A Review of the Religion and Science Forum in NYC [sciencetechnology-center.blogspot.com]
Subscribe ow.ly | Facebook ow.ly | Twitter ow.ly Plot: On December 24, Santa makes preparations for his yearly journey at his Toyland castle in outerspace. He plays the organ while his children helpers from all over the world sing. Meanwhile, in hell, Lucifer instructs his chief demon Pitch to travel to Earth and turn the children of the world against Santa. This film was infamous for being lampooned on Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Religion and science have endured a rocky relationship over the centuries. However, this last June 5th, proponents of religion and science formed a panel for discussion at the World Science Festival in NYC. Bill Blakemore, a News Reporter for ABC, moderated the forum at NYU's Rosenthal Pavilion. A large audience filled the auditorium. After 2 hours of enquiry and response, I began my 5 hour return trek home and contemplated a fact agreed upon by the panel members; religion and science are modes of perceptions, not means of conflict.
It is always unfortunate when those involved in a relationship stop working together and start denying one another. Whereas, these panel members showed that religion and science can cooperate with one another. Religious advocate, Elaine Pagels, whose works have changed the historical landscape of the Christian religion by exploding the myth of the early Church as a unified movement, pointed out the usefulness of avoiding certainties. Dogma and theories are not certain.
A question came from the audience, How does bowing down to some god ever advance humanity's progress? Paul Davies, Cosmologist and Astrobiologist, was the panel member who answered. Although not a religious person, Davies admitted deep respect for one of his colleagues, a practicing Jew. "She is a brilliant scientist," Davies remarked. Her spiritual practices were recognized as a choice of discipline that obviously gave her intellectual inspiration.
Fransisco Ayala, a biological scientist, and an ordained priest, noted there is more to life than science. The moral, ethical, and transcending matters also concern the welfare of humanity. In the relationship of religion and science, each has a unique place. Science encourages the dismissal of superstition. Religion is a means by which a spiritual dimension can be explored. They offend each other less when they don't claim to be something they are not.
Thupten Jinpa, a princi pal English translator to the Dalai Lama, also spoke with scientific eloquence. Jinpa, a practicing Buddhist, was asked why the Dalai Lama sent monks to the USA to participate in research involving brain-imaging. His response, in essence, affirmed his faith and confidence in contemplative disciplines, especially Buddhism, and also recognized the value of engaging science because the scientific worldview is influential. Brain scans did reveal the brains of monks, with incredible numbers of hours of meditation under their belts, produced powerful gamma activity. It was also noted that meditation had altered the structure and function of their brains. Will science pinpoint spiritual experiences, commonly felt by religionists?
It is a step-by-step process and we can be patient with one another. From the 21st Century revision of Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health, "For centuries-yes, always-natural science has not really been considered a part of any religion, Christianit y not an exception. Even now many people consider science to have no proper connection with faith and spirituality. However, mystery does not insulate Christ's teachings. Truth's instructions are not theoretical and fragmentary, but are predisposed to the scientific method, are practical, and complete; and being practical and complete, they are not deprived of their essential vitality."
With this all said and done, I think back on what has been recorded about Christ Jesus. Admittedly, there wasn't the science fervor going on as we know it today, however, Jesus evidently had no problem with practicing scientists. Christ called on Luke, a professional doctor, to be one of his disciples and Luke followed cooperatively.
As we utilize the mode of religion or science to uncover the deeper schemes of reality, we can experience a working relationship until the universe is better understood. In the meantime, we also can experience the essential vitality of discovering pra ctical, worthwhile answers for the problems at hand. Spiritual experiences, and constructive knowledge, are discoverable, because they exist.
Recommend A Review of the Religion and Science Forum in NYC IssuesQuestion by Justin: What is a job where you brainstorm / solve science or technological problems? I am looking at a change of career. I enjoy being creative and coming up with solutions to "problems". What are some jobs where I would be required to be creative to solve technical or science related problems? I don't really want to sit around and do math all day, I would prefer to be brainstorming/being creative/inventing things/thinking outside of the box. I'd like to create new forms of energy, participate in creating new space technologies and generally help make things that seem science fiction become a reality. How do I go about doing this? Best answer for What is a job where you brainstorm / solve science or technological problems?:
Answer by Denis S
Engineering.
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