#amreading #astrophysics #amthinking
So, I’m reading Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s ASTROPHYSICS FOR PEOPLE IN A HURRY.
I like Mr. Tyson. He’s stylish and cool and makes learning fun. (Cue the schoolhouse rock music). He is a scientist with a love for… science.
He does not, however, seem to have much patience for faith based explanations for the origins of the universe, even after making this bold statement:
“Though still unknown how it came into existence, this sub-pinpoint-size cosmos could only expand.”
A person of faith would/might jump all over that and say, “God did it!”
I think I might understand why Mr. Tyson would have a problem with that. He is a thinking person, a man of science. He might tend to avoid the easy answer, for him it might be better to say “I don’t know, but here’s what we do know based on the scientific method”.
I think too often, we fall along a dividing line that is arbitrary. Faith vs Reason. As if people with belief in a higher power can’t or won’t engage the brain. And a lot of time we don’t. Then we act like we have all the answers, act arrogant and superior.
Like we’re the chosen ones…
I mean, don’t religions teach patience, humility, understanding? Kinda the opposite of how we tend to actually…act?
But if you think faith people have a corner on the “arrogant” market, you’d be wrong. Science people can act like they have all the answers, too, that we pretty much have it all figured out, act in ways that seem to be very similar to the religious types. I mean the scientific method leaves room for always learning, testing old ways of thinking, leaving room for new models of thought. That should generally make for a humble and patient nature, too.
But too often, both sides shout the exact same refrain at each other:
“You scientists/spiritualists think you know everything and are so superior!”
It doesn’t have to be that way.
Posts like these are why I don’t have a comment section. I just don’t need that kind of stress in my life.