Expert: Austin Cline - 2/23/2009

Question
Do you think belief in God is entirely illogical ? And if religion and science are necessarily incompatible, then why do you think there are some eminent scientists who believe in God ?

Quote: "Religious creationists and scientific materialists are equally dogmatic and insensitive. By their arrogance they bring both science and religion into disrepute. "

- Freeman Dyson (a theoretical physicist who opposes reductionism)


Thanks.

Answer
"Do you think belief in God is entirely illogical ?"

Yes, but people are illogical, so illogical beliefs are to be expected. It may be paradoxical, but it's logical for illogical people to form illogical beliefs. Since humans appear to biologically inclined towards certain types of beliefs, like anthropomorphization and pattern-seeking, belief in spirits of some sort makes sense.


"And if religion and science are necessarily incompatible, then why do you think there are some eminent scientists who believe in God ?"

The incompatibility of religion and science doesn't matter unless scientists apply scientific principles and standards of evidence broadly in their lives. It's called "compartmentalization," and scientists can be found doing it with religion, politics, and other beliefs.

Dyson's quote is instructive for what it doesn't do: offer any alternatives to materialism in science. In the absence of any alternatives, calling materialism "dogmatic" is not merely mistaken, but *knowingly wrong*.