[Avodah] Survey of Scientists on Scientism

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

>From Conservative Review <http://bit.ly/2fyXcpU>

    Sorry Richard Dawkins, science and religion ARE compatible
    By: Logan Albright | November 02, 2016

    Caricatures and exaggerations are major bugaboos of any belief system.
    ...
    But misrepresentation cuts both ways, and none are completely immune
    from it. People of faith tend to view the defenders of science as
    arrogant, intolerant, God-hating know-it-alls, who angrily shout down
    anyone with an opposing viewpoint. There is some justification for
    this belief, given that several high-profile atheists like Richard
    Dawkins -- as well as the late Christopher Hitchens -- tend to
    take this approach to rhetoric. But as in most cases, the vocal
    minority do not necessarily represent the whole, as a new survey
    entitled "Religion Among Scientists in International Context" shows.
    <http://bit.ly/2fwHNKg>

    ...
    In addition to the fairly obvious finding that many scientists see no
    conflict between their faith and the scientific method, the study is
    notable in that dozens of respondents mentioned Richard Dawkins
    unprompted, with complaints about the way he misrepresents their field.
    Of those issuing the complaints, more than half were non-believers,
    indicating that this issue is not limited to those in the religious
    community.

    The kind of science Dawkins espouses is sometimes known as
    "scientism." It is essentially the belief that the scientific method
    is the only reliable way to obtain knowledge or truth and that all
    conceivable questions can ultimately be answered by science -- or not
    at all. Scientism amounts almost to a worship of science, as well
    as of the experts who transmit knowledge to the common people. Any
    questioning of this knowledge is deemed an unforgivable heresy.
    ...

    While it is proper to reject the worship of science for its own sake,
    it is a foolish overreaction to adopt an anti-science attitude as a
    response. The true scientific mind is filled with wonder and humility,
    searching for answers while at the same time never forgetting how much
    we don't know. Such an attitude is wholly compatible with religion,
    where awe at the creator is married with enthusiasm for learning
    about the creation.
    ...