1. How does religion complement science?
Religion keeps track of Time. It lends authenticity to a prediction of past probabilities by science. For instance, a parchment that is known to be written by a person today could very well be preserved up to the time of his/her grand child by simple methods of upkeep. Thus, the truth, of time, kept on ancient parchments, is guarded by religions. The religious practise of time-stamping every financial transaction is a case in point. While science commonly helps formulate newer applications of knowledge, religion preserves its hierarchy. Thus, religion complements science.
2. What tool does religion provide to science?
The generic tool that is provided by religion to science is the knowledge of emotions. Thus it provides a source of the Abstract for science to operate upon. Religion understands emotions, science aims to discover and standardize it as the least common denominator amongst humans. The first tool provided by religion to science is “Faith”. Religion starts and ends with Faith. Science has trust only in proof, not even itself. In fact, the very distinction between the word “faith” and “trust” is made on the grounds of application of the question of faith / trust to the questioner himself/herself. If affirmative, then it is called faith, if negated then it is called trust. Affirmation, by way of, negating a negation, is the most ancient tool provided by religion to known science.
3. Where do science and religion part ways?
Silly, as it sounds, the purpose of science is to provide proof for the existence of emotions. Taken to an extreme, its purpose is to provide proof for the existence of premonitions, dreams or even the surreal, from time to time and from case to case, albeit, without trading in them. For this is the first step to help anybody transcend emotions. For instance, with passage of time, it is possible that in the generation of the great-great grand children there is no trust regarding the existence of a parchment written today. Some may restrict their disbelief only in respect of its age. In such a case science can provide clinching evidence to dispel distrust. However, where science and religion usually part ways is, in a race for power. Instead of transcending emotions and letting power remain in the abstract, both science and religion attempt to realise power instead of transcending it. For power is as useful or as useless an emotion as trust.This is possibly why the two part ways to this day. But hopefully they will not part ways further in future, for peace should not remain an emotion. Peace is a matter of experience and it must be realised by all.
Naresh,
ReplyDeleteA thought provokingly terrific piece. I am reminded of the recent debates in TV about our reactions to the chinese belligerence in the border areas as also their attitudes vis-vis India.
The govt/congress party spokesperson's view is allegedly borrowed from late Kennedy, namely that one should trust first and later verify. To this the counter from Brahma Chellaney ( whom I admire)is that, this should be the other way around; verify and then only trust.
The latter represents broadly the scientific approach methinks. As against this what is in general the religious "belief"? ( aahaa, there is another angle besides faith, trust, and I am sure the scientific community would find this thrilling as it would open up a lively debate as to different intrepretations of these three)
Which brings me to the next question, which comes first? Trust and then faith, or faith and then trust? But let me leave this for a moment, and try to find an answer to my earlier query;
Religion is a matter of "total faith". One verifies only if there is a doubt, and religion says the doubter perishes. ( samshaya aathma vinashyati easy enough samskrit?)
This is a very major obstacle in science and religion ever converging. And by its very nature, ( Brahma Chellany makes immense sense to me) science would be more appealing to the modern day Man.
Having said that, I find it amusing that some of the achievements in science(?) have come out of "dreams"; for instance the periodic table of chemical elements, and the hexagonal structure of benzene etc were allegedly revealed to the discoverers, in their dreams. Einstein is alleged to have said that it was after he realised his being a "jew" that he could fully comprehend his own theory of relativity. At the extreme, the faithful may argue therefore, that the scientific enquiry in itself is again dependendant on His will and Grace. Religion for you?
Finally a vichiism,
" while religion with faith as its leitmotif has the ultimate aim of man becoming humble, Science with its strong foundations based on verification and proof, has no such manifestly noble aim or a pre-requisite. Arrogance therefore seems inevitable, but it is widely dismissed as incosequential collateral damage".
Religious belief must also include the faith that "peace" is not ordained by Him in this great drama of "creation", but will come only in the final scene. Even without referring to the last page, everyone knows this, but still struggles to find it during his/her times.
There lies the beauty of it all. Or is it uglinessof it all?
Love
Vichu
I had once sent this mail where I had put forth my understnading of the words faith trust and belief. Thought I might recount them here -
ReplyDelete"Faith can have three meanings. First is belief - belief is a lie,it is insincere,dishonest. To believe something means you don't know it and yet you believe. It is hypocrisy. Belief is out of fear or out of greed.Belief is a conditioning by others imposed upon you; it is a slavery.
.....First meaning is belief - belief is ugly,avoid it. Second meaning is faith - faith is beautiful,imbibe it. And the third meaning is trust - trust means faith has arrived at the goal.Faith is fulfilled,one has come to know, then trust arises.
Trust means "I know", not "I believe". And the person who knows,he need not believe at all - for what? He knows! so there is no question of belief. Only those who don't know, believe. Believers never reach the ultimate meaning, trust - only those who have faith reach trust. Faith is the pilgrimage and trust is the destiny. Begin in faith,end in trust.
These are the three meanings of "faith". The word is very vague; you will have to understand all the three meanings, because sometimes it is used in the first meaning,sometimes in the second,sometimes in the third."
This is of course an extract from Osho's Philosophia Perennis Vol 2.