Is it the business of science to determine the existence of God?

Question

I have begun reading both "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins and "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis at the same time. Dawkins clearly believes that science has a place in searching for God and determining existence or non-existence. Lewis believes that science has inherent limits that prevent it from conducting this search. I tend to side with Dawkins as I see the realm of science expanding over time. Plus, I think that relegating to God things that science cannot explain condemns God to an ever-shrinking status as science figures more stuff out. Shouldn't we, as humans, be willing to utilize science as a method for find truth, even if that truth disturbes us? I imagine the truth about God's existence, one way or the other, could be terribly disturbing to a lot of people.

Answer 1

It is the business of science to try and discover everything, question everything and continue the relentless pursuit of knowledge in all its forms, while at the same time dispelling ignorance. That is why I love science, it encourages curiosity, learning, questioning and imagination. Everyone should question all the time because without questioning there is only stagnation. In order to learn you have to be curious to know the what, why, where, how, when, if of everything.... even the existence of god/s. To me it is saddening that religion, by its very nature discourages the questioning of everything and the pursuit of knowledge, by claiming to have already explained everything..... that is why science should surely be trying to discover the truth about the existence of god because religious followers have already decided god exists and no longer question if that is the truth. Science I am sure will eventually reveal the truth about almost everything we could ever ask, even the big question... Does god exist?

Answer 2

You've hit the nail on the head - any intelligent theist is going to have to come to terms with a lot of ways in which its illogical to believe in god - this is when you hear them whine about faith which means believing in something without any evidence - which is really what dawkins means by a delusion.

The problem is also that many religious minds cant tell the difference between something that is true and something that they just want to be true - you see it on here all the time with them claiming that atheists must have empty lives. Maybe life is empty? That wouldnt make god exist, would it?

The more you think about it the more silly it appears and you'll get more confused at how people can continue to obsess over an ancient fairytale.

Answer 3

I too have read Dawkins and Lewis (they are good writers). I think that for many scientists the mere fact that spirituality and belief in a supreme being is so widespread among humans is daunting. How to explain this belief is puzzling as scientists seeks to answer questions with empirical evidence. Dawkins equates belief in God with a foolish tradition passed on from authority figures like parents, but this supposition is rather trite. Dean Hamer, another scientist, further suggests people believe because of a dominant, inheritable gene that urges them to do so. Again, this idea is implausible as many of his fellow scientists will readily agree. I think science's attempt to explain theism in a reductionistic manner is an attempt to attach an empirical test and objective support to what deep down they already believe - that is that God exists.

Answer 4

I don't see how they can measure God unless maybe they actually follow people and when one turns to God and changes like in AA or something.
I read Mere Christianity about 14 years ago and I thought it was great but do not remember it being at odds with science. I just remember thinking that it was a good thing it was a journey and not a destination as I was quite sure I had not arrived.
As for science I'm all for it too and I believe that God is for it too as so much good has come from it but bad things too. I bet a scientist invented crack.

Answer 5

No! Science studies the world of matter and space. God, or the meanings of life, are in a different universe, within the same universe. The two have to be keep separate until the time comes for the individual who is doing the envisioning comes to see and understanding the connection between both worlds.
The connection maybe many connection points but I just found one that is very inviting, and it works. However, you can't know it all because only a God could know it all.
At that point, the road leads out to the horizen, but it gets closer as it does, hope.

Answer 6

To answer your first question, is it the business of science to determine the existence of God...

Science is a systematic way of going about to solve existing problems with a defined / controlled set of variables to ensure an accurate outcome and result. To say that science can do that in the explanation of God, that is absurd, for we all do know infact that certain things science has not really been able to explain... things that are crucial to our essence as human beings. (one of those things being the "soul"... or conciousness for those who wish to use scientific terms)

With that having been said and already clear to many people, science does not provide us with the enough and required tools that are needed to determine the existence of a God... not by searching for that God any way... It is in the world around us that we can use our logic, our rationale, our instinct and intuition to ponder and try to resolve those questions on our own.

Bare in mind that in some religions, and I am not naming any to maintain the validity of my argument against those who will find themselves biassed by my own beliefs, some religions... are at peace with science and the more the advancments in science, the stronger and clearer the truth becomes... If you are really interested in the question you have asked and are an openminded individual with the ability to reason with as little bias as possible... I recommend the following links below... where you will be redirected to a page with links to downloadable videos on a wide range of topics that (most) are underlied by the core question you asked: Science and God.

http://www.harunyahya.com/m_video_index.php

Answer 7

The problem with science looking to determine the existence or non-existence of God is that it is a futile effort, by definition. How so? Science, aka human understanding, can only observe and measure, and thus theorize and make conclusions on, the universe.

If God exists, then, as creator of the universe, by definition must exist outside of it and is thus not directly observable. If there is no God, then the Universe is an awfully big place to look everywhere.

Answer 8

Science, as you perceive it in this Western world is a direct result of religious tampering by the Catholic Church. The dualistic approaches to everything began with the Church's control on "truth". Free ideas were happily squashed flat by the Church and things just evolved under the "umbrella" of religion approaching everything from the assumption that there is such a creator being who did all of the things we percieve.

Read "The Quantum and the Lotus" by Matthieu Ricard and Trinh Xuan Thuan... it gives you the Buddhist perspective for something else to toss into your research.

_()_

Answer 9

Good science helps us, in that it points to creation by an intelligent being. So, while it's not up to science, or the "job" of science, it is just one way that truth, in particular subject, supports other beliefs about a thing. It can be so helpful, if we are off track, in the sense it can invalidate an incorrect belief about something. For instance, say I never heard about creation science, or "theory", and only knew about evolution and darwinianism, science would be helpful in correcting my incorrect views.
So, for me, when I look at the possibilities of the origins of man, and the universe, I find that from my studies and common sense, some things come out way on top, and other things fall 'out of the running'. For me, something intelligent HAD to make what we see in this universe. I believe that thing is God. You can believe it was a space alien too, if you like, and find that from what you studied, this makes the most sense, and lines up with other things.
To William, if only C.S. Lewis were still alive today he would love to see what science has shown. He has always taken the more intellectual, logical, philosophical, and moral reasons into account for a lot of what he believes. I love Mere Christianity, and his other apologetic works. He used to be an atheist, go Lewis!

Answer 10

How can science be expected to prove the existance of something to which there is no evidance to lead to proving that existance???

This God has no physical qualities as religion is quick to point out. Without any physical attributes there is nothing that we could examine or measure!!

In short the imaginary man doesn't exist anywhere but in the delusional minds of people!!