| | My God problem--and theirs.(The Scientific Method): An article from: American Scholar |  | Author: Natalie Angier
Publisher: Phi Beta Kappa Society
Category: Book
Buy New: $5.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 2254126
Format: Html
Media: Digital
Pages: 10
ASIN: B00082BXQU
Publication Date: March 22, 2004
Availability: Available for download now
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| Customer Reviews:
A thought-provoking essay January 9, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I guess the title of this article is a takeoff on Norman Podhoretz's February, 1963 Commentary article ("My Negro Problem - and Ours"). But let's not discuss that article. Let's discuss this one.
Natalie Angier (author of the interesting book, "Woman: An Intimate Geography") notes that when religion is used as a reason (or an excuse) to attack science, most scientists fight back. She herself says she's encouraged to help fix a problem, namely that some polls show that only 28% of Americans have much confidence in the theory of evolution. Angier agrees that the scientists are right about this problem. And I agree as well: truth is a value, and we're going to get in trouble by refusing to teach it or by denying it.
On the other hand, Angier thinks that scientists are too lenient in discussing other religious statements that also deny science. What about the virgin birth or the resurrection of Jesus? Should scientists take these on as well? Is it proper for them to avoid discussing all this on political grounds?
Of course, some scientists are monotheists. In a 1998 survey, 7% of the members of the National Academy of Sciences said that they believed in the monotheist god. Still, what about the other 93%? Why don't they take on antiscientific religious statements? The answer seems to be that as long as religious folks don't appear to challenge science directly, most scientists feel it's best not to challenge religion. After all, who wants a fight?
Angier, however, argues that all this "wincing and capitulating" just results in "a fresh round of whacks." And I think she's making a good point.
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