[Advaita-l] Re: Is God "unscientific"?

[Raghavendra N Kalyan]

Jagannath-ji,
 

>I have always been critical of the stance of atheism adopted by many 
>scientists, mostly western. But what really took the cake and shocked me 
>was a recent statement that declared God to be "unscientific"!! I think 
>this is going a bit too far.
 
 
There is nothing incorrect in saying that God is unscientific. In advaita-vedAnta, brahman is known through upanishads and other Sruti and not by any scientific methods. All logical methods employed to show the existence of God have flaws in them. There is however nothing to be offended in the fact that brahman and God are unscientific. It is just that the methods of science or pure logic are insufficient in this realm.
 
 
>The scientists in question were incensed 
>at the moral posers being raised by many religious groups over issues 
>like stem cell research, genetic manipulation and the theory of 
>evolution.
 
 
Certain religious groups have problems with stem cell research or evolution. But I dont see why advaitins should be against evolution etc. In fact it would be extremely unwise to deny scientific theories in the face of overwhelming evidence.


> Nobody can deny that much of the scientific 
>innovations in all fields can be ascribed to a power that is beyond the 
>confines of the human mind. We have read about chemists being guided by 
>dreams and also mathematicians finding the solutions to difficult problems 
>through similiar symbolism. While the original scientists were humble 
>enough to acknowledge the source of their knowledge, the current crop 
>seems to be on the warpath against both spirituality and religion.
 
 
I dont see how your claim in your first sentence follows logically from the examples that you have given. Again, I believe you are trying to find proof for the existence of higher powers by knowledge derived from sensory observation, which is incorrect.

 
>We may remember the current controversy regarding our space scientists 
>offering Puja at Tirupati. Many have also objected to scientists 
>applying teeka and keeping photographs of Gods in their chambers. Scientists 
>should be objective, we are told, and therefore should be against the 
>idea of a superior intelligence. What nonsense.
 
 
I agree with you here. A scientist is entitled to hold his/her religious beliefs just as anybody else. People (especially many non-scientists) dont realize that. Scientific objectivity does not imply that a scientist cannot have his own personal religious beliefs. People like Einstein and Hawking had their own beliefs and no one can deny that they are objective scientists. 
 
 
Regards
Raghavendra

		
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