The survey raises two questions . First one is that can a scientist believe
in God ?and secondly what is the ultimate objective of learning and practicing
science ?.
Some scientists ,irrespective of the country they belong to , believe in
creation and God . This could be because science helps them in understanding
more about the complexities behind the working of human body and the universe
in general. Isaac Newton was a firm believer in God . Newton said" the
wonderful design of my Thumb finger itself shows that God exists . Stephen
hawking once commented about the precise values of many physical constants
including the gravitational constant which is necessary for the existence of
Universe . So some scientists believe in God and creation because science
itself make them believe that God exists .
So let them believe in God.
But the problem with majority of scientists in India is that they lack a
logical mind. They do not really apply the principles of science in judging the
nature of this universe and life in general. For them , science is only a means
to live . So they remain to be very superstitious and accept religious dogmas
without any second thought . As Thomas Huxley once said," No one could be a
true son of the church and a loyal soldier of science ". The ultimate
objective of scientific education is to develop a free and logical mind
which can analyze any situation in life in a logical and rational way. There
is no use in preaching science unless we apply that in our day to day life .
So even after studying science for years ,if one could not develop a logical
mind , it is meaningless. If a scientist or student of science follows
illogical concepts and religious dogmas , it is crisp and clear that he is
not following science in the true spirit .It is true that we
have a large community of scientists . But we have to accept the truth that
they are people with irrational mind . Majority of these scientists will
agree that if A equal to B , B is equal to A, but they fail to ask the
question, “ if God created man, who created God”?
This is the hypocrisy of Indian scientists. This could be one reason why
India’s contribution to science and technology is still a big zero.
Regards
Sreenivas
Bangalore
Venugopalan K M <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: 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.
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