Professor David Desteno's essay (Sunday Review, Feb.3) is only partially valid. The only sciences that can benefit from an exchange with religious practitioners are psychiatry/psychology to the extent that those disciplines seek to unlock the secrets of human
nature and the functioning of the human mind. I challenge the professor to identify any other science that can benefit from exploration of religion. Geology, re: the age of the Earth? Biology, re: the evolution of the human species? Physics, re: the parting
of waters? Chemistry, re: the transmogrification of water to wine?
While Professor Desteno acknowledges, in passing, the invidious effects of religious conflict, separation and displacement of inquiry, I submit that his overly analytical approach, by not focusing on the detriment to scientific progress imposed by organized
religion, obscures its role as an impediment to such progress and does a disservice to science.
No comments:
Post a Comment