James Hrynyshyn is a freelance science journalist based in western North Carolina, where he tries to put degrees in marine biology and journalism to good use.
Today's New York Times Science section includes coverage of a forum on the religion-science wars this month at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif. Just about everybody who's anybody in this battle was there. My favorite quote comes from Steve Weinberg: "Anything that we scientists can do to weaken the hold of religion should be done and may in the end be our greatest contribution to civilization."
That's quite a thing to say -- it's not the medical advances, and understanding of our place in the universe, or our kinship with all other species that will define science, but simply getting rid of superstition. Hmmm.
But there's also this great little exchange between Weinberg and Richard Dawkins:
Before he left to fly back home to Austin, Dr. Weinberg seemed to soften for a moment, describing religion a bit fondly as a crazy old aunt.Read the whole thing. It's worth it. I wish I was there."She tells lies, and she stirs up all sorts of mischief and she's getting on, and she may not have that much life left in her, but she was beautiful once," he lamented. "When she's gone, we may miss her."
Dr. Dawkins wasn't buying it. "I won't miss her at all," he said. "Not a scrap. Not a smidgen."
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Comments
I won't miss her at all. She smells of mothballs, fear, stale urine and death.
Posted by: J-Dog | November 21, 2006 8:37 AM
A crazy old aunt with a chainsaw and an arsenal of automatic weapons.
Posted by: Mustafa Mond, FCD | November 21, 2006 11:51 AM
Uhm.... Let's see. May I present one Sir Isaac Newton? Anyone alive right now got the balls to go head to head with him in ANY Scientific forum? Anywhere, anytime? Nah, didn't think so.
And yet, he saw himself a Christian. A devout one, if memory serves. He seemed to strike a fair balance.
And we gotta think that inventing calculus was a decent contribution to the human condition.
Maybe that aunt ain't so bad after all...
Posted by: Sovietcanukistani | November 21, 2006 11:05 PM
I'm game. You'll have to find his head first, though.
Or maybe attributing any good thing any religious person does to their religion is a bit nuts.
Posted by: MartinM | November 22, 2006 8:27 AM
I found it! Getting permission to dig it up might be bothersome.
Posted by: Mustafa Mond, FCD | November 22, 2006 10:21 AM
I'll take the sane grandmother who was not afraid to live life, rather than the crazy old aunt who smelled of cats.
In Isaac Newtons time, how many Europeans were not Christian of some sort? Seems to me that people who weren't were second class (or lower), or else killed. Not exactly a sterling example. Does anyone wonder what old Isaac would believe now that we know more about the world?
Posted by: Badger3k | November 23, 2006 9:08 PM
Posted by: Mustafa Mond, FCD | November 25, 2006 5:58 PM
It's especially embarrassing when the crazy old aunt spell. Theocrats in Dixie County, Florida placed a large stone monument with the 10 commandments on the courthouse steps. Commandment #7 is THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTRY.
Posted by: quork | December 1, 2006 11:22 AM
Religion is like a crazy old uncle.
He burns books of science; he locks the birth control cabinet; he hires gay prostitutes and takes illegal drugs; he forces 14 year old girls to marry old men; he's murdered millions of innocent people and he still supports massive wars.
He may not have that much life left in him, he wasn't beautiful, and when he's gone, only a psychopathic or delusional idiot should miss him.
Posted by: ThinkFest | December 11, 2006 5:20 AM