POLL: Should a scientist's opinion on the existance of God..

[Mastermind]

Be considered above that of a normal citizen? I don't. The only people I believe are qualified to do this(from an unbiased position) are scientific philosophers, since their job is to interpret the actual data. The scientist may be able to gather it more efficiently, but that doesn't say much for his ability to interpret it.

[Tash]

scientists are not normal?

[Mastermind]

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh.

[Felgar]

Absolutely not - the scientist's opinion about the existance of God cannot be weighted higher than yours or mine. In fact, I might go so far as to say that it might be weighted less. Science, by definition, deals with the observable realities of our physical universe - it cannot directly speak to the existance of God.

On the other hand, the fundamental truth that God exists is ingrained in human nature. The only reason that I might be even more skeptical of a scientist's opinion than of someone else's is that there may an unwillingness on the part of the scientist to accept anything that cannot be objectively tested.

[AttentionKMartShoppers]

Science has its limitations, and it is limited to the present, it loses credibility as it looks to the past. Not only that, science can only deal with that which can be observed. According to scientific reasoning, none of us have minds. None of us have love either, since it cannot be detected either.

[Deborah]

I think it is our understanding that is limited.

[AttentionKMartShoppers]

Understanding as well...but to look into the past, one must use the assumption that all the processes that occur today occured in the past at about the same rate....(uniformitarianism, which has been discredited).

[Tash]

as long as you have faith in god everyones opinion of him/her is equal, regardless of any difference scientist or not. when i become a scientist i hope people dont think my opinion is worth less than someone elses.

[Felgar]

as long as you have faith in god everyones opinion of him/her is equal, regardless of any difference scientist or not. when i become a scientist i hope people dont think my opinion is worth less than someone elses.

As deborah indicated, it's a matter of Faith really. All I was saying is that my impression of some scientists is that they shut out their Faith, intentionally or not. It follows the mindset that "I will only accept and believe what I can observe and test."

On the flip side, when a scientist overcomes that mindset and comes to accept his/her Faith, the declaration of this faith can have greater impact than it would from someone outside of the science community (as we witnessed recently with Anthony Flew.)

In summary I never meant to say that a scientists opinion doesn't count - just that I perceive them as possibly being skewed toward atheism. (though that trend appears to be reversing somewhat with the popularity of Intelligent Design on the rise)

[Prodigal Son]

A little science estranges men from God, but much science leads them back to Him.

--Louis Pasteur

[Deborah]

as long as you have faith in god everyones opinion of him/her is equal, regardless of any difference scientist or not. when i become a scientist i hope people dont think my opinion is worth less than someone elses.

As deborah indicated, it's a matter of Faith really. All I was saying is that my impression of some scientists is that they shut out their Faith, intentionally or not. It follows the mindset that "I will only accept and believe what I can observe and test."

On the flip side, when a scientist overcomes that mindset and comes to accept his/her Faith, the declaration of this faith can have greater impact than it would from someone outside of the science community (as we witnessed recently with Anthony Flew.)

In summary I never meant to say that a scientists opinion doesn't count - just that I perceive them as possibly being skewed toward atheism. (though that trend appears to be reversing somewhat with the popularity of Intelligent Design on the rise)

um that was TASH and some scientists find their faith while they are researching because they discover the possability of God in science, so it is true it is ALL about faith.

[AttentionKMartShoppers]

as long as you have faith in god everyones opinion of him/her is equal, regardless of any difference scientist or not. when i become a scientist i hope people dont think my opinion is worth less than someone elses.

Sadly, many people believe that creationists and/or Christians (maybe more religions added in, not sure) cannot be real scientists....it's hypocrisy of course.

A little science estranges men from God, but much science leads them back to Him.

--Louis Pasteur

Francis Bacon said the same thing on philosophy (I think it was bacon...I know a few Francis guys).