Did religion slow the progress of science in the past? Does religion still impede science now?

Question

Ed, awesome thorough unbias answer!

Answer 1

Well, yes and no - it depends on which religion, which era and which part of the world.

Religion has always been around (well, for the whole of recorded history) so whatever scientific development we've seen has occurred despite the presence of religion. It must be said - I'm sure many people will say it - that a lot of scientific progress came from various people of religion or at least religious people.

The Greeks were Pagan but they progressed science a lot. The Muslims in the Middle East did a lot of great work in the Middle Ages. China has traditionally been Buddhist and Confucian but progress has still occurred.

The major problem is the Middle Ages. I think that you can't deny that progress was retarded by the tight yoke that the Church has over the people of Europe before the Enlightenment - and that the Enlightenment only came to pass by taking a step _away_ from the Church.

So religion - and specifically Christianity - has historically impeded progress.

Today it's rather more subtle but equally important. Controversy regarding stem cell research in the US is a classic example. It's impossible to deny that religion plays a significan part here - and that people may be dying now that wouldn't have to if religion hadn't constantly been obstructing stem cell research.

Some people will inevitably write about how religious great scientists like Isaac Newton were. I would counter that that's fundamentally meaningless - that before Darwin's time, the lack of suitable answers to the question of where human life came from forced people - who otherwise might not - to accept the existence of God. It means nothing to me that, say, Newton believed in God.

As for Copernicus - well, let's not even go there...

Answer 2

Despite the popular myth nurturned by humanists today that religion is for yokels who think the Earth is 6,000 years old, history actually tells a different story.

Religion has impeded science at times, but more often, it helped it along. The muslims kept the classical Greek sciences alive during the dark ages. And in later times, the Jesuit order of the Catholic church was devoted to studying and educating in science.

It is really only in the last century and a half that the phenomenon of the unbelieving scientist has even taken root. Scientists prior to this were typically profoundly believing people (like Sir Isaac Newton.)

Answer 3

Of course it has slowed science...but it's not necessarily a bad thing. It's important in science to question both the validity of old and new theories so ideologies which help prevent accepting radical paradigm shifts kinda keep science in check. In the long run, the truth prevails.

However, it does seem absurd to reject what reality is telling us based on preconceived religious notions...so, those who are religiously inclined should be careful when rejecting science upon religious grounds.

I don't think religion gets in the way of science now as much as it use to...the boundaries previously created by religion seemed to be crossed by the majority of scientists. But, it does still impede the public acceptance of certain theories which would otherwise probably be accepted by most people.

Answer 4

It slows down science mainly when science conflicts with religion. This is because religion exists to explain the things we currently don't understand. It makes colorful fairy tails in place of logic. Science explains and looks into things. So when we do understand things through science, religion becomes less necessary, and wrong. People are controlled through religion, and it was fine till people actually believed it. Look at Galileo, Socrates, etc. I hate copying and pasting, but I will try to find one answer I gave to explain what religion was made for, and this will show you why science conflicts with it. And because the primitive masses need comfort, they will fight science to live in blissful ignorance.

This is the other answer

"I respect the church, and recognizes that it helps people with things. I respect them when they respect me. I let them go till they try to force their beliefs on me. The church is people pretending there is something more, and that they are not alone or in control. This is a primitive caveman tactic to explain things like lightning. They did not know what it was, and had to spend time hunting rather than thinking. Something greater did it was an easy way out of thinking. Thus god was created. Some people are still to primitive to live without it, and some just follow the crowd. The church is organized people trying to get comfort from what they don't understand. If they keep that to themselves it is fine. "

I could go into more detail, but this should give you the basics. This was not the answer I was looking for, but had some of the points I make for this argument in it.

Answer 5

Well back long enough in the past yes. Considering people were killed for saying that the moon and sun were rocks as opposed to heavenly gods, i would have to say that science was probably slowed just a tad by that. As for more recent science, i would have to say no. Did you know that the big bang was actually originally worked on by a catholic priest? Despite popular belief the majority of the scientific community has found common ground between science and religion. As for now, I think that religion just gives science one more test to pass making it even better.

Answer 6

Religion has always slowed the progress of science. When people believe the world was flat, scientists who claim it was round were burnt at the stake. That is a significant deterrent for scientific progress. And yes it still impedes on scientific progress today.

Answer 7

Nope, not all religions. In the middle ages when was Europe in darkness, and let false Christianity (The true one, which I do believe in as a Muslim, was ruined by many people). Islam asked people to do things that seemed like "witchcraft" and "blasphemy" to many Europeans back then. No one can deny the large effect Muslim scientists did at these times. Algebra, numerals, physical and chemical theories which are basically still used till today..etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_in_the_Islamic_World
Islam encouraged seeking knowledge:

The Noble Qur'an used the expression (Don't they think, meditate) over 46 times.

Yunus, 10:5 "...He explains the ayat (proofs, evidences, verses) in detail for people who have knowledge"

Al-Esra', 17:85 "....And you (mankind) have been given a small portion of knowledge". Which is apparent invetation to seek more knowledge.

Al-Nahl 16:8 "....He creates (other) things of which you have no knowledge about"----> Scientists did not discover many living things yet.

And also Ta-Ha, 20:114 "...And say: Lord! Increase me in knowledge"

Muhammad (PBUH) sayings:
"Seeking knowledge is an OBLIGATION on every Muslim man and Muslim woman"

Omar Bin Khattab the 2 nd Muslim Caliph said "Seek knowledge, even if in China (China seemed a far away place for them)"

Answer 8

What makes you think of faith impeded the form of technology for hundreds of years? maximum all of the Founders of present day technology, which includes Sir Francis Bacon, Kepler, Galileo, Pascal, Boyle, Dalton, Linnaeus, Mendel, Maxwell, Kelvin, Newton (or maybe Einstein by using some debts) all believed in a God who created a universe of order, a universe that now operates under organic rules or approaches, and that perception led them to objective and discover and comprehend those rules and approaches. So faith became infrequently a burden on progression, extremely it became the muse to progression and discovery by way of fact it proposed an ordered Universe whose rules must be stumbled on and understood extremely than a chaotic universe the place issues in basic terms occurred by using random undirected injuries.

Answer 9

Depends on which religion you're talking about, Christianity certainly slowed down Science, whereas Islam encouraged it and during the Golden islamic years, Numerous scientists appeared who contributed a great deal to knowledge.

Answer 10

No it did not slow progress in the past.....there have been plenty of scientist over the years......most just did it behind closed doors and when proven came out

no......but science now deals alot with the Bible.....Have read where alot of scientist go through the Bible to prove