Science Vs. Religion: Why Science should win

I started my blog with the topic Science is truth, It is a philosophy and have continued with the debate Science Vs. Religion. I believe Science can also be a religion to follow, but it’s very different from what we think a religion is. Religion and Science can both fall under philosophies since both have their own ideas. Many people including some researches have argued that science and religion can be integrated. But that cannot happen because their basic philosophy is different.

Science and religion both were born from the same circumstances. 5000 or more years ago, people questioned the reason for various events in nature like why lightning and rain occurs, why do we have day and night and various other questions. Science and religion were born then. One type of people said that they are due to some supernatural beings like gods while another group tried to find various evidences for these occurrences, thus laying the foundation of Science.

Both groups are sometimes wrong, but the difference is the way in which the fact that their theories are wrong is accepted. Those who follow Science, are always ready to change their thoughts if sufficient proof is given and most of their questions are correctly answered by the required change in the theory. But the religious group never accepted the fact that they were wrong until a large number of people forced them to change their thinking and themselves.

The image below gives Science a head start in this debate.

Think of it. When something related to science is discovered or made or a theory is established, even followers of Religion ask Science questions about the theory or discovery. And the fun fact is that Science answers all the questions gladly and if it is unable to, then it changes the theory or discovery so that most of the questions are answered correctly. This leads to the development of Science and thus Science prospers. On the other hand, Religion tries to subdue any voice that questions it and that is why it has never developed, until and unless, people after thinking rationally (which is another philosophy of Science) try to change it. For example, the then church banned many works of Galileo Galilei ( a great and brave scientist) and tried to suppress him. But till date Galileo is famous since he was the follower of truth, the follower of Science.

People might ask then why some religious leaders are famous. The answer is they have been able to discuss topics which can move people and are very easy to understand for the common people. They were cunning enough to understand what would make people follow them. Still now many people will follow a saint, who is said to have supernatural powers, than to prove them wrong.  Besides, half of us don’t even know what these religious leaders are actually famous for but we follow and worship them blindly. To become famous, the best thing is to do extraordinary (good or bad) and if you’re able to do that then you can become famous.

There are many texts of religion that can be studied and of course they do have some higher ideals but they also spread  false notions like the earth was 10,000 years old or dead bodies coming back to life or about heaven or about deities controlling our lives. There are some people who even believe in all these but again coming back to scientific ideas, if we ask questions then these priests will ask us to believe in these things and not question but on the other hand Science has given proof of the existence (or non-existence) of these notions. Again talking about good values, does Science not teach us the good values ? Yes, it does. From the basic level it teaches us good values. Like –

1. Science does not create any divide among people on the basis of birth (like colour or race). It has same respect for all people.
2. Science only believes in facts which have a basis that can be proved through various methods. Thus, it upholds truth.
3. It teaches us the law of conservation which is in fact a necessity in today’s world. Whereas Religion asks us to slaughter animals in the name of God or give flowers or spend money to do unrealistic things in the name of a deity for worship.
4. It allows itself to be changed as and when required and does not remain fixed like religion. And that is why Science (which is flexible) is developing while there is no change in religion except when some people with some education try to change the existing religious laws or superstitions.
5. It allows us to think broadly thus not binding us to think in a particular way.
6. Any other higher ideal which you can think of and religion teaches us (i will be happy to answer your questions on this matter)

Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev, inventor of periodic table of elements, had once remarked about his mother, “She knew that with the aid of science without violence, with love but firmness, all superstitions untruth and errors can be removed.”

This is a very strong inspirational quote.

Now, 80% or more people all over the world have some religion be it Christianity or Islam or Hinduism or Buddhism or etc. etc. People don’t follow all kind of religions (they follow only one type, of course), even there are many who don’t even follow a religion. So which religion should we follow ? What is the conclusion ? The answer is we can live without any religion. Religion was made to answer some questions and it has been done incorrectly. Religion is sometimes said to remove some fears (like fear of death) and live happily. But why not just accept reality than live in darkness. Today 80% population follows religion and so darkness is spread over the world. The rest who believe in Science have tried to bring them to light and due to their efforts we have developed a bit.

At the end I will just ask you to do two things –

1. Don’t be a hypocrite, either work for religion or for Science. Don’t be in the middle.
2. After reading this, what do you feel ? Who has won the debate?

For me, the answer to the 2nd question is Science is much ahead of religion and has won the debate. But it has not got the respect it has deserved from people since while people use the discoveries and inventions of science, on the other hand they follow religion. Think if Science had not developed then today, the priests would not have been able to sit comfortably in the cold room while it is burning hot outside, there would be no light in churches, all pleasures that we take advantage of today would not have existed.

Science is Truth, It is A PHILOSOPHY

Science is the systematic study of anything in the universe about the past, present or future. Science is not just a subject that we study in schools and colleges. It upholds what is the truth and answers the thousands of questions that human beings have. Even Social Sciences (not forgetting Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths) are a form of Science. It is so vast that even exceptionally intelligent human being cannot know every thing under this subject but we can all strive to know even a fraction (even though 370/3 % is also a fraction technically and it is more than 100 % but I am talking about proper fractions). Now, I must tell you that even though you loathe the science being / that had been taught in your school but most things that you use or do are a part of the studies made by Science (think about the thing which you’re using to come across my blog ).And whether you believe it or not but every person on this world (except primitive saints) uses an invention of Science even though he/she is a religious orthodox. Just like more than 80% people identify themselves with a religion, more than 99% use something made by the help of Science, the very opposition of Religion (yes, Science and religion are on two opposite poles in the world of philosophies).

“Science is just not a subject, it’s a philosophy.”

Just like Science is not a collection of facts, Science cannot be disposed as a subject taught in the school or that is a broad term to collect all the subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, etc. Science teaches us to be honest, humble, caring for other living beings, think rationally and most of the good values that we think are a part of religion. I will describe how Science teaches us a few of these –

1. Honesty – Many people come up with different explanations but those with enough and correct evidence or proof are accepted; there is no chance of cheating in any way and that is why I say that Science is the truth, it upholds the truth in front of us and never says anything false or wrong.
2. Humility – Just as I said we can strive to know a few of the subjects under Science, Science is itself such vast that an average person’s knowledge is not even a ripple in this sea of knowledge and this makes us feel very modest and will increase our thirst of knowledge.
3. Care for other living beings – By studying the various creatures found on this Earth we come to know about their existence and this makes us sensitive to them if we study about them carefully and not just for exams.
4. Thinking rationally – That’s the basic of Science.

Being Scientific means thinking rationally and efficiently about a question and not just saying anything which you think is true. Think of the Scientific debates and political debates. There’s not even a shout in a scientific debate but there’s more than verbal contact between individuals during a political debate. Scientists are one of the most intelligent but humble people found on this planet (can’t say in the universe). Even emotions are studied by science. Just go to this website (click here) for an insight on why do we fall in love.

Now, Science has its roots from the questions asked by primitive people. Some thought that there are Gods and some gave very beautiful and well-thought explanations. These explanations are the basis of Science and from there we have the divide between Science and Religion. But that is a different issue all together. And I have a different blog altogether for that debate.

Science has never got its due respect from people and the best part is that it does not aspire for that respect. However I would urge you to have some thoughts about this highly unidentified branch of  philosophy. Scientists have never got respect from common people like religious people and they never want that respect. That’s why scientists like to work in their own world undisturbed by other people.

So, I would like to tell all those who are reading this blog that you can still now think rationally about this subject and give me your ideas. I ask everyone to go on questioning and try to get answers from Science so that Science can correct itself, if it at all has any mistake because Science is ever ready to change itself if there is enough evidence. And thus I will also change or edit my own self and my ideas.  

At the end I would like you to think about a thing – How absurd but wonderful it is that we are using complex things made by using simpler things  which again are derived from more simpler things but it was all (Even the numbers 1, 2, 3…) made up by humans ….

And please do comment and share your ideas with me … thanks for reading my blog.