Pope takes another pop at science - January 29, 2008
Clearly the Pope enjoyed the last time he got a bunch of scientists riled (Great Beyond post from earlier this month). His latest pronouncement seems sure to do it again.
This time the Pope seems to have waded into my favourite topic in the philosophy of science – reductionism. “Man is not the fruit of chance or a bundle of convergences, determinisms or physical and chemical reactions,” he boldly declared to scientists at a Paris meeting (Canada’s National Post).
He might have got away with this if he hadn’t gone further, saying “In an age when scientific developments attract and seduce with the possibilities they offer, it’s more important than ever to educate our contemporaries’ consciences so that science does not become the criteria for goodness.”
Now I’ve never thought science was in danger of becoming ‘the criteria for goodness’, but leaving that aside nothing in this latest speech is necessarily more controversial than previous Pope pronouncements (which generally reiterate the old “science can’t know everything” argument). As both the National Post and Reuters point out though, coming so soon after his last conflict this is sure to reignite debate between the pontiff and scientists.
Obviously I’m biased though, having long ago been ‘attracted and seduced’ by the possibilities offered by scientific developments. Is that so wrong?
More
The editor of New Humanist looks at the last row
The Lancet examines ‘the Pope’s mixed record on science’ (subscription required)
Comments
I find it both hilarious and sad that we even care what the Pope says about science. The very foundation of his being is an irrational faith in unproveable things that have absolutely zero evidence to support. Science books change based on new evidence; the holy books try to change the evidence to fit their books. It's ridiculous and a waste of human effort. Science can't possibly know everything? Quite possibly correct, but it knows a hell of a lot more than any religion does, and for some worthless pope, who's only purpose is to prey on the guilt, fears and insecurities of man while doing everything in his power to stunt man's progress, to act like he has answers that science does not is ludicrous.
There's more real, tangible evidence for Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and UFO's than there is for God, yet people who believe in these things are crazy. Yet virgin birth, resurrection and sky-fairies, told in poorly written and contradictory stories 2000 years ago by uneducated, bigoted and sexist men, is absolutely reasonable? Give me a break.
Posted by: Mike | January 31, 2008 04:57 PM