Can science replace god?

steddyeddy

I love science as people might have picked up from my posts on boards (that and social justice). For me science gives my life meaning and to me the origin of the universe and the quantum workings of the organic are far more amazing than any other religion. I'm an agnostic as I can't know if there's a god and I dont agree with the bullying tactics of some of the athiests. I do however think that science can replace a lot of relgion.

Astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson was asked by a Time magazine reader "what the most astounding fact is?" His reply is a scientific creation story which sums up my stance:

The most astounding fact is the knowledge that the atoms that comprise life on Earth the atoms that make up the human body are traceable to the crucibles that cooked light elements into heavy elements in their core under extreme temperatures and pressures. These stars, the high mass ones among them went unstable in their later years they collapsed and then exploded scattering their enriched guts across the galaxy guts made of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and all the fundamental ingredients of life itself. These ingredients become part of gas cloud that condense, collapse, form the next generation of solar systems stars with orbiting planets, and those planets now have the ingredients for life itself. So that when I look up at the night sky and I know that yes, we are part of this universe, we are in this universe, but perhaps more important than both of those facts is that the Universe is in us. When I reflect on that fact, I look up – many people feel small because they’re small and the Universe is big – but I feel big, because my atoms came from those stars. There’s a level of connectivity. That’s really what you want in life, you want to feel connected, you want to feel relevant you want to feel like a participant in the goings on of activities and events around you That’s precisely what we are, just by being alive…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D05ej8u-gU

Jazzmaster

Oh man! This one's gonna be hard on my stash :-)

Cork boy 55

In the near future the awakening will occur.
An event when Atheism, education, science, logic and rationality reaches a critical mass of the humanoid population and the cults collapse rapidly into a morbid dying heap.

The new movement of environmental scientific atheism will became the belief system of the earth humanoid population.

AnonoBoy

TL;DR version dudes? Come on......

Lapin

Science doesn't need to replace anything.

Science exists already. Science is fact.

God never did. God is fiction.

steddyeddy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

TL;DR version dudes? Come on......

Yea click on the video link dude. You'll love it!

Czarcasm

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

In the near future the awakening will occur.
An event when Atheism, education, science, logic and rationality reaches a critical mass of the humanoid population and the cults collapse rapidly into a morbid dying heap.

The new movement of environmental scientific atheism will became the belief system of the earth humanoid population.

Have you met Aquarius?

I don't think science can, nor will ever replace a belief system, but certainly the two can co-exist without all the extremist nonsense. Many great scientists are also people of faith, and one does not interfere with the other.

Seachmall

I'm sitting here in my underwear, watching Grey's Anatomy, drinking beer and arguing on the internet.


I can't help but feel that star would be much more beautiful had it not exploded to form me.

Praetorian Saighdiuir

I thought that guy Jesus was replacing God?!?

smash

Seachmall wrote: »

I'm sitting here in my underwear, watching Grey's Anatomy

I thought you were a guy.

steddyeddy

Seachmall wrote: »

I'm sitting here in my underwear, watching Grey's Anatomy, drinking beer and arguing on the internet.


I can't help but feel that star would be much more beautiful had it not exploded to form me.

You're stardust man. Whatever you choose to do in life we are still amazing

AnonoBoy

steddyeddy wrote: »

Yea click on the video link dude. You'll love it!

I dunno. I think someone's made a cat version of the Harlem Shake. Might check that out first.

Y'know, gotta keep abreast of the latest developments in the world.

There'll be time for science later.

Seachmall

smash wrote: »

I thought you were a guy.

Don't judge me! :mad:

Mardy Bum

If it replaces the fear of death along with humanity's inbuilt propensity for irrational thought it might.

I seriously doubt it though.

hames

steddyeddy wrote: »

I love science as people might have picked up from my posts on boards (that and social justice). For me science gives my life meaning and to me the origin of the universe and the quantum workings of the organic are far more amazing than any other religion.

For me, science is part of my faith.

I don't feel that science compromises my religious beliefs, in some ways an awareness of the Universe increases my faith in God, although science is not the foundation of my religious beliefs.

By the way, I can't believe you mentioned

steddyeddy wrote: »

Astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson

without mentioning that he's this guy

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/198/020/BRTky.jpg?1320962111

franktheplank

While I love much of what science brings us, I always try to take on board Max Weber's views of the dangers of rationality, which can become 'the iron cage of the soul'.

I read an interesting comment on Dawkin's anti-religion stance lately where he was accused of being something along the lines of a science fundamentalist. I'm not familiar enough with Dawkin's work (I find his anger pretty irrelevant) to say if this title does apply to him but I have definitely come across some people who I would call science fundamentalists and tbh, I find them as close minded as their religious counterparts.

The King of Moo

It's hard to say, but I think there'll always be some kind of religion, or non-verifiable source of apparent structure in the universe/life.

I think for some people, science seems a little boring and doesn't seem to offer any mystery. And that's what so many people want: the idea that there's mystery and magic in the world, as well as a sense that there's a general order to everything.

And I think that's what religion offers a lot of people. The promise of something beyond the ordinary, as well as a vague sense of order to the universe.

Even if religion as we know it disappeared, I think something else would fill that gap for people. You can even see it now with people's beliefs in the paranormal and U.F.Os.
I don't mean to equate religious faith with such beliefs, but I believe for many people they stem from that same source of wanting to believe in something beyond the ordinary and looking for something to put some order behind the apparent randomness of life.

So while there might be no Christianity or Islam in 1,000 years, I think there might be something else like them. I think for too many people, science just doesn't seem to offer enough magic or comfort.

professore

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

In the near future the awakening will occur.
An event when Atheism, education, science, logic and rationality reaches a critical mass of the humanoid population and the cults collapse rapidly into a morbid dying heap.

The new movement of environmental scientific atheism will became the belief system of the earth humanoid population.

Where can I get some of what you're smoking - that's some good sh1t !

Mardy Bum

hames wrote: »

For me, science is part of my faith.

I don't feel that science compromises my religious beliefs, in some ways an awareness of the Universe increases my faith in God, although science is not the foundation of my religious beliefs.

I don't even know where to begin with that...

Cork boy 55

professore wrote: »

Where can I get some of what you're smoking - that's some good sh1t !

I don't consume narcotics since my awakening
I don't need them to expand my mind,
Nature does that for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwARpaKHx_w

Manach

They replaced God with science post Bolshevik revolution. That turned out so well. Same broken promises, same empty slogans. Welcome to the new age, yeah right.

The Pheasant

People still apparently believe in astrology and all that sh*te despite modern science, so I'd be doubtful that people would abandon religion considering it's so ingrained in so many of them

Gbear

I get along fine without a god or anything filling the void that's supposed to be left without having one.

A belief in a deity isn't the default position. It's something that's needlessly tacked on.

Capt'n Midnight

AnonoBoy wrote: »

TL;DR version dudes? Come on......

One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God*. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.

The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost."

God listened very patiently and kindly to the man and after the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this, let's say we have a man making contest." To which the scientist replied, "OK, great!"

But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."

The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.

God just looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"



*or one of them.

Ruudi_Mentari

If.. a big part of religion is to perturb people from doing bad stuff, then science doesn't push morality and just says x can indeed go into z, this is possible would you like to further experiment? It's just cold, hard fact you know those mad scientists all they were ever concerned with was how to make a monster..

Science is great, but not as a religion pair it up with moral fibre and that might be the key.

Seachmall

Ruudi_Mentari wrote: »

If.. a big part of religion is to perturb people from doing bad stuff, then science doesn't push morality and just says x can indeed go into z, this is possible would you like to further experiment? It's just cold, hard fact you know those mad scientists all they were ever concerned with was how to make a monster..

Science is great, but not as a religion pair it up with moral fibre and that might be the key.

Science should focus on truth, leave morals to the philosophers.

Ruudi_Mentari

Seachmall wrote: »

Science should focus on truth, leave morals to the philosophers.

See this is my fear.. how about leaving morals to the people with a conscience.

Science cannot replace god anyhow. God doesn't actually exist, so how would his believers juggle truth with fiction.. you mean eventually? Long process.

Henlars67

Replace religion as what, one of the world's largest sources of evil?

TheBegotten

Science can't replace religion because science is bases on knowledge, whereas religion is based on faith. You could quite easily decide "I don't believe in God anymore" and, to you, he no longer exists, because all you had in him was your belief. Whereas you could also say you don't believe in gravity, but you're still going to fall if you jump off a cliff. Personally, I think science and religion cater to different parts of the human psyche. While there's room for both, passing one off as the other is misguided. Which is why I can't stand anti-theism. You can't claim to be a man of science and then tell someone they're wrong without proof.

catallus

I'd like to meet these people who regard religion as being the source or vehicle for all (or even some) of the bad things, or evil, in the world.

Anybody who has read a bit of history or philosophy knows, without a doubt, that religion is the epitome of culture. Without it there would be no science or thought or writing or family or civilization. It is as much a part of being a human being as having opposing thumbs.

Gbear

TheBegotten wrote: »

You can't claim to be a man of science and then tell someone they're wrong without proof.

There are no unicorns in your sock drawer.
Is there any empirical way to prove that statement? No.
It still doesn't mean there are unicorns in your sock drawer.

Ruudi_Mentari

also, like religion trolls will infiltrate it and take the parochial mickey

But you, you are an organization nobody can infiltrate... each unto his own occurance?!! That'd be nice.

GlenT

Lapin wrote: »

Science doesn't need to replace anything.

Science exists already. Science is fact.

God never did. God is fiction.

Does science as we know it not break down once you get beyond the big bang?
yesteryears 'god' may be todays voices, as in the dawning of newer levels of consciousness in the brain at first seem fantastic or supernatural but once the brain settles it is natural.

The King of Moo

Henlars67 wrote: »

Replace religion as what, one of the world's largest sources of evil?

People are the only source of evil in this world. Religion is just an abstraction used by some of those people as a justification for their evil deeds, just as political ideologies, race and money have been excuses for probably a great deal more evil.

To say religion is one of the world's largest sources of evil is mistaken and probably just bandwagon-jumping.

Piliger

steddyeddy wrote: »

I'm an agnostic as I can't know if there's a god and I dont agree with the bullying tactics of some of the athiests.

Oh for the love of Dawkins ! What kind of BS is this ?

To answer your question - your question is an non sequitur. Science is not a 'belief' based system. religion is a belief based system.

Science cannot therefore replace ANY religion :rolleyes:

Insect Overlord

Manach wrote: »

They replaced God with science post Bolshevik revolution. That turned out so well. Same broken promises, same empty slogans. Welcome to the new age, yeah right.

Why not just say Hitler and properly Godwin this thread? You'd have made the exact same ridiculous, inaccurate, clichéd point, and all the casual readers would have picked up on it sooner too.

Feck sake...

The King of Moo

Piliger wrote: »

Oh for the love of Dawkins ! What kind of BS is this ?

To answer your question - your question is an non sequitur. Science is not a 'belief' based system. religion is a belief based system.

Science cannot therefore replace ANY religion :rolleyes:

You have to look beyond the simple structural differences between the two, which anyone can identify, and look at what function they serve for people. In that sense, religion, as the once-primary system for applying order to and seeking explanations for the apparent randomness of the universe, has been replaced for a great number of people by science.

Insect Overlord

catallus wrote: »

Anybody who has read a bit of history or philosophy knows, without a doubt, that religion is the epitome of culture. Without it there would be no science or thought or writing or family or civilization. It is as much a part of being a human being as having opposing thumbs.

Thought, writing, family and civilisation are not reliant on religion.

Religion is an element of culture. It is by no means the "epitome" of it.

Sonics2k

"The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it"
-Neil deGrasse Tyson

catallus

Insect Overlord wrote: »

Thought, writing, family and civilisation are not reliant on religion.

Religion is an element of culture. It is by no means the "epitome" of it.

In an ideal world maybe. But in the real world religion is the necessary basis for all development from cave drawings to Newton.

hames

Sonics2k wrote: »

"The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it"
-Neil deGrasse Tyson

I'm a fan of Neil de Grasse Tyson and surprised he said something like that.
'Science', or those who publish specific theories - do err; in fact they often expect to.

Much of the greatness of science is derived from its mistakes.

When people lose their critical eye for specific scientific pronouncements, it's time to worry.

Insect Overlord

catallus wrote: »

In an ideal world maybe. But in the real world religion is the necessary basis for all development from cave drawings to Newton.

Thought had to develop first. After that? Some people had some some useful thoughts. Some people put them together as religion. Not the other way around.

catallus

Insect Overlord wrote: »

Thought had to develop first. After that? Some people had some some useful thoughts. Some people put them together as religion. Not the other way around.

Agreed. But that doesn't invalidate the idea of god, or even religion. It is the epitome of culture.

Insect Overlord

catallus wrote: »

Agreed. But that doesn't invalidate the idea of god, or even religion. It is the epitome of culture.

You've said that already. I've already said it is just one of the many elements that can make up a culture. What makes you so sure it epitomises anything other than itself?

OneArt

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

In the near future the awakening will occur.
An event when Atheism, education, science, logic and rationality reaches a critical mass of the humanoid population and the cults collapse rapidly into a morbid dying heap.

The new movement of environmental scientific atheism will became the belief system of the earth humanoid population.

That sounds like something I'd spout to my own followers when I want them to give me money.

*writes down idea*

catallus

I know what I have said, thanks. If I need to repeat myself in the forlorn hope that you will realise that I am serious in what I am saying then that's your problem. You might think about not taking a bullying tone when responding.

If anyone chooses to ignore or castigate the import of religious belief in any form throughout the written history of the world then I have to question their motives and/or knowledge.

Insect Overlord

catallus wrote: »

I know what I have said, thanks. If I need to repeat myself in the forlorn hope that you will realise that I am serious in what I am saying then that's your problem. You might think about not taking a bullying tone when responding.

If anyone chooses to ignore or castigate the import of religious belief in any form throughout the written history of the world then I have to question their motives and/or knowledge.

Keep dodging the question there so. I'll keep asking it until you at least make an effort to answer it. I can play this game all week.

GlenT

Insect Overlord wrote: »

Keep dodging the question there so. I'll keep asking it until you at least make an effort to answer it. I can play this game all week.

What is the question?

catallus

Fair enough, I'm dodging nothing.

Religion is the basis of all civilization and culture in the history of the world. From the proto-indo culture and all that came before it is the only thing that inspired any sense in human beings that there was a sense of purpose or needful enterprise.

If a person's hatred of power and influence causes them to throw the baby out with the bath water then so be it.

1ZRed

If South Park has taught me anything is that this will only lead to war, and super intelligent otters. Science, help us!

DesperateDan

catallus wrote: »

Fair enough, I'm dodging nothing.

Religion is the basis of all civilization and culture in the history of the world. From the proto-indo culture and all that came before it is the only thing that inspired any sense in human beings that there was a sense of purpose or needful enterprise.

If a person's hatred of power and influence causes them to throw the baby out with the bath water then so be it.

Yeah but 'civilizations and cultures' were mental back then, they fell back to religion to explain what science is capable of doing today.