Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Athiesm Remix

So atheism.

"Atheism."

There are alot of videos on the web about that.

"Yeah, I've watched a few. What about them?"

Does it every get tiring?

"Tiring, of what? Dismissing God?"

Well, you think after dismissing the traditional God and the dogma, you'd wonder, is there anything else?

"I guess."

But they don't.

"Really? I'd say they find the deeper questions in science."

Ah, yes, science! Wonderful term for such a diverse investigation of our physical universe. Of course, exploring the ins and outs of our cosmos will be unending and awe-inspiring. A look at the stars has always brought wonder. But I wonder, what has the establishment of science also brought us?

"Well, let's see. Besides its benefits?"

Yes, besides technology, health, long life, computers, internet - all of that.

"Besides the double edged sword bit, you know, pros and cons of science. What else is perhaps catching our eye too much? Are we getting lost in science somehow and missing something else?"

Who knows.

"Well, I'm asking you if this is what-"

-I mean, yes. Explore it a little more. You're getting warm.

"Okay- so we have science, science gives us a particular view of the world. Lets see... Analytical, intellectual, critical analysis. Bit by bit. Cautious yet open."

Ideally.

"Ideally. And this is just about how it approaches everything. Through a scrutinizingly careful study, repeated experiments and the resultant data."

True, true.

"What's wrong with that? It goes wrong, yes, but it's also a wonderful tool. It has helped us survive the ages."

Well, let's get back to square one. Religion and science. This is a fake dualism, I think, because they're not opposites at all. Science, in the history of our civilization, has for the most part tried to dispell theories of our universe that are not as carefully thought out and tested. In other words, they asked: 'Prove it.'

"So the arguments for atheists is, for the most part, that science dispells the myths of religion, and enables us to understand people and the universe in a deeper, more complex and meaningful way than fairy tales."

Yep. And that's right.

"Oh. So then what's your problem with all of this?"

It's only so right.

"Elaborate,"

Well, if we only viewed the world this way, it is saying more about ourselves and less about the rest of the world. There are a number of things that science, in this very cautious and narrow way, enable us to achieve, and certain things it is quite frankly slow to catch onto. For instance, that the spiritual experience can be deeper than fairy tales. Their cautious attitude slowly may turn to negligence of the wonder that was the mother of science to begin with. Instead, they reject it, assuming things that may not be accurate.

"Alright, I'm getting the picture here. Get back to atheism? Not all scientists are atheists."

Right. This is often the argument they use though. That science gives us all answers, inevitably. But this, even according to science, is a striking assumption- that this method, though often cautious, can answer every question in the universe - or that the universe can be understood through answers! These are of course our own subjective experiences - thought, questions, consciousness. These things may or may not necessarily help us understand anything objectively. Science itself, by definition, would call this notion absurd. It would instead answer: Who knows? We may find out if we continue. And that is a more healthy response.

"So what are they really relying on? It seems that the assumption is more of an ideal."

People love ideals. They can escape into the safety of certainty in them.

"Hmm, so it's really just finding another ideal to dwell within. Another castle to defend the insecurity of the unknown."

Something like that.

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