2005-09-05, 14:25
If the realm of faith is that which transcends logic and empiricism and the realm of science is the theoretical and empirical, why are faith and science perceived as antagonistic rather than as complementary? It is absurd to think that science's explanations of ever-growing quadrillions of material phenomena is a threat to the infinite. Infinity minus quadrillion is still infinity.
Science is not the enemy of faith. In fact, I would assert that the faith in the beauty of the infinite is a critical spark for scientific activity, be it creating the first astronomical observatories, founding monasteries and universities to protect and enlarge scientific knowledge (among other things), or being driven to create cures for cancer, all of which are driven by the beautifully irrational impulse that these things matter.
The real enemy of science is fear of the infinite and faith in the finite, which often manifests as dogma. The faith behind science is at least rigorous enough to throw off dogma, which is less about faith than about bad habits. I would suggest that we who fear scientific inquiry could afford to trust our god to be much more infinite than we can imagine.
DAK 2005-09-05
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