Does Science Threaten Religion

Religion has held an important role in society since the beginning of civilisation and it has such power over people’s minds and shape the way our world developed. Whilst some sociological theories such as functionalist sees religion as performing a positive function in society as it can lead to social solidarity, integrating people into society, other sociological theories such as Marxist and Feminist totally disagrees with this and would argue that religion leads to instability and conflict in society.

Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan studied philosophy he has an enduring appreciation for evolution of both human beings and human culture. He believes there is a God, and science function should be just to study categorizations of phenomena. Kaplan concern was moral behavior, which is the individual 's knowledge of social and cultural norms and the ability to perform good works through noble actions. He believes humans should learn about the purpose of both, religion and evolution unless. that believe is affecting the person’s behavior or once chance of achieving salvation. He also believes we should apply the methods of science to issues of religion. “Science can have a salutary effect on religion”. (Cherry 271) Kaplan believes that science can have an effect on the way people view religion because, science influenced his understanding on religion and religion influenced his understanding on science so they are both useful.

When reading Hick one could see that he used more of a comparative, phenomenological approach to religion. Hick compared religions to one another and also looked at religious experiences from a phenomenological approach, trying to understand them rather than compare them. Stahl et. al. used a functional approach to science and religion. A functional approach looks at how science and religion function within a society. The authors used this approach to examine science and religion and offered that they are not all that different. The two function in very similar manners.

Science is defined on Merriam-Webster as, “knowledge about or study of the natural world based on facts learned through experiments and observation.” People love to study and execute science, whether they get a job as a scientist, or they just examine a bumblebee in their backyard as a child. Science has an attractive pull to all human beings. Christians especially, are interested in the beautiful world around them created by their wonderful, powerful God. Man is sinful. Therefore, all people who study science without a biblical worldview will come to the wrong conclusion about the world and God. Christians, with the help of the bible and their own observing, will come up with the correct conclusion. First science and Christianity have differing

This theory stats that society is structured in a way that maintains its stability (Schaefer, Richard T, 2009, pg 14) How can one use this theory to look at religion? A famous functionalist Emile Durkheim divided the world in to the sacred which holds important significance such as a cross, and the profane which is just an ordinary object that holds no significance (Stevens, William J, 2008). According to William J Stevens, while Durkheim had removed God from religion, he still felt it was a positive force that could unite a society under similar beliefs and values (Stevens, William J, 2008). Bronislaw Malinowski found that religion can perform a function of creating societal solidarity due to religion being a psychological response to the needs of society during times of anxiety (Stevens, William J, 2008). Malinowski also stated that religion can provide security when one is faced with situations that may be out of their control (Stevens, William J, 2008). Talcott Parsons added to this by stating that religion makes the values of a society legitimate (Stevens, William J, 2008). This could in turn also cause conflict amongst society which would serve as a dysfunction such as the religions in the United States creating a battle against the liberal secular movement (Schaefer, Richard T, 2009, pg 337).

Accepting the compatibility between science and religion is a tactic used by those who instinctively fear that a manifest conflict between the two areas would endanger the future of science. They are worried about the possibility that scientists would not receive any financial support or that science classes in schools might be replaced with hours of religion. A huge number of atheist scientists are aware of the negative role, that they have irrational ideas supported by the religion of the future of science. If there is an unreported truth, is that science and religion are incompatible, not in the sense that they cannot coexist in the human mind, but in the sense that there can be no consistency between the two forms of addressing reality. However, attempts to reconcile science and religion do not stop, and that is because the reconciliation never really occurs.

What is the relationship between religion and science? In his book, Consilience, Edward O. Wilson aims to find a unified theory of knowledge. Consilence also seeks to show how science is superior to and can replace religion. In this paper, I intend to show how Wilson understands this relationship and science as well as how. as well as show John Stuart Mill would agree or disagree with Wilson.

Q) Compare and contrast the influence of science and religion in the development of humanity. Discuss both the positive and the negative.

(or seems to) between science and religion. The argument being presented in this paper is very straightforward. It transcends the borders laid out by the proponents of the compatibility of science and religion regarding how they seem to

The ability to understand logically the always-changing scientific ideas has been compromised due to some hard-headed religious people. Walter Eugene Clark wrote in the Harvard Theological Review that, “Religion is not all human life” (Clark 101). Although people do have the right to practice religion, there are many other factors that are in play, including science when it comes to the world around us. Science is ever-changing and should be acknowledged and understood. This can be done by many religious people while staying true to their faith.

The first relationship between science and religion in conflict. Science believes in the constant growth of knowledge whereas religion holds on to ancient knowledge. New knowledge gained through experiments and innovations is what enables science to continue building on its existent knowledge. This brings about a situation whereby science can question common assumptions, even within the religion. This case was witnessed in the 17th century when Galileo came up with new inventions which almost got him in trouble with the church. What Galileo was trying to prove was not accepted by the Christian religion which was dominant in Italy. The fact that science allows for innovation and constant quest to challenge existent knowledge is not a thing that is taken easily in religion, this has brought some scholars to believe that science and religion have been in a constant methodological, factual and philosophical conflict. Thus, Galileo was a symbol of conflict between catholic church and modern science. Another evidence of conflicting relationship between the two in 19th century by Charles Darwin (Theory of evolution of species). He says the lively things on earth got here over a period of years (natural selection). From beginning Christians weren’t troubled by Darwin, say God created all sciences. There were also biblically literalistic Christians who says Darwin is wrong, they say God created everything that exists. In 20th

Is it possible for science and religion to coexist? In both The Day The Earth Stood Still and The Man Who Fell to The Earth, the idea of science versus religion is questioned. The films show that our world is rapidly changing and how society reacts to events during those specific times by questioning spiritual faith. Certain sounds that are heard throughout both movies allow us to feel the tone that each movie tries to relay. These sound effects help the viewers understand moments of tension, fear, desperation, peacefulness, to name a few. In addition, certain cinematic techniques that portray quick cuts, long and complex scenes, and much more allow viewers to explore the relationship

In the pages I studied for my third and final presentation, I learned about The Quest for Consciousness. This is most interesting to me because, our conscious state as human beings is what sets us apart from others. We know that we are here on Earth, that we are human, and that there are things outside of this Earth much larger and different than we have imagined. The study of consciousness brings an interesting twist into the relationship between science and religion. Humans standalone from all other creatures because we are conscious, this indicates to some people that there has to be a higher power. When studying the evolution of humans, we find that we are so much more advanced than any other known creature on the planet. This article attempts to explain the relationship between science and religion and the few unexplained things in the universe that prove there must be a higher power.

Science and theology have diverged lines amongst several of the world’s phenomenon with the two greatest differences being human and world development. Although there are differences in the beliefs of these two groups, they are ultimately attempting to solve the same puzzles that consume the minds of members of both disciplines. In the end one might say, both disciplines are working to solve two different puzzles that may be really different, but ultimately are aspects of the same puzzle. Both the method and the aims of science and religion seem to be different. Science is considered to be more linked to the material aspect of all things, where religion is concerned with the spiritual. These are just two of the differences to be discussed

“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” This famous quote was spoken by a man even more famous for his scientific works in the fields of physics and mathematics. Albert Einstein, famous scientist, is found here stating that without religion science is, essentially, useless. Surely it is impossible for a man so accomplished in the scientific field to seriously consider the possibility of God? Certainly, we live in a time where there has been much condemnation and ridicule of the idea of faith by scientists such as Dawkins and Atkins, but does that mean that these two world views are incompatible? Although I really respect the work of both of those great biologists in my view, faith and science are definitely compatible.