The Telegraph June 10 , 2008 GOD SAVE INDIAN SCIENCE Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, June 9: Indian scientists are split down the middle over their belief in the existence of God, the first nation-wide investigation into their deepest personal thoughts has revealed. One fourth of scientists took an atheist or agnostic position, another fourth were firm believers, according to the findings of a survey by the US-based Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture. The rest said they were unsure, or didn't respond to the question on God, which was included in a Web-based survey that covered 1,100 scientists from 130 research or educational institutions and universities scattered across India. But one in three scientists surveyed believe in sins and deeds of a past life, and in life after death, and one in four scientists believe that "holy people" can perform miracles. And 40 percent of the scientists approve of the ritual of seeking a religious endorsement of a space launch. "Our scientists aren't applying the scientific temper in all fields of life," said Narisetti Innaiah, the chairman of the Centre for Inquiry in Hyderabad, a non-government organisation with branches in several countries that says it isseeking "to provide an ethical lternative to religious and paranormal worldviews". The Centre for Inquiry had helped design the questionnaire sent to the scientists, all of whom had a doctorate or equivalent degree. "Our space scientists take replicas of launch vehicles to temples before a launch," Innaiah said. "This reflects a belief in supernatural powers," he said. The investigators said the Indian study is expected to be a benchmark for future surveys to be conducted in other countries. "Something like this has never been done before," said Ariela Keysar, a demographer and assistant research professor in public policy at the ISSSC, at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut. "We began with India because India produces a large number of scientists working world-wide. The impact of Indian science (education) goes far beyond India," Keysar told The Telegraph over the phone. The Indian survey has shown that 49 per cent of the scientists believe prayer can deliver results and at least 7 per cent believe in ghosts,spirits and the caste system. One top Indian biologist said the findings did not surprise him. "This is why there's so little scientific temper," said Pushpa Bhargava, the former director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad. "When the government had wanted to introduce astrology in universities a few years ago, none of the three scientific academies challenged it,"said Bhargava, who had resigned from all three science academies in January 1994, and challenged the proposal to introduce astrology through a court petition. But a senior scientist and member of the council of the Indian Academy of Sciences said that individuals, even scientists, need to be given space for personal beliefs. If it doesn't impact society in any way, a scientist with faith need not be condemned, said C.C. Kartha, a medical researcher in Thiruvananthapuram and a council member. "It's unfair to impose either faith or lack of faith on anyone," he said. o o o livemint.com, June 10, 2008 FOR INDIAN SCIENTISTS, NO CONFLICT WITH GOD by Seema Singh Bangalore: Science is all about empirical inquiry and objective results, but Indian scientists don't appear to be divorced from their culture and ethos. The largest ever nationwide survey of Indian scientists shows that they are as comfortable with seeking the blessings of the resident God at Tirumala before a rocket launch as they are with embracing stem cell research. The study, "Worldviews and Opinions of Scientists in India", which was released at the United Nations in New York on Thursday, has been conducted by the Institute of the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture (ISSSC) of Trinity College in Connecticut, US, and assisted by the Centre for Inquiry India. It sampled 1,100 participants from 130 universities and research institutes in the country between July 2007 and January 2008. Among other findings, the study shows that only 8% of Indian scientists express ethical reservations about genetic engineering and stem cell research, and 90% agree with the teaching of traditional Ayurvedic medicine in university courses. A large section, 56%, considers mixed economy as the preferred economic model, whereas 21% favour free market and 9% back socialism. Also, 6% think the village-based system is better while 8% are unsure. "It's a very good idea to do sociological studies," of scientists, says Pushpa M. Bhargava,retired founder-director of the country's premier research institute, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad, and a member of the National Security Advisory Council. Scientists around the world should have uniform views as they work with the same material, but the fact is that socially, scientists are "badly divided", says Bhargava, also former vice-chairman of the National Knowledge Commission, which he resigned from in May 2007. "In the West, all good scientists are, politically, to the left of the centre; and in their religion, (they are) total non-believers but in India, it's the reverse; scientists who track evolution, actually believe in creation,"he says. Bhargava thinks sociological studies such as this will throw light on why this disparity exists.The survey found that many scientists (44% of the sample) were willing to criticize and confront religious practices if they contradicted accepted scientific theories, but that a sizeable minority (23%) were opposed to this. And 33% agree with occasional confrontation. "I've honestly felt that scientists in India are split personalities; they may oppose in public but pray to Ganesha (the Hindu God of beginnings) before starting the day," he argues. He thinks this is also about the ethos of the country where a large section of the population believes in a 'superior power'. "Don't we start a symposium with a prayer?" We do, and perhaps for the same reason, on a question of "efficacy of traditional therapies and technologies", 49% of the scientists surveyed said they believed "prayer was efficacious". As for invoking blessings before a space flight, it'd have come as a surprise to the pioneers of India's space programs - Vikram Sarabhai, Satish Dhawan, K. Kasturirangan and others who've been known to be non-believers, says Bhargava. Some of the findings have surprised the investigators too. The fact that Indian scientists do not differentiate much between doing research on cows (a holy animal for most Hindus) and pigs is most surprising to Barry Kosmin, the lead researcher from ISSSC. So is the fact that half the respondents believe in the efficacy of homeopathy and prayer. With 26% Indian scientists having definite belief in God, Kosmin says, they contrast sharply with their American counterparts as only 10% of scientists in the US hold such beliefs. Is there a lack of scientific temper among Indian scientists in a country where scientists themselves bemoan the low levels of scientific literacy? Yes, says Bhargava, who believes the three Indian academies of science have never taken a stand on any social issue, and that they should engage more with the society. Incidentally, Bhargava gave up membership of all three academies on these grounds in 1994. The Indian survey is the first in a series by ISSSC which aims to explore the opinions of science professionals in various non-Western countries. Studies in Japan, China, Russia, Israel and Turkey are underway. ______ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
