From: dean@coconut.rsmas.miami.edu (Dean Churchill)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.bahai
Subject: The unity of science & religion
Date: 16 Nov 92 16:29:37 GMT
Article-I.D.: ogicse.46061
Organization: University of Miami/RSMAS

Abstract: Science and religion both depend on subjective judgement,
hence neither ever attains "absolute truth".  The conflicts between
and within them reflect the processes of the human mind.  As science
and religion are different aspects of the same quest for
understanding, there is an essential unity between them. 
		
In many respects, there is little difference between the activities of
science and religion.  Both seek to gain knowledge about the universe
around us.  Physical science, for example, seeks information about the
physical aspects of the universe, while religion usually has the goal
of addressing the concepts of ``spiritual truth". 

By ``physical science" usually is meant those aspects of existence
that we can perceive with our senses, or extensions of our senses.
From tunneling electron microscopes on the small scale, to remote
sensing of distant galaxies on the large scale, physical science tries
to infer as much understanding as possible from observation, theory
development, and hypothesis testing.  It is tempting to think that
information obtained thereby is an objective, absolute truth about the
universe around us.  But in the day to day affairs of conducting
scientific research, scientific results are influenced extensively by
subjective judgements about costs, adequacy, accuracy, objectivity,
methodology, morality, and relevance.  These value judgements -- such
as the leaps of faith sometimes needed for an individual to accept a
Hypothesis -- are very similar to the subjective judgements that one
must make daily in leading a religious life. 

By ``spiritual truths" I mean, as many contributors to this forum have
suggested, the concepts of morality, life of the spirit, and other
non-physical aspects of existence.  The spiritual dimensions of
existence can not be readily investigated via observation, as,
virtually by definition, it deals with aspects of existence that are
not observable by our senses.  Much of the progress in this arena of
understanding devolves, once again, upon subjective judgements about
morality, honesty, justice, goodness, knowledge, and existence. 

Both science and religion depend on subjective beliefs.  Baha'u'llah
has issued a call to all to investigate his claim to be God's
messenger for this day.  The process an individual goes through in
either accepting or rejecting this claim is not unlike the historical
problem of accepting or rejecting quantum mechanics.  Einstein, for
example, didn't believe in quantum mechanics because, he said, ``God
doesn't plays dice".  Yet today quantum mechanics is a widely accepted
theory of atomic physics.  Although relatively few people today are
Baha'is, Baha'u'llah claimed that in the future the world will be
united by his religion.  Whether accepting a new religion, or
accepting a new theory of physics, individuals undergo a sometimes
dramatic change of paradigm that is subjectively based. 

I suggest that religion and science are different facets of the human
process of understanding existence. Since both depend on subjective
judgement, it is to be expected that there will be differences of
opinion between and within each facet.  A scientist who thinks his
knowledge based on reasoning and observation constitutes absolute
truth is just as wrong as the fundamentalist who thinks he possesses
absolute truth based on a reading of his favorite brand of scriptures.
The largest common denominator between science and religion, as we
know it, is the human mind.  Since all of our logic and thinking about
knowledge and truth is influenced by the structure of our minds, the
most that we mortals can hope to attain is some approximation of
absolute truth. 

-----------------------
Dean Churchill                  | The opinions are, of course, mine,
Asst. Prof. of Meteorology      | not those of the University of Miami
Rosenstiel School of Marine     | nor any Baha'i organization.
and Atmospheric Science         | All other relevant disclaimers also apply,
University of Miami             | including but not limited to the fact
(305) 361-4048                  | that what I write may be totally wrong!
Newsgroups: soc.religion.bahai