The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-08-26
ARE SCIENCE. AND FAITH MUTU-
ALLY EXcLUSlVE?-THE PART
WHICH r. U M AN TESTIMONY
PLAYS IN THE AFFAIRS OF
LIFE.
written for The Catholic Bulletin

written for The Catholic RuIletin.)
The question Of the Immortality of
the soul is an instance of the unknow-
able. 1t is and always will be a mat
ter OF faith and not of science"
SO writes DR.. A. G. Berna,. in his
Golden Rules of Surgery (page 56).
He assumes that science and faith
are mutually exclusive; that the scien-
fist cannot have faith, that the be-
lever is unscientific
Before we examine the assertion let
us decide the question, What is
science? And the other question,
What is faith? Science is classified
as organized knowledge. For a true
science it is required that we begin
with principles which are known with
certainty and that from these Drin-
ciples conclusions be logically drawn.
In the science of mathematics, for
example, we start with axioms which
are known with certainty because
they are self-evident. And from these
aXloms we draw one conclusion after
another with logical sequence until
we have the great body of organized
knowledge called the science of arith-
metic, and another great body of or
ganlZed truth called the science Of
geometry. Faith is the undoubting
assent of the intellect on. the testi-
mony OF another. 1t may be human
or divine; human, when we believe on
the authority Of men, divine, when we
believe on the authority of God. /
believe, for example, the testimony of
men who tell me of julius Caesar; |
believe, again, the testimony of God
Who reveals the truth of the three
Persons in the Trinity.
Is faith, then, whether human or
divine, something which science can
not accept? Is belief on the authority
of another unscientific?
Let us assume for a moment that
it is; that science can admit only
those facts which are known by per-
sonal experience. Let us exclude
from the domain of knowledge all
those things which we believe on the
authority Of others. Let us Danish to
the region of the unknoWable what we
cannot know by personal experience,
and so let us sit down and have a
friendly discussion with DR.. Bernay.
To begin with, then, we will ask the
doctor: rs there a God?"
The doctor replies true to his prin-
ciples: II have neither seen Him, nor
heard Him; He has not come within
the realm of my experience; therefore,
| do not believe that He exists. He
is unknowable.'
Have you an immortal soul?"
81 have not seen it nor apprehended
it. If l have one it is unknown. It's
immortality is of course unknowable;
for it would take endless duration to
determine whether being has end
less life" .'t ersa v.y.f - .s@
did julius Caesar ever live?"
81 have never seen him, cannot see
him. He is unknown and unknow-
able"
did Abraham Lincoln ever live?"
Il never saw him. He is unknow-
able"
Does President Wilson live?"
Il have not seen him-yet. But l
have heard and read much of Presi-
dent Wilson. However, what | have
heard and read is the testimony of
other men; so as yet cannot assert
scientifically that he exists. President
Wilson is unknown"
Here we may pardon the astute doc
tor if we notice an uneasy blush on
his countenance. 1t is not his political
affiliations that are involved in his last
statement, but only his scientific prin-
ciples.
you say President Wilson is I'M
known, but is he unknowable?"
ooh no; l might if l had time to
spare go to Washington any day and
see him for myself. He would then
be not only movable but known"
but to get to Washington you
would have to believe several rail
way officials. Unless you should ac-
cept the testimony of the man who
sells you your ticket and of the con-
ductors with whom you ride you
would not know after being on the
train thirty-six hours whether you
would be in Washington or Denver"
Gould I not read the signs on the
passenger station when I'd reach the
national capital?"
More human testimony-worthles
therefore to a scientist of your attain
ments."
We'll, I could go to the White
House and see the President himself"
How would you know him when
you should see him."
why everybody knows the Presi-
dent from his pictures"
why, doctor, you're lapsing into
belief in the testimony of men; you're
as unscientific as the rest of u.s."
We'll, | could ask the President
himself if he is not the chief eXecu-
tive of the nation. He would certainly
be able to assure me at first hand;
every man knows himself-unless he's
insane"
We might notice a suspicion of
panic in the doctors voice by this
time for he knows well even before
we reply, the substance of our re-
ioinder
THE President may, know himself;
but if you accept his word for it you
are still hobbling along on human
testimony"