Wednesday, January 26, 2011
What is Scientific Faith?
William:
I found an essay about "Scientific Faith" at the following link but the entire site looks useful:http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/21521/
Above my lodge on the home farm the vast layers of the gray, thin-sheeted Catskill rock crop out and look across the valley to their fellows two or more miles away where they crop out in a similar manner on the opposite slope of the mountain. With the eye of faith I see the great sheets restored, and follow them across on the line which they made aeons ago, till they are joined again to their fellows as they were before the agents of erosion had so widely severed them
Dhanlakshmi: Isn't 'Scientific Faith' a contradiction in terms!
William: Actually, Dhanlakshmi, I posted this as my reaction to someone who is a man of the cloth (pastor) who seems to be arguing that faith pervades all of our knowledge. Notice how Burroughs in his passage above says "with the eye of faith" meaning that he cannot PROVE that the layers of an outcroping several miles distant are the same layers as the nearby outcroping (rock wall.)
Our friend, Fenton, had posted in his status: For Christians, their faith stands as their testament to the "special" divinity of Jesus Christ. For Buddhists, mahayana school, their faith is testimony to the eightfold way. For Taoists of the Lao Tzu school, their belief points to the Tao. For Hindus to Advaita, for Jews to the Covenant and the Torah. OK, I get it. How about for atheists? Is their belief their testament, if not, why not?
William: A scientist who believes that every atom of copper conducts electricity is exercising faith since no one can test every atom of copper. An Atheist has faith in the notion that no God or afterlife exists since no one can prove the non-existence. Only the Agnostics require no faith since every takes their word for their uncertainty.
Reason leads to facts I would think, and faith is for that which lacks reasons. I do not have faith that matter is composed of atoms but rather I know it as a fact because there are electron microscope photos of very large atoms.
The Clergy replied: At this point one might want to consider the distinction between fides qua (the faith BY which we believe) and fides quae (the set of propositions which we affirm.)
@ Mr. Buell: Not to disparage, but first it seems to me that the faith which "leads to facts" is based on facts and on certain ways of reasoning with them. Second, it seems to me the proposition that matter comprises 'atoms' (which are actually cuttable -- and so not, strictly speaking, atoms), while totally cool and very useful in helping us be comfortable and do stuff, is what I call a "boring" proposition.
I mean it doesn't help us figure out what to do, why to stay alive or not, whether man is free, and if so how, and why life is sorrowful.
I'm not even sure it can answer the questions, "What is a thing?" and "Why is there anything at all rather than nothing?"
William: So since all is by faith, in some fashion, then the unfaithful is non-existent, since even the Atheist is filled with a sort faith when he does his chemistry and algebra (and we are saved by faith): a reasonable doctrine for those who have made "faith" their life-time commercial enterprise.
AND THEN I WENT A-GOOGLING ON SCIENTIFIC FAITH.
