Will science ultimately assimiliate religion?

[hallenrm]

Ultimately science is the latest and most rigorous form of natural philosophy. But, it has several limitations, because it was a late-comer in the human history. Undoubtedly it will uncover the answers to many questions, it is unable to answer today in centuries to follow.

 

At such a time, do you foresee that it will assimilate all the religions of the yesteryears?

 

:)

[Buffy]

I think you need to define what you mean by "assimilate"...

 

Murky,

Buffy

[Jay-qu]

I think you need to define what you mean by "assimilate"...

 

Murky,

Buffy

Exactly.. if by assimilate you mean "to take something and make it part of one's own way of doing things." then no, but if you meant to say ulimately overtake and rule out religion I would be inclined to say yes.

[InfiniteNow]

Resistance is futile. [/TNG Borg]

[IDMclean]

I would say from personal experience that like all things, science cares not from what source a given thing comes. If it is relevant, and true, science will find out.

 

Of course science isn't going to assimilate aspects of religions that are contrary to the aims of science, not in the evolution of things anyway. However for a secular philosophy, it will assimilate the aspects of religion which are secular. Of course if we are talking about the supernatural aspects well science has already seen to many of those. Hence the concept of the God of the Gaps.

 

That which is does not exist, or has no measurable, knowable effect on reality will of course not be considered. However, todate, all things that have happened, do happen and continue to happen follow measurable, knowable rules. Sure it could be argued that these things occured, and that they are documented, but would not that same arguement say that just because it's written down it must be true? Scientific method would not say so.

 

Science will assimilate what is true in religion, what is not will simply disappear into the sands of time, or be remembered as fairy tales and the myths of the age of violence and superstition. Such is the nature of scientific method.

 

That is what I know of it.

[sh2master]

We should also take into account human geographical aspects of the world. Third world countries will be the last stand for religion because they lack any means of educating their people and so they don't know anything else other than their religion. When the religion of a people is threatened, their response is a passionate one; fundamentalists and evangelists will do everything in their power to stop the recession of their religion. There are hundreds of Christian evangelist churches scattered around America (Kansas), and their main purpose is to recruit children to be evangelists and fundamentalists.

 

Here are a few interesting links; at least go to the last two (unfortunatly I can't post links yet, so copy-paste them and add the wwwdot thing):

 

Religion will be Dead by the End of the Century:

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americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=16490

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**About the upcoming Jesus Camp movie**:

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bupipedream.com/pipeline_web/display_article.php?id=3430

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***Trailer for Jesus Camp movie***:

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apple.com/trailers/magnolia/jesuscamp/trailer/

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[hallenrm]

I think you need to define what you mean by "assimilate"...

 

Murky,

Buffy

 

Following is the meaning of the word assimilate from the site wordseek

 

To change and appropriate nourishment so as to make it a

part of the substance of the assimilating body.

[1913 Webster]

 

Aliment easily assimilated or turned into blood.

--Arbuthnot.

[1913 Webster]

 

3. To be converted into the substance of the assimilating

body; to become incorporated; as, some kinds of food

assimilate more readily than others.

[1913 Webster]

 

I am a foreign material, and cannot assimilate with

the church of England. --J. H.

Newman.

[1913 Webster]

 

Or the following from Moby Thesaurus:

 

words for "assimilate":

Americanize, Anglicize, ablate, absorb, accommodate,

accommodate with, accord, acculturate, acculturize, adapt,

adapt to, add, adjust, adjust to, admit, adopt, adsorb, affiliate,

agree with, amalgamate, analogize, appreciate, apprehend,

appropriate, approximate, assimilate, assimilate to, attune,

balance, be guided by, be with one, encompass, engross, envisage,equalize,equilibrize,

 

integrate, interblend, interfuse, join, ken, key to,

know, learn, leaven, level, liken, liken to, lump together, make,

make conform, make one,

[Jay-qu]

Following is the meaning of the word assimilate from the site wordseek

 

 

 

Or the following from Moby Thesaurus:

Then no, I dont think so. They are two totally different things, science works on proofs, religion works on faith, I dont think they mix to well..

[hallenrm]

They are two totally different things, science works on proofs, religion works on faith, I dont think they mix to well..

 

That's the state of affairs today, what if tomorrow it is scientifically proved that there is a scientific basis to the phenimenon that humans have faiths?

 

The science of today may become like alchemy tomorrow?

[Jay-qu]

Well its my opinion and thats what you asked for :) and I dont think that would happen.

[maikeru]

No. I think certain religions will be assimilated or overtaken, but some will always be around and new ones will be born. I believe humans are "wired" to believe in the supernatural or it is an outgrowth of the way the mind works. And I think while science is an excellent tool to explore existence as we know it, it may not answer all the questions people ask or give all the answers people want.

[arkain101]

I voted Yes.

 

I meant that I think Science and Religion Beleifs will find comman ground in the future.

 

I believe infact that it already has.

 

On the other hand will people ever accept it if it does happen!??? That might take a long time.

[InfiniteNow]

I believe humans are "wired" to believe in the supernatural or it is an outgrowth of the way the mind works.

Maybe you could check out the following thread. Your comment above reminded me a bit of the idea I was going for. Let me know your thoughts. I seem to be struggling somewhat to find coherence in the idea:

 

http://hypography.com/forums/theology-forum/6829-religion-lowest-common-denominator.html

 

 

Cheers. :hihi:

[Pyrotex]

That's the state of affairs today, what if tomorrow it is scientifically proved that there is a scientific basis to the phenimenon that humans have faiths?

Oddly enough, this process is already underway! I recommend you read:

Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel C. Dennett

which can be found here http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Spell-Religion-Natural-Phenomenon/dp/067003472X/sr=8-1/qid=1164991105/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-2484879-8120713?ie=UTF8&s=books at Amazon Books.

 

His contention is that given our brain structures, our linguistic mental structures, and the evolutionary process that produced us -- even if we assume no supernatural beings at all, evolution would still have produced US, complete with our fascination for the supernatural and our tendency to believe in gods.

 

He states up front that his book does not prove this, but is an attempt to kickstart the research and the reasoning. Also, it's a fun read. :hihi:

[Southtown]

I vote #2. Science is fact, religion is interpretation. As long as we have facts we will have to interpret them.

[Southtown]

His contention is that given our brain structures, our linguistic mental structures, and the evolutionary process that produced us -- even if we assume no supernatural beings at all, evolution would still have produced US, complete with our fascination for the supernatural and our tendency to believe in gods.

Speaking of evolution, I eagerly anticipate the natural selection against the immoral among us. "The meek shall inherit the earth." I can't see natural selection acting against beliefs per se, but I can definitely see it acting against the behaviors that spring from the beliefs. What those beliefs are is immaterial.

[hallenrm]

I vote #2. Science is fact, religion is interpretation. As long as we have facts we will have to interpret them.

 

I doubt the very varacity of that statement. I believe it is neither scientific nor religious. It is plain simple worthless rhetoric :thumbs_do