Doubt
I was just asked a question that was very interesting. I was challenged about dark matter,alternate universes as being items that have not been proved but the science community generally believes in. My religious believer maintains this is no different than believing in a god.How should I have addressed these questions?
1
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
4 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Saying the science community 'believes in' something is misleading. Scientists accept various theories because they enable progress, but they are not the last word. Usually they work fine for a while, they they are found lacking and refinements are needed, or sometimes a complete rethink. The best theories, like relativity and quantum mechanics go on being useful for decades, and they still are. But we know they're not the last word, because they're incompatible with each other. Our 'belief' in them is temporary and conditional. This is very different from an unshakable belief in god.
Coffeo
Level 8
Dec 7, 2017
2
Hi,
If I am interpreting the believer's argument correctly, then it sounds like god of the gaps argument. "We don't understand dark matter and alternate universes, therefore God". There are plenty of gaps that have been filled in by our current knowledge that once were used to justify the existence of God (which one(s)?) e.g. lightning strikes and how volcanoes erupt.
The thing about dark matter is there is observational evidence (but not yet direct evidence) for it that can be validated by different types of people and a sufficient amount of them to move it along the scientific method. That CANNOT happen with the religious believer's God.
Suppose said believer is Christian. Could that person get a bunch of Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, African religious practitioners, Native American spiritualists, and have all of them confirm the Christian view of God? No, your religious believer could not do that since all those other listed believers have their own ideas of God/gods/spirituality/reality. That's what makes all the difference.
RunnerMiler424
Level 4
Nov 15, 2017
1
Thank you your response was very well said.
If a chemist tells me that two elements i've never seen, combine to do a thing i don't care about, ill believe him, because i'm not part of that world, it doesn't affect me, and if one day it should, i will remember such claims with a grain of salt, knowing i must discover for myself if i am to be effective
JHeyoka
Level 5
Nov 14, 2017
1
Be careful , only the science methods produce truth.
Just because a lot of science is proven doesn't mean there aren't fallacies we have failed to point out, 'science' is a big category. Be careful of saying truth and meaning 'universal truth' or 'absolute truth', the social contract and the notion of culture or lifestyle extends beyond the physical.
Dark matter has not specifically identified, but much evidence points to its existence. Further, its existence is based on data-based reasoning. The existence of a god is based on superstition, blind faith, and elaborate mythology without any evidence.
wordywalt
Level 9
Nov 14, 2017
1
So right
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
Share this post
Categories
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.