a comparison of science & religion

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A Comparison of

Science & Religion

Ron Herman, MS, MBA

Director, Freedom From Religion,

Albuquerque

Darwin Day, February 12, 2014

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A Comparison of

Science & Religion

• Importance of understanding the differences

– Clarity in educational & media programs

– Human progress – globalization, technology, ethics, …

– Human survival – many threats

– “Who we are” to the public – clarify image

• Differences muddled by

– Humanist authors, speakers

– Religious leaders, scientists, & politicians

– Media

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Common Misunderstandings

1. Science & Religion are in the same domain of philosophy – overlapping “magisteria.”

2. Faith in Science is not different from faith in Religion.

3. Both explain reality & the natural world.

4. Science is no more reliable than Religion.

5. Religious institutions are essential.

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Striking Differences:

Let’s not take them for granted!

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Reading List

• “Joining Science & Religion,” Arthur M. Jackson

• Inquiry Techniques for Teaching Science,

William D. Romey

• The World’s Living Religions, Archie Bahm

• The Fundamentals of Extremism: The Christian

Right in America, Kimberly Blaker

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Reading List

• The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, Carl Sagan, 1996.

• Science and Religion: Are They Compatible?, Paul Kurtz, Ed., 2003.

• Science & Religion, A Historical Introduction, Gary B. Ferngren

• Organizational Behavior, Essential Tenets, Joseph E. Champoux

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Reading List: Skeptical Inquirer

• “Science and Religion: Conflicting or Complementary?”, Kendrick Frazier, 1999

• “Science and Religion 2001: Introductory Thoughts,” Kendrick Frazier

• “Science Versus Religion: A Conversation with My Students”, Barry Palevitz, 1999.

• “You Can’t Have It Both Ways: Irreconcilable Differences?” Richard Dawkins, 1999.

• “Holy Wars: An Astrophysicist Ponders the God Question,” Neil deGrasse Tyson, 2001.

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Reading List: Skeptical Inquirer

• “Celebrating Creation,” Chet Raymo, 1999.

• “Science vs. Religion: Teach the Difference, Resolve the Conflict,” Zoran Pazameta, 1999.

• “The Dangerous Quest for Cooperation Between Science and Religion,” Jacob Pandian, 2001.

• “Ann Druyan Talks About Science, Religion, Wonder, Awe … and Carl Sagan,” Ann Druyan, 2003.

• “Point of Honor: On Science and Religion,” Susan Haack, 2004.

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Reading List: Free Inquiry

• “A Secular Humanist Definition: Setting the Record Straight,” Tom Flynn, 2002.

• “Religious Humanism and the Dangers of Semantic Distortion,” Frank L. Pasquale, 2002.

• “God, Science, and Delusion,” Arthur C. Clark, 1999.

• “Breaking the Wrong Spell,” Richard Sosis, 2007.

• “Awesome Versus Adipose: Who Really Works Hardest to Banish Ignorance?” Peter Atkins, 1998.

• “Selling Out Science,” Sam Harris, 2006.

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Reading List: DDHH

• The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins, 2006.

• Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon, Daniel Dennett, 2007.

• End of Faith: Religion, Terror, & the Future of Reason, Sam Harris, 2005.

• Letter to a Christian Nation, Sam Harris, 2006.

• God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, Christopher Hitchens, 2007

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1. Science & Religion

from Philosophy

• Originally “Natural Philosophy” &

“Metaphysical Philosophy”

• Are there

– Two “magisteria,” teaching authorities?

– One authority based on the supernatural?

– One authority based on science?

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1. Science & Religion

from Philosophy

• Natural & Metaphysical Philosophies grew apart

– Greek Geeks: Natural Explanations, Only!

– Christian Supernaturalism & Natural Philosophy

vs. Pagan “Superstition”

– Spread of literacy

– Protestant revolution & Catholic Church

– New natural discoveries

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Science & Religion

from Philosophy

– Natural selection & evolution – Darwin

– History of Conflict between Religion &

Science, John W. Draper, 1874.

– History of the Warfare of Science with

Theology in Christendom, Andrew D. White,

1896.

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Science & Religion

from Philosophy

• “No conflict!”

• Two Magisteria or teaching authorities

– Overlapping means conflict

– Non-Overlapping MagisteriA (NOMA)?

S. J. Gould, NAS, Popes (sort of)

• One Magisteria

– Kenneth Miller, E. O. Wilson, Francis Collins,

Russell Genet, Arthur Jackson

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Science & Religion

from Philosophy

• Jacob Pandian: “Dangerous Quest for

Cooperation Between Science & Religion”

– “Saint” Augustine: “Religio” is knowledge about the

natural world and humankind as created by God

– Spiritual = Supernatural =/= Awe & Wonder

– Theology is the study of God & the universe

• Claim: there is one magisteria – religion!

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Supernatural or Natural?

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Science & Religion

from Philosophy

• Religious leaders claim to be non-superstitious

& have the answers about the natural world from God.

• Intelligent Design = Creationism

• Prohibit Church/State law suites

• Faith-based initiatives & cultural dominance

WHICH DO YOU TRUST

TO TEACH KIDS, TREAT ILLNESS

& ASSIST GOVERNMENT?

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Selected

Observations

&/or

Experiments

Hypothesis -

Working

Guess

More

Observation

&/or

Experiments

Theory

Start

Over

Reasoning

PASS

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Reject

FAIL

or

Modify

Law

“Science” is the

“knowledge to make”

something useful.

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2. Faith in Science & Religion

• Scientists have working knowledge

& a growing stock of data

• “Faith” is confidence in imaginary beings

without repeatable evidence,

in spite of errors & contradictions

• “Faith” has justified oppression,

abuse, bigotry, & war

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Faith in Religion

• Ancient writings are “holy” scriptures.

• Believers hear voices.

• WHY?

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2. Faith in Science & Religion

• Most people are naturally skeptical

… except in church

• Beliefs are extraordinary, incredible

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Faith in Religion

Knowledge from Science

• Faith & Skepticism are opposites.

• Prayer fails more than 50%.

• Knowing with science is based on

– mathematical analyses

– test cases

– objective instrumentation

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3. Explaining Reality

& the Natural World

• Even believers use science & skepticism.

• Supernatural forces cannot be justified.

• Religion explains only with the imagination.

• Religion is failing and fading.

• Church social networking & control of children are being replaced.

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Science’s Family Tree/Map

Discover magazine, June, 2007, p. 14

Columbia University computer scientists:

W. Bradford Paley, K. D. Boyack,

W. Klavans, K. Borner

Categorizes 800,000 scholarly papers

776 areas of scientific study

23 broader areas


& the Natural World

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& the Natural World

• Evaluating religious claims

– The result is dis-belief – “Break the spell”

– Science/Religion Schizophrenia

• Dawkins: “You can’t have it both ways!”

• Paul Kurtz: Committee for Scientific

Examination of Religion

• Austin Dacey: “Lift the gag order!”

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4. Both Subject to Error?

• The Bible is wrong about the first humans,

the “Hinge-Pin” of sin and redemption.

• Religion claims infallibility – it isn’t!

• Science claims improving methods and

demonstrations.

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• Gravitational acceleration

F = G*M*m/d2

• Mathematical Calculus

– Precise rates of change (derivatives)

– Precise accumulation (integrals)

• Functions

F = m*a Force is mass times acceleration,

So, m = F/a

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• Religion is predominantly erroneous :

– Resurrections, walking on water

– Eternal salvation by belief, self-sacrifice, martyrdom

– Greater blessings in this life through belief

– No “clinical trials”

– Beyond government laws

– No accepted “change agents”

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• “Who Really Works Hardest to Banish Ignorance?” – Peter Atkins

• Science’s “New Story”

– It works so well

– Universal, objective

– Emphasizes interconnections of life

– We are responsible

– Beautiful, inspirational

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5. Religion is Essential – Not!

• Other social structures meet human

needs.

• Science really is enough – it’s all we’ve

ever had!

• DDHH, Kimberly Blaker criticize religious

morality

• Courts don’t follow religious morality.

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• Secular Ethics:

– Relativism – decisions based on reason, law, situation

– Utilitarian pragmatism, situational

– Rights of individuals and minorities

– Egoism, enlightened self-interest

– Education, free inquiry

• Offer love, charity, counsel, caring, education

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• Scientific skepticism & Humanism are

critical to survival

– Threats: overgrowth, prejudices, ignorance

– Solutions:

Open debate Contraception

Energy alternatives Education

Environmental Remediation

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SCIENCE P P

S S

E E

U U

D D

O O

S R

C E

I L

E I

N G

C I

E O

N

RELIGION

Deals with the Natural and

knowable

Deals with the non-natural

or unexplained

Truth from

the Scientific Method

Truth from revelation,

otherwise unknown

Truth is provisional &

grows with new

discoveries

Truth is absolute

from authority

Proof by

observation/experiment

Proof: virtually none.

Only need faith

Same for all - objective Differs by culture &

interpretation - subjective

Can be done by

anyone with training

Only possessed by a

few elite

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Conclusion

• Promote science along with Humanism

• Speak out in media & among friends

• Shun

– “religious science” & “pseudo-science”

– “science of religion” & “pseudo-religion”

• Protest the “Greatest Fraud in History”

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Handouts

Reading List

“Who Really Works Hardest

to Banish Ignorance”

Peter Atkins

a comparison of science & religion

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