Pick one, please: Which of these has contributed the most to our understanding of the natural world?

Question

a) alchemy
b) faith healing
c) astrology
d) creationism

Answer 1

Alchemy, it was science, before science really took off.

Answer 2

All four are formidable attempts to understand our world, but I'd say that alchemy wins out, followed by astrology. People today may think about the other three more consciously than they do about alchemy, which is often thought of as archaic. However, that is because alchemy was the most analytical alternative, which morphed into all the other areas of serious science we know. Astrology has exposed some interesting predictions about personality types, but with little explanation as to why. Faith healing keeps alive the desire to channel spiritual power to heal the body, but has come up with few innovative answers about how and when it works. Creationism keeps alive the notion that the universe is not just an accident, but needs to transform into Intelligent Design which reconciles with evolution to open the doors to better spiritual understanding of our origins.

Answer 3

Alchemy which is basically primitive chemistry, followed loosely by astrology, although astrology teaches about outside our world.

Faith healing is pretty much a sham, in all studied cases either it doesn't work or the ailment is something the body can deal with on its own. It does have the placebo effect of causing endorphins (natural pain-killers) to kick in but there is no real healing effect that it claims to be doing.

As for creationism, that's pretty much "the Bible says this" and there's no further learning involved. People were killed for questioning it after all.

Answer 4

Since alchemy lead to actual understanding of the natural world, the field of chemistry, forced to choose among the collection of nonsense that is your list, I'll pick it.

But why don't you ask which has given you more in monetary value: Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy?

Actually, faith healing doesn't attempt to add to understanding of the natural world.

Nor does astrology, which is supposed to explain us.

Answer 5

A) laid the basis for scientific inquiry and preserved the knowledge of he ancient world in encrypted form through the dark ages.
C) laid the ground work for astrophysics that may some day take us to the stars. And was the only way to communicate information on non earth centric cosmology during the dark ages.

B) suggested the"placebo effect or placebo response"

D) is only good for a laugh.

Answer 6

None of the above.
I think that the place to begin to understand the natural world is to investigate what it is that makes you who you are. Human beings seem to be spiritual beings...why not look into the spiritual world as well?
Why should I limit myself to your way of looking at the world, when there are countless other ways? Your way seems to limiting...too confining, for me. I'm sure some folks are happy with it, but for me, there is something more than what I can experience through my five physical senses.

Answer 7

creationism, all day every day, the others are related to philosophy of the devine or either a fascination like alchemy. creationism has made us think about information and structure of all things, it has made us ask the question "how was this made?" this is a more important question than "how did something evolve?" because it has cause us to see how a creator had made solutions to everyday problems and how to create a working eco system which is very complex.

Answer 8

Creationism.

If you look beyond the last, oh, 200-300 years or so you'll see that a belief in the Judeo-Christian God is what allowed science to flourish - namely, the belief that our world is not something unknowable to be feared, but something orderly in honor of the Heavenly Father. Men believed that by growing in understand of God's creation they could grow closer in understand God.

When you know this, you know the answer. "Religion gave birth to science."

Alas, the second half of that quote is "and the daughter devoured the mother."

Answer 9

A) Alchemy

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/alchemy

While Alchemists were unable to accomplish some of their goals such as turning lead to gold they learned a lot about other properties of nature and naturally occurring metals and chemicals while failing to achieve making gold from lead..

Answer 10

I know about the creation from the Creator! Science teaches us about God's creation, but God is the ultimate source of wisdom! God bless.

Answer 11

Alchemy. A lot of scientists, like Newton, screwed around with it. I think by doing experiments they may have come across some honest stuff. I could be totally full of @#!* on this.