SCIENCE & RELIGION
Since the dawn of man, humans have striven to explain the many mysteries of the universe, and to justify our existence in it. Throughout this journey of self-understanding, numerous standpoints on human existence have evolved and merged into a complex, abstract manifestation called religion. However, with the ever developing human race, many ideas portrayed by religion seem less credible. Advances in the field of science has provided room for doubts in the foundation for religious ideologies. Mending between science and religion seems difficult because the claims made by religion and the attestations provided by science are so phenomenally different.Our new, scientifically based conclusions of the universe has revealed a surplus of answers to age-old questions, which are contrary to the statements or explanations offered by religion. As cogent scientific evidence has emerged which is contrary to the existing religious view, unbiased believers have changed their views correspondingly but many fundamentalists spurn these scientific evidence. This is what causes the dilemma between science and religion according to the many philosophers and theists who put forward their concerns on the ongoing battle between science and religion.
However this advancement in science has caused many thesis to compromise sacred and ancient religious beliefs into order facilitate these evidences provided by science about the universe and the existence of man more plausible than the reasons provided by religion which causes a gap and confusion in the minds of people. "An excellent example of this can be seen in the question of the age of the planet Earth. According to religious theology, the Earth is less than ten thousand years old. However, there is an overwhelming amount of scientific evidence that proves the Earth to be many billions of years old. Many religious thinkers have responded to this evidence, by claiming that the methods used to ascertain the Earth's age are inaccurate." Studymode. For many researchers, the aim of science is to destroy religious teachings with verifiable theories, and to pretend otherwise is self-misconception. ''We're working on building up a complete picture of the universe, which, if we succeed, will be a complete understanding of the universe and everything that's in it,'' Richard Dawkins, a University of Oxford biologist, said in a preview copy of ''Faith and Reason.'' He found it baffling that some of his colleagues struggle to keep God in the picture. ''I don't understand why they waste their time going into this other stuff, which never has added anything to the storehouse of human wisdom,'' he said, ''and I don't see that it ever will.'' New York Times.
However, even science has their limits, not everything can be proven nor can everything have a reason, it is still developing and there are many more questions to be answered. "Like the cosmologist Allan Sandage, have found that their search for objective truth has led them to questions that science cannot answer. ''The most amazing thing to me is existence itself,'' Dr. Sandage said at the Berkeley conference. ''Why is there something instead of nothing?'' This impenetrable mystery, he said, drove him to become a believer. ''How is it that inanimate matter can organize itself to contemplate itself? That's outside of any science I know.'' New york times
In conclusion, Science, like religion, is fundamentally constructed on a rostrum of beliefs and assumptions. It cannot be proven that the universe is mathematical or question the existence of god ." These are among the tenets of the faith, marking the point at which reasoning can begin." Therefore, even though science can gather their heaps of evidences, religion cannot be ignored and in parts of the world like India where the beliefs are strong, religion still plays an important role. Now a days, most religious beliefs are backed up with scientific facts and as science develops more and more beliefs will be made a fact. This way somewhere down the lane the bridging of the great divide of science and religion will happen and conflicts will reduce.
- Mayura Shreyams Kumar
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