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Cosmos
“Science is the work of Satan and is the enemy of God’s word,” one especially delusional proselytizer told me. And while he may represent the lunatic fringe, he has plenty of company. Surveys show a disturbing number of Americans do not trust science or scientists, and many do so on religious grounds. Too often, they regard spirituality and the scientific method as mutually exclusive realms. Not so.
Granted, not all scientists nor their findings deserve our admiration and trust. As is true in any vocation, there are always shysters, cheaters and closed-minded zealots at work. And others simply make honest mistakes. Nonetheless, scientists who truly adhere to their creed, which is the pursuit of evidence-based knowledge, are a credit to our species, not just because of their many contributions to our way of life, but also because of the values that inform their approach to seeking truth.
One of those values is the willingness and, at times, even eagerness to be proven wrong. Many scientists are so enchanted with the power of ideas that it diminishes their sense of ego, an abundance of which is incompatible with genuine spirituality. They recognize their work is about something much greater than themselves. They call this something “truth.” For them, it is not based on opinion, bias, self-interest or some bozo “news” post on social media. It emerges from measurable evidence, the kind that stands up to the scrutiny of critical observers and competing theories.
Curiosity About the Cosmos
Another value scientists uphold is curiosity, which drives many spiritual seekers as well. Whether examining the biochemistry of life, studying galaxies far off in the cosmos or analyzing atmospheric data to predict climate, scientists are like wilderness trekkers who simply must see what’s around that next bend in the trail. The genuine ones follow the evidence wherever it leads, and they share what they discover, even if it upends one of their core beliefs or theories. That takes courage. Why? Because there are many who are openly hostile toward science and scientists, often because they threaten their brittle personal beliefs or flaming self-interest. For example, Senator Dimwit (I mean Cruz), decidedly not a scientific mind, wants Dr. Fauci, a scientist and public servant, to face prosecution for . . . well, telling the truth. In his time, Galileo faced similar acrimony.
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Contrary to the blather emanating from some pulpits and more than a few political types, believing in science does not preclude subscribing to faith. In fact, surveys show many scientists find their work deeply spiritual, leaving them in awe of the creation and whatever power brought it into existence. As cosmologist Carl Sagan said, “Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.”
Miracles Everywhere
As a behavioral scientist and amateur astronomer, naturalist and meteorologist, there is nothing in the scientific method or body of knowledge that impedes my spiritual journey. Quite the opposite. The more I look through the lens of science at what we call reality, the more my sense of the spiritual expands and intensifies. “Miracles are everywhere and in all things,” Emerson told us. And science is one way to clearly illuminate the mysterious nuances of this existence.
Has the pursuit of scientific knowledge been uniformly positive? Absolutely not. Science has brought us nuclear waste, toxic chemicals and weapons of mass destruction, among other horrors. But one can point the same incriminating finger at religion, which, over recorded history, has been the source of horrendous bloodletting, persecution and even genocide.
Science is an instrument, and, like religion, when it is wielded poorly, that stems from human ignorance, deceit or malevolence, not because its principles and practices are invalid. Meaning, we need spirituality to guide our moral use of science, and we need science to restrain our propensity for being ignorantly biased, intellectually rigid or just plain dumb. This rigorous mode of inquiry helps us scrutinize opinions and assumptions, rather than embracing them with blinders on.
As renowned scientist and author Isaac Asimov stated: “Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.”
For more, visit philipchard.com.
