come together nicely to form a complete whole!

The quickest way to get into trouble is to use either one without the other!: Science without religion is gross materialism (bigger and better nukes); religion without science is superstition (witch-burning).

That makes sense to me.

 

[Kurt31416]

Science is the study of the natural world and how things work. Dogma is a set of principles or tenets.

Science is the ability to predict experiments, not a bit more and not a bit less.That is it's dogma.

If the ability to predict experiments says one thing, and "the study of the natural world and how things work" and "a collection of knowledge" and God's handwriting in the sky says something else, science takes the side of the ability to predict experiments 100.000000...% of the time.

 

[olla86]

Is Science a good thing? Does it do good?

I'd be interested in the opinions of the whole spectrum of beliefs, both religious and not.

Science is very contradictory thing and sometimes it is good but sometimes it is not!

 

[ThereIsNoSpoon]

Science is the ability to predict experiments, not a bit more and not a bit less.That is it's dogma.

An ability by definition is not a dogma.

 

[Kurt31416]

A dogma that has the word "ability" in the stated dogma isn't a dogma? If Christian or Muslim dogma includes something about "ability" it's not dogma? Not. Plenty of "abilities" are claimed by all kinds of dogma.

 

[ThereIsNoSpoon]

A dogma that has the word "ability" in the stated dogma isn't a dogma? If Christian or Muslim dogma includes something about "ability" it's not dogma? Not. Plenty of "abilities" are claimed by all kinds of dogma.

A dogma is a dogma.
Of course this is regarless of whether it contains the word ability or any other word.
By merely starting with "a dogma" you rule out anything else. Its a dogma by definition so to speak.

However, your original claim/sentence was "Science IS THE ABILITY.....".
No dogma here. And ability is not a dogma, nor is dogma an ability.

 

[slave2six]

The people of Germany just did what they did?

Of course. And the Japanese did what they did. No one had to convince them that it was right. It was part of their cultural identity. Just like the Arabs and Israelis who live in the Middle East. The reason that there will never be peace in the Middle East is simply that each group chooses to hate the other and will not relent. Even without religious dogmas to support their positions, the Arabs would still hate the Jews and want to wipe them from the face of the Earth.

Read a history of the German people and you will perhaps better understand why what they did was even possible whereas it would not be possible in the US or England or Spain. If anyone today came out with the Nazi dogmas and preached them around the US, they would not sway people to believe them. The ideas only hold power over people who already hold them. Thus, people use dogmas to justify their actions - not the other way around.

 

[slave2six]

"Should the last of the smallpox virus be destroyed resulting in its universal extinction?"

That can only happen if those who would make it into a weapon would agree to destroy it but then people like that can't be trusted so it's necessary to keep some on hand just in case a vaccine is ever needed.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

If anyone today came out with the Nazi dogmas and preached them around the US, they would not sway people to believe them. The ideas only hold power over people who already hold them. Thus, people use dogmas to justify their actions - not the other way around.

That is an egregiously stupid and extremely dangerous statement.

 

[slave2six]

In the Baha'i view science and religion are NOT in contradiction, but rather dovetail very nicely!

I think that has been true in most religions throughout history including the ancient Egyptians, Aztecs, Norse and other ancient religions. In fact, I cannot think of any religion except Christianity that does not incorporate some form of the natural sciences into its belief system.

 

[Man of Faith]

Science is a great thing and is possible because of an orderly universe. That is why Christians decided that science was possible, from reading the Bible.

 

[slave2six]

That is an egregiously stupid and extremely dangerous statement.

Really? What would it take to convince you to join the KKK? Unless you are already a bigot/racist no amount of effort will sway you to join them. Unless you are raised by racists (and even then not always) - which is as close to a closed society as you can get in this country - you will not suddenly become racist because someone says you should. Or would you?

This is why it is very hard for religious people to become atheists - they simply believe what they believe and use every weird and convoluted thought process to justify something that they believe but that cannot be proven and then make dogmas out if their beliefs. It is next to impossible to lay out facts before such a person and sway them to accept them. And it's nearly impossible to sway an atheist to believe in any religion by simply telling a really good story.

We see it here all the time.

 

[slave2six]

Science is a great thing and is possible because of an orderly universe. That is why Christians decided that science was possible, from reading the Bible.

Wrong. The rise of Christianity - which taught that the world is passing away - directly correlates with the rise of the Dark Ages in Europe in which ignorance reigned for a thousand years.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Really?

Yes, really.

 

[slave2six]

Yes, really.

Then I pity you.

 

[Tiapan]

Is change possible. A young kid because he has access to guns holds up a supermarket and kills some one. He is of course in the wrong. After 20 years in prison if caught, free if not, would he do the same today?

The question is are we capable of change? Is this really the same person?

Cheers

 

[BruceDLimber]

The rise of Christianity - which taught that the world is passing away - directly correlates with the rise of the Dark Ages in Europe in which ignorance reigned for a thousand years.

Nay, more!: It was the rise of ISLAM and what the crusaders learned in the East and brought back with them--medicine, astronomy, and various technologies--, that sparked the European Renaissance!

Best!

Bruce

 

[Tiapan]

Nay, more!: It was the rise of ISLAM and what the crusaders learned in the East and brought back with them--medicine, astronomy, and various technologies--, that sparked the European Renaissance!

Best!

Bruce

So none of this existed in the west prior to the crusades?

Cheers

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

It was the rise of ISLAM and what the crusaders learned in the East and brought back with them--medicine, astronomy, and various technologies--, that sparked the European Renaissance!

So none of this existed in the west prior to the crusades?

I won't say "none," but a lot of it didn't, no!

Peace,

Bruce