Why are scientists so materialistic in their world views?

Question

From where did science's current reductionist-materialist stance come from? Was is from having so many 'quacks' and junk scientists in its early days? Or is it maybe just an anti-religious stance based on the agreement it had with the catholic church not to get involved with issues of metaphysics and theology? Or can't scientists believe anything they can't kick (like Hume's stone). Or what is it?

I am not religious by the way. But scientists seem to have major blind spots just like religious people.

While individual scientists might be open-minded they only get funding for projects that don't threaten the current scientific worldview.

Answer 1

Science is basically a battle between accepted wisdom and new ideas. One thing that has changed is the financial incentive for a scientist - or the pressure to secure funding.

Answer 2

you are assuming that all scientists are not religious, which is a false assumption. you have preconcieved ideas about what a scientist is.
modern scientists are not the same as scientists in the past.
science is a theory. it is about a methods to learn about the world. that does not mean that a scientist cannot also believe in god, or a supreme being.
they may even be Catholic these days. yet deal with the paradox of being religious and learning from empirical evidence.
i think studying science and being a scientist can make you even more in awe of life, and the world, the universe than any other profession. And make you appreciate it more.
I think you will find many scientists are spiritual people.
Quacks aren't scientists really. And I don't even know what 'junk scientists' are. But if you mean charlatans, you get those in every profession and walk of life. They aren't scientists.
The Catholic church was anti-science, as in anti the empirical evidence of how old the world is, and the scientists were not necessarily anti the Catholic church. They were defending themselves against being persecuted, and maybe even killed.

The question of funding is a seperate issue. Yes, much funding is given to people who are establishment. Yes, scientists have to try to get funding. That is a problem. It is a problem that those who challenge the establishment are at times treated like the Catholic church once treated scientists.
A lot of it is financial, and that is unfortunate.
However, many scientists aren't motivated by money. There is the establishment in any profession you do, or any country you are in. Yet, I do think there is room in our society still for debate, and sharing of information, evidence, and so on. I find it sad, though, that there is what I consider probably suspect research, and results put out there by huge companies. I don't regard that as a religion. I regard it as greed perhaps. I don't think science is the problem. The way the corporations are set up may be, or other institutions. And corporations have set rules, and that is the religion. Corporations run people, replace people's religion, family, community, and purposefully so.

Answer 3

Scientists dont have blind spots, or at least no more than the normal human amount. And they are not materialistic - in general nearly all the scientists I know are fairly uninterested in acquiring material goods -- certainly much less so than many very devout conservative businessmen.

What they are interested in is examining assertions to see whether the assertions relate to reality or not. The intent of science is to create models of the world that allow accurate, useful predictions about how the world will act. As a general rule, religions are really useless when it comes to giving any kind of guide about how to predict and control the world. Religion doesnt protect the public health, make bridges stand up, explain how to get petroleum split into its different components, guide us to new mineral deposits, etc. Science is really good at dealing with that sort of thing.

What religion is good at is trying to make us feel better about the cause or effect of things that science hasnt gotten around to explaining yet. Like why your dad died of cancer at 39 and the guy who raped your sister got out of jail and is living a happy life 50 years later. Although some well educated people are religious, for the most part religion is most fervent among the ignorant and uneducated. There are no uneducated scientists.

Answer 4

Science is the study of all the things around us. Yes they use a lot of math to explain it but that is all right. Try this what u don't know about the things around us may kill U. I have a guard at an oil well that was checking the tank level every hour . He dropped his flash light and broke it so when he went to measure it he used his cigarette lighter to read the tape and the tank exploded and blew him off the tank and actually blew out the fire. He testified that he had done nothing to cause the tank to blow up. Stupid people make mistakes all the time and some survive and some don't. GET YOUR EDUCATION I would like to see u some day.

Answer 5

Are they? We're taking your word for that are we?

Now science itself has to be concerned pretty much with the materialistic, that is simply a practical matter. At least until somebody can figure out how to run objective tests of ghosts and so on.

But as for what sort of world view scientists have, you'd have to ask them individually. I'm sure you'll find there's quite a range there.

Answer 6

Ask yourself a question regarding scientists and the catholic church - why in their beliefs about the world insist that God created all - there is no proof to offer to show there was/is a GOD - so why does the head of the Catholic Church - The Pope - have continual access to an observatory that is constantly monitoring the cosmos - along with a team of dedicated scientific staff - If GOD (if there is one) did indeed create the universe - why do they need to search the cosmos/heavens? What are they hoping to find?

It is a point/s to question and decide -

Answer 7

Hmm, so you personally know lots of scientists, to base your opinion of them?
Maybe you are a scientist?
Or maybe your question is just drivel.

Answer 8

it's like next time i feel ill i'll go to a doctor or a chemist, not to church .... science offers you unlimited possibilities, religion only offers you faith ... learn how to live with both

Answer 9

QUITE A LOT ARENT ACTUALLY ITS JUST YOU NEVER HEAR OF THEM AND THOSE WHO YOU DO ARE PROMOTING A PARTICULAR STANCE.SCIENCE DEALS WITH WHAT IS OBSERVABLE AND MEASUREABLE.AS I REPLED TO DRAGON EARLIER ON IN THE WEEK MANY SCEINTISTS HAVE HAD TREMENDOUS RELIGIOUS INSIGHTS. YOURS FAITHFULLY VINCENT J HEANEY Ph.D

Answer 10

because we live in a material world