One's personal religious or spiritual beliefs are just that, personal. There is no way to objectively confirm or deny them. In other words, they are not testable, and therefore not universal. To believe is “to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so” (dictionary.com)
I used to get asked all the time when I worked at the planetarium if I "believed" in the big bang or evolution. I tried to explain that it wasn't a matter of belief. Given the observable facts, some variant of the big bang model is the best way to explain what the universe was like at it's start (or damn close to it) and how it has changed since then (cosmology). Evolution is the best model to explain the processes of how life has developed and changed (biology).
Science is a process by which we understand the natural world. One of the assumptions of science is that the universe is understandable, and that it follows "laws" that are also understandable. In order for a scientific theory to be accepted, it must pass repeatable and verifiable testing. A scientific theory should also make predictions about the natural world: how will an object move in response to a given force, under what conditions are lightning strikes likely, how will a virus spread through a population, how much energy will be released from a nuclear explosion, etc etc etc. If the theory (or model) is shown to be in disagreement with what is observed, then the theory needs to be modified or scrapped.
In other words, the findings of science (given the observable evidence) should be universal. A scientist in the U.S. should have the same findings as one in Mecca, as well as on from a planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse.
That said, of course science is messy, as are most human endeavors. It takes some time for enough data to be gathered, verified, and interpreted. Scientists are a skeptical lot. They want to know what methods were used, what are the biases in the measuring devices AND of the measurer, is the math correct, etc etc etc. Scientific findings are always tentative. Over time, scientist either gain great confidence in models of nature due to their repeatably passing the tests of observation, or the models go by the wayside. Very robust models of nature may get tweaked over time, or even superseded, but are not often proven to be entirely wrong. (For example, take Newton's “laws” of gravity: At normal, every day experiences, they describe remarkably accurately how objects behave under the influence of gravity, but at extremely high speeds, or extremely strong gravity fields, Newton no longer makes sense. Einstein's general relativity is a much better model of gravity, it accurately predicts how objects will behave under a much wider set of circumstances than Newton's, but that doesn't mean Newton was overturned. In fact, under most circumstances, using Newton's formulas are just fine.)
Science is a very powerful tool in understanding the world we live in, where we've come from, and what our future may hold. Religion is another tool that attempts to do this. On a purely subjective level, we may like the answers that one religion or another gives us. We may find that such answers fill us with purpose and meaning, give us a sense of identity and community, and help to give us a feeling of wonder and awe.
Religion is very old, perhaps as old as cognition itself. But it is also very diverse. There have been thousands of religions throughout history. Many belief systems no longer exist, or are followed by only a small group. Some last for millenniums, others come and go in a generation or less. A select few have worldwide reach, but even these have many sects and schisms. Like science, religion is a human endeavor, and thus quite messy. How can anyone tell which, if any, are a (the?) correct path to truth? The one thing that all religions have in common is that we must take someone's word that what we are being told is the truth. There is no objective way to accept one over the other.
One thing that religion offers that science does not is an attempt to answer the question of meaning or intent. Various religions tell us that the universe was created by a god or gods for for a reason. We may not be able to understand that reason, as deities tend to be ineffable or capricious, but there was intent non-the-less. Science gives no such reasons, things just are. The universe is. Life is. Science can tell us how these things happened (to a point, anyway), and how these things behave, but science will not provide any “meaning” for these occurrences; it cannot give us a “purpose” for our existence.
This is a very unsettling thought for a lot of people. Many people feel that religion is what gives our lives meaning, a reason for being, and a moral code to guide our behaviors. Many of these same people fear that science is a threat to their belief systems, and therefore it must be rejected. But science is not the same as religion in this regard. It doesn't even try to answer the question of meaning. For that, one needs to enter the realm of philosophy, which I don't intend to get into here. I will just say there there are many humanistic, secular, and existential philosophies out there that do try to address these issues without religion.
A friend posted the following in a comments section of an unrelated link I posted on Facebook. I include it only because I will be referring to it. This post is not to be taken as a direct response to him or his beliefs. It was just the jumping off point that sparked me writing this essay.
“I have walked miles of Lake Superior coastline examining and picking up rocks. I always keep an eye out for a spherical rock. I have found them that were round-ish but never anything approaching perfect. If I were to find an 8 ball, polished like a mirror and perfectly marked, I would look around for an indication of where it came from, then look to see if there were any others nearby. At no time would it occur to me to consider whether it may be a natural occurrence. No matter how deserted the beach or how far from the beaten path or how unlikely the chance that an 8 ball could have washed up from the depths of the lake onto the rock shore unblemished, you would have a difficult time convincing me to accept that it was anything but a made thing.
On that same beach lie millions of rocks of equal or greater beauty to the 8 ball. Agates, inclusions, crystals- all have formed according to some natural laws. I would be equally hard to convince that the beauty found in them and the perfect synergy that has caused them to exist could be coincidental.”
Okay, let's say you did find a perfect 8 ball along the shoreline. Of course you would know how it came to be... a machine made it. But, that doesn't mean it wasn't a “natural” occurrence. A human, or group of humans, designed and created the machine that created the 8 ball. Humans are quite capable of doing this, of course, but humans are also part of nature, so nature is capable of doing this.
Nature is full of “made” things. If a thing exists, then it was made. The question really is, who or what “designed” it. Nature itself is the designer. In the case of humans, we are a result of a long line of natural selection of the various forms of life. Not the final result, nor the pinnacle of design, but the result of random mutation resulting in non-random selection. Darwin didn't know what mechanism caused the mutations, (today we know that DNA is the “blueprint” of living organisms) but he knew that these mutations could be passed on to the next generation. If a mutation helped (or at least didn't hinder) the lifeforms ability to procreate, then that mutation survived. If enough ensuing generations kept the mutation, and became biologically isolated, then eventually a new species would exist. It's through this selection process that various lifeforms are designed. (Yes, it's a bit more complicated than that, but I'm not writing a textbook here.)
In geology, we know that the various minerals have certain properties. Many minerals have a molecular structure that forces them to form crystalline shapes under certain conditions, salt and diamonds are prime examples. Like with life forms, we don't “need” a creator to explain or understand them.
Now, just because no "creator" is needed to explain how these things came to be, it doesn't mean we have dis-proven such a creator exists. The very idea of a supernatural creator of the universe, or other powers any deity may possess, is outside the realm of science.
Belief in a creator is not compulsory. By that I mean there is no compelling reason to have to accept such a creator. Science, nature, objective reality, cannot rule out the possibility of a divine creator, they just don't demand it. If there were such a demand – lines of evidence that pointed to a creator – that would be proof of a god, and it wouldn't be faith; it would no longer be a matter of belief. If that were the case, then “God” would be part of the natural world, subject to experiment, and thus, in the realm of science.
There are many people of science who hold very deep spiritual or religious beliefs as well, just as there are many atheists out there that are clueless about science. As I said at the start of this, religious beliefs are personal and subjective. Science, however, is not.
So, why does any of this matter?
I feel that it is imperative to have a population that is at the very least "scientifically literate”, that have a basic understanding of what science tells us about our world, and what it can't. Citizens need to be able to make informed decisions about public policy and their own lives, of which science plays an increasing role: Just how much damage are we causing to our environment when we burn fossil fuels? What are the alternatives? What are the benefits to allowing research on embryonic stem-cells? What are the costs? Should I get my child immunized? How safe is it to live next to a nuclear power plant? Should I use anti-bacterial soap? Are genetically modified foods safe? Should I switch to organic foods only? Is there a middle ground?
A person that has a basic knowledge of science, and some critical thinking skills, is better able to keep from being swindled by those with an agenda. He or she is better able to tell when a marketer or politicization is full of hooey, is able to recognize false arguments and scare tactics.
It is my belief (yes, I used that word) that a society filled with educated people that are scientifically literate will be a happier, more prosperous, better society, independent of religious beliefs.
So, believe in a god or don't. Tell your children the biblical story of creation, or don't. But please, don't prevent them or anybody else from learning about science and it's various disciplines, from having the chance to appreciate a deeper understanding of the natural world, and from being well informed and able to make their own choices free from ignorance.
12 October 2009
08 July 2009
My Morning Bike Ride
Note to this post. I have no idea if anybody is going to read this here, or if I should just post to FB only. Anyway, if you read this, somehow, just leave a comment to let me know. Thnx.
8-July-2009
This morning I went on my (almost week long) tradition of bike riding. It's not a long ride, but I'm just starting. Anyway, I saw two things that I want to relate during the course of this little note.
First, though, a little bit about my route: From my house, I ride south to the end of the block and turn east. One house later, I pass the home I grew up in, and where my mom still lives with my sister and her family. I continue east for – and I'm really guessing here – about 2/3 of a mile. On my left is the neighborhood I grew up in, the long narrow blocks stretching to the north. Each block is two houses wide, mostly with the houses facing east/west so I ride along the side of them. To might right is Woodlawn Cemetery. It is fenced off and heavily wooded. When I was young, the fence was ancient wrought iron and the trees were so thick you couldn't see into the dead people area. Today, the fence is newly installed chain link, and the trees are thinned out greatly, revealing the more landscaped area. I consider both things an improvement. (That old fence was really nasty looking. I would have preferred a new wrought iron fence, but that would have been too impractical.)
At the end of the cemetery's land is where we find Willy's Park. It's a good sized city park, with open green space, two baseball diamonds, two pools (not in use this year), several tennis courts, and a newly installed (to me, it's about ten years old actually) paved bike and walking path that circles the perimeter of the park. The south end of the park is bordered by a small wooded area with a stream trickling through it. I used to explore this area daily when I was young, but haven't ventured into these threes for 20 plus years. On the northeast corner of the park sits a senior community center, which is primarily important to me as it is where I vote.
This is the most attractive possible short bike route I have available to me, and honestly, it's not too bad. Total distance there and back again, around the park path once, is somewhere around two miles. One of these days I might get a odometer for the bike and find out for sure.
Today, I started my ride around 8:00 am. The really good morning light was already gone, but it was still nicely cool out. Traffic was light on my way to the park. My first lap around the park's path was uneventful, as was the first 2/3 of the second lap. As I was coming up from the south border of the ride, I was afforded a view out of the park and down onto this road, the name of which I have long forgot.
For those that live around here, this road curves off of Willy's Parkway and goes up to Central Ave. This road is now barricaded off as it just leads to the part of Central Ave this currently doesn't exist while they rebuild it's expressway overpass. The pavement lies well below the surrounding landscape, at least 20 or 30 feet lower than me as I bike by it.
Well, this morning, as I was able to look down on this abandoned road for the second time, I saw..... I'm not sure what. I think it was a coyote! Yup, right here in the thick of West Toledo. It only saw it in silhouette, as a shape in the middle of the road. My immediate impression was of a Grim, as described in the Harry Potter books: An apparition of a large dog seen in the distance that predicts your death. Then I thought maybe it was just debris in the unused road. That is all in about ½ second. I took a real good look in the next second or two: definitely dog shaped, sitting down on it's hind legs, with it's head up high and pointy ears sitting up. It looked about the size of a German Sheppard, but thinner. I think I saw it's head move.
My view of that part of the road was blocked by some trees next. I continued to peddle forward past the trees to were I could be a little closer to the road. By the time I got there, the animal had moved on.
Just a little farther up the path, we come the the second neat thing I saw. This one I actually have seen every day since I started riding, but today I got to learn a little about it.
Between the path and the south side of the senior center is now a small hydroponic garden. The sign says it exists thanks to the donations of this group or another, and that whatever is grown is to go to the community.
The garden is arranged into about six rows of vertical stacks of potted plants. Each stack has 4 or 5 square Styrofoam pots skewered on what I think are gas pipes. Each row of stacks is connected along the top by PVC pipes. The water is delivered through narrow hoses that runs along the PVC pipes.
Today, I stopped and chatted with the volunteer taking care of garden. Okay, she may be one of several caretakers, or she may be it, I really don't know yet. And on the way home I was mentally kicking myself for having forgot to ask her name. Shame on me.
But, here's the really cool part. They are trying to grow this garden for the community. It's the first year, so they are on a learning curve, and some things won't work out as well as others. She didn't seem too confidence the tomatoes would come in too well, but she was very sure they would have lots of zucchini and squash. They already have various lettuces and, as she said, tons of basil.
I asked her how one is eligible to receive of this bounty. The sign just says it's for the community. Well, as it turns out, one can just come by and snip what one wants! So, if the basil looks ready, come take some! Same with the lettuce, etc. How effing cool is that? I'm going to stop by with some scissors and a bag soon, for sure.
Anyway, we had a delightful conversation about the senior centers around the city, and how they are organized and funded – each is independently ran and get some money from levies, of course – and about the local wildlife – she confirmed that I may have seen a coyote, or maybe if it was smaller, a fox, as there are a lot of foxes in the area to – and of course about the garden.
Well, after a while I had to get on my way and let her get back to tending. I felt that I had cut my ride short by stopping and chatting so long, but I also felt that it was worth it. I learned a little about my neighborhood that was good, and she clearly was happy to talk to a new person about her garden.
Overall, a damn good morning. Thanks for reading this far, if indeed you did. I'll post more from time to time.
8-July-2009
This morning I went on my (almost week long) tradition of bike riding. It's not a long ride, but I'm just starting. Anyway, I saw two things that I want to relate during the course of this little note.
First, though, a little bit about my route: From my house, I ride south to the end of the block and turn east. One house later, I pass the home I grew up in, and where my mom still lives with my sister and her family. I continue east for – and I'm really guessing here – about 2/3 of a mile. On my left is the neighborhood I grew up in, the long narrow blocks stretching to the north. Each block is two houses wide, mostly with the houses facing east/west so I ride along the side of them. To might right is Woodlawn Cemetery. It is fenced off and heavily wooded. When I was young, the fence was ancient wrought iron and the trees were so thick you couldn't see into the dead people area. Today, the fence is newly installed chain link, and the trees are thinned out greatly, revealing the more landscaped area. I consider both things an improvement. (That old fence was really nasty looking. I would have preferred a new wrought iron fence, but that would have been too impractical.)
At the end of the cemetery's land is where we find Willy's Park. It's a good sized city park, with open green space, two baseball diamonds, two pools (not in use this year), several tennis courts, and a newly installed (to me, it's about ten years old actually) paved bike and walking path that circles the perimeter of the park. The south end of the park is bordered by a small wooded area with a stream trickling through it. I used to explore this area daily when I was young, but haven't ventured into these threes for 20 plus years. On the northeast corner of the park sits a senior community center, which is primarily important to me as it is where I vote.
This is the most attractive possible short bike route I have available to me, and honestly, it's not too bad. Total distance there and back again, around the park path once, is somewhere around two miles. One of these days I might get a odometer for the bike and find out for sure.
Today, I started my ride around 8:00 am. The really good morning light was already gone, but it was still nicely cool out. Traffic was light on my way to the park. My first lap around the park's path was uneventful, as was the first 2/3 of the second lap. As I was coming up from the south border of the ride, I was afforded a view out of the park and down onto this road, the name of which I have long forgot.
For those that live around here, this road curves off of Willy's Parkway and goes up to Central Ave. This road is now barricaded off as it just leads to the part of Central Ave this currently doesn't exist while they rebuild it's expressway overpass. The pavement lies well below the surrounding landscape, at least 20 or 30 feet lower than me as I bike by it.
Well, this morning, as I was able to look down on this abandoned road for the second time, I saw..... I'm not sure what. I think it was a coyote! Yup, right here in the thick of West Toledo. It only saw it in silhouette, as a shape in the middle of the road. My immediate impression was of a Grim, as described in the Harry Potter books: An apparition of a large dog seen in the distance that predicts your death. Then I thought maybe it was just debris in the unused road. That is all in about ½ second. I took a real good look in the next second or two: definitely dog shaped, sitting down on it's hind legs, with it's head up high and pointy ears sitting up. It looked about the size of a German Sheppard, but thinner. I think I saw it's head move.
My view of that part of the road was blocked by some trees next. I continued to peddle forward past the trees to were I could be a little closer to the road. By the time I got there, the animal had moved on.
Just a little farther up the path, we come the the second neat thing I saw. This one I actually have seen every day since I started riding, but today I got to learn a little about it.
Between the path and the south side of the senior center is now a small hydroponic garden. The sign says it exists thanks to the donations of this group or another, and that whatever is grown is to go to the community.
The garden is arranged into about six rows of vertical stacks of potted plants. Each stack has 4 or 5 square Styrofoam pots skewered on what I think are gas pipes. Each row of stacks is connected along the top by PVC pipes. The water is delivered through narrow hoses that runs along the PVC pipes.
Today, I stopped and chatted with the volunteer taking care of garden. Okay, she may be one of several caretakers, or she may be it, I really don't know yet. And on the way home I was mentally kicking myself for having forgot to ask her name. Shame on me.
But, here's the really cool part. They are trying to grow this garden for the community. It's the first year, so they are on a learning curve, and some things won't work out as well as others. She didn't seem too confidence the tomatoes would come in too well, but she was very sure they would have lots of zucchini and squash. They already have various lettuces and, as she said, tons of basil.
I asked her how one is eligible to receive of this bounty. The sign just says it's for the community. Well, as it turns out, one can just come by and snip what one wants! So, if the basil looks ready, come take some! Same with the lettuce, etc. How effing cool is that? I'm going to stop by with some scissors and a bag soon, for sure.
Anyway, we had a delightful conversation about the senior centers around the city, and how they are organized and funded – each is independently ran and get some money from levies, of course – and about the local wildlife – she confirmed that I may have seen a coyote, or maybe if it was smaller, a fox, as there are a lot of foxes in the area to – and of course about the garden.
Well, after a while I had to get on my way and let her get back to tending. I felt that I had cut my ride short by stopping and chatting so long, but I also felt that it was worth it. I learned a little about my neighborhood that was good, and she clearly was happy to talk to a new person about her garden.
Overall, a damn good morning. Thanks for reading this far, if indeed you did. I'll post more from time to time.
28 January 2009
28-Jan-09
Okay, I am sitting down now to “write”. I haven’t written anything more than a few sentences for a very, very long time. I am worried about this, but I must plow through.
I am a little worried about smoking. I used to smoke a lot when I wrote before. Hell, I used to smoke doing all kinds of things. But I’ve wanted to put thought to text for a little while now, and every time I even thought about writing something, I really, really wanted a cigarette.
Today was to be the day that I tried this, but then I got two requests last night on Facebook to write down 25 random things about myself. I got through that, and right now this is a bit easier than I thought it would be. So that’s good.
I quit smoking the day I entered the hospital, 13-september-2008. I was in for a while, 20 days. Tomorrow I will try to write about that experience. It was a doozey.
Also, I have a few other issues. I lost my job a few weeks before I got sick. That’s another topic for another day.
Other topics to look forward too: Starting a few days before Christmas, I became really depressed. Like all depressions, there were some up and down times, but the over all feelings I had were bad, very bad. I seem to be over that, for now, but I do want to explore a lot of that in detail, some other writing session.
Why do I want to write right now? I have a few reasons: First, I think keeping a record of my thoughts will have a benefit. I believe it was Thoreau that said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” (Funny side note, I just used the internet to get the spelling, but not to check the quote. Hmmm) I constantly think about my moods and behavior, but I’ve not been documenting any of it. My memory is not very good, so I often just keep going over the same old ground. So, I hope the writing will help with the depression,
Second, I do hope to find a way to make money off my writing again. I have a degree in public relations, but I have never used it as such. My favorite job did involve a good deal of writing, particularly planetarium scripts. I’d like to think I was good at it, but I was probably just good enough. Anyway, I want to be in practice. A writer writes, after all.
Third, I feel best when I am creating something. I’d like to share some of me with the world. I’d like to become good at a craft. Writing is my best shot. I can also take a decent picture, too. If I were a smart person, I would have learned how to combine the two by making webpages back in the day. Instead, I created planetarium shows and the occasional brochure. Perhaps some of this will be transferable. Hmmmm.
Okay, I’ve almost come to the bottom of a standard page, single spaced, in Times New Roman, 12 point. This was my goal on day one. I think I shall post this to Facebook, and my blog on whatever blog site I use. Hopefully more tomorrow. If anyone has a topic or can suggest an assignment, I would be happy to consider writing about it.
Thank you for your time and attention.
I am a little worried about smoking. I used to smoke a lot when I wrote before. Hell, I used to smoke doing all kinds of things. But I’ve wanted to put thought to text for a little while now, and every time I even thought about writing something, I really, really wanted a cigarette.
Today was to be the day that I tried this, but then I got two requests last night on Facebook to write down 25 random things about myself. I got through that, and right now this is a bit easier than I thought it would be. So that’s good.
I quit smoking the day I entered the hospital, 13-september-2008. I was in for a while, 20 days. Tomorrow I will try to write about that experience. It was a doozey.
Also, I have a few other issues. I lost my job a few weeks before I got sick. That’s another topic for another day.
Other topics to look forward too: Starting a few days before Christmas, I became really depressed. Like all depressions, there were some up and down times, but the over all feelings I had were bad, very bad. I seem to be over that, for now, but I do want to explore a lot of that in detail, some other writing session.
Why do I want to write right now? I have a few reasons: First, I think keeping a record of my thoughts will have a benefit. I believe it was Thoreau that said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” (Funny side note, I just used the internet to get the spelling, but not to check the quote. Hmmm) I constantly think about my moods and behavior, but I’ve not been documenting any of it. My memory is not very good, so I often just keep going over the same old ground. So, I hope the writing will help with the depression,
Second, I do hope to find a way to make money off my writing again. I have a degree in public relations, but I have never used it as such. My favorite job did involve a good deal of writing, particularly planetarium scripts. I’d like to think I was good at it, but I was probably just good enough. Anyway, I want to be in practice. A writer writes, after all.
Third, I feel best when I am creating something. I’d like to share some of me with the world. I’d like to become good at a craft. Writing is my best shot. I can also take a decent picture, too. If I were a smart person, I would have learned how to combine the two by making webpages back in the day. Instead, I created planetarium shows and the occasional brochure. Perhaps some of this will be transferable. Hmmmm.
Okay, I’ve almost come to the bottom of a standard page, single spaced, in Times New Roman, 12 point. This was my goal on day one. I think I shall post this to Facebook, and my blog on whatever blog site I use. Hopefully more tomorrow. If anyone has a topic or can suggest an assignment, I would be happy to consider writing about it.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)