One lister emailed me privately and asked where I was on this issue. I am
also a "scientifically trained" psychologist who is ordained, but this
issue is one that demonstrates the judicious use of the delete key. This
is an issue that CANNOT be brought to a place where even the majority of
psychologists will agree. I see no connection between "new age" religious
ideas and a denegration of science. Science is a method, a way of inquiry.
The information and "facts" which are determined by use of the scientific
method become a body of knowledge. We psychologists have been messing
around with the scientific method for about 120 years as opposed to the
couple of thousand years that folks have been reasonably scientific about
biology (even though there were a couple of good split litter personality
studies more than 2000 years ago). I have always thought that science and
religion are compatable. They have very little to do with each other. I
find no conflict in demanding that in scientific inquiry we must have
empirical data to make statements of "finality," while recognizing that
religion is to a very large degree a matter of (sometimes irrational) faith.
Personally, I learned my value of intellectual honesty in church, not in my
"scientific" psychology classes. In fact, I have learned most of what I
consider to be most important in my life in church. But that's only my
opinion, and I may be wrong -- no empirical data, you know.
Bob Wildblood
At 16:31 6/17/99 -0500, Jim Clark wrote:
>Hi
>
>
>
>1. Why do you assume it is not empirically based? I have read
>widely in the area of parapsychology and related beliefs and
>would not be at all surprised to be able to document an increase
>in such beliefs.
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Dr. Bob Wildblood, Chair
Division of Business & Social Sciences
Northern Virginia Community College - Woodbridge
15200 Neabsco Mills Road
Woodbridge, VA 22191
Phone: 703.878.5705
FAX: 703.878.5676
Co-Owner of COMMCOLL, 2 Year College Discussion List.
You cannot lead where you will not go,
You cannot teach what you do not know.
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