scigirl

Lately a lot of threads have focused on the conflicts between science/materialism and religion/mysticism.

As I was driving around in my car today, I was listening to a particularly moving CD that I have, and I started to become frustrated that those of us who do seek natural explanations for things are somehow accused of denying some part of our "mystical" nature, and, well, ruining all the beauty in the world.

This false dichotomy makes me sad. I understand that religion, or more directly - believing in a god or gods - makes people feel awed, mystical, important. I would never deny someone's right to believe in this fashion, and I in fact do understand what that feels like because I was not always an atheist.

However, just because I do not believe in those same gods anymore, this does NOT mean that I completely abandoned a mystical or awed feeling about this world.

I am amazed when I look up at the stars, that I am essentially looking back in time.

I am dumbfounded at the intricate complexity of a cell. Yes - I am stunned that a simple process such as evolution can create such wonderful complexity. I believe it because there is good evidence for it, but it is still awesome to me.

I am astonished at how much certain songs and movies can move me. I know there are biological explanations of love, and even evolutionary theories about why love 'evolved,' yet my heart still melts when my boyfriend says "I love you."

Every time they have one of those "mysteries of the universe" shows on TLC or Discovery, it always makes me angry. These so-called "mysteries" almost always involve ghosts or UFOs or some other 'paranormal' activity. Then they put on some token skeptic, like Michael Shermer, to debunk the alleged mystery and say, "no that's not true." Then the show implies that now the world is less interesting because it wasn't a ghost, it was an air draft.

Why can't everyone believe a little bit in mysticism? Who said that only the religious, or even the gullible, are allowed to think the universe is a fascinating and wonderful place?

Quantum physics.
Cell biology and DNA replication.
How did we get here, and why are we this way?
The dual nature of light waves.
The vastness of the universe.
Black holes.
Why does coffee taste so good?

These are the real "mysteries of the universe," and it takes amazing, intelligent, and creative people to not just solve these mysteries, but to care about them in the first place.

My friend Nikki said it best (I have no idea if this is a famous quote, or if she made it up herself):

Isn't it enough to look at a garden and say, "Wow that is beautiful" without having to believe that little blue fairies are hidden underneath?

/rant

scigirl

[ August 07, 2002: Message edited by: scigirl ]</p>

Kevin Dorner

Originally from Douglas Adams.

echidna

Great post & I agree (“as always” is an extreme rarity for me).

I think criticism of the dichotomy is partially true when made between reductionism & holism. There is a strong element of the scientific side which seeks to reduce all things down to base processes, often at the expense of the “big picture”.

I agree with the anti-science side, that simply taking scientific concepts for granted is the height of arrogance. Whether we like it or not, the universe as we scientifically understand it today is counter-intuitive. At times it more resembles the Ultimate Puzzle. I am in utter awe of the physical processes which drive our universe, & I even at times sympathise with those who need to interpret them through mysticism.

But there is a cynical atmosphere such that when one expresses awe at such things, there’ll usually be someone who’ll quickly give the skeptical scientific explanation for each one. I am critical of such reductionism when it often over-simplifies and assumes to override holistic concepts.

Is it just pixels or an image of a tree ?
Is beauty just electrochemical neural processes ?

I think it’s vitally important to retain a perspective of both.

For me the biggest which I would add to your list would just be :

I

For me the greatest mysteries by far, are the ones which we know to be true.

Albion

Richard Dawkins was saying much the same thing in "Unweaving the Rainbow,: and Carl Sagan was always complaining about how people found the paranormal and pseudoscience so much more attractive than science. That's a large part of what "The Demon-Haunted World" was about. Must read those books again, it's been a while.

It seems that at least in this culture, people can't find things wonderful or awesome unless they're also mysterious, and they prefer mystery to explanation.

d'naturalist

Nature is home to me. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. The Universe can be beautiful, mysterious, dangerous, and downright frightening all at the same time. The variety of life and civilizations on Earth only hints at what may exist on other worlds. We're far from knowing all there is to know about life, the Universe, and everything. There are more books to write, and movies to watch, and songs to sings, and pictures to paint, and games to play, and sights to see, and lovers to love, and ideas to formulate, and inventions to create, and worlds to build. And best of all, you never know what's going to happen day to day... that's what makes life truly exciting.

I could live a hundred lifetimes and never be bored with this world. I love it. Like I said, it's home.

Xeluan

Excellent post scigirl. When I look at this particular photgraph from Hubble <a href="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981202.html" target="_blank">http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981202.html</a> I just keel over in awe. There is so much we don't know about the universe.

And then there is beer.....

Xeluan

[ August 08, 2002: Message edited by: Xeluan ]</p>

Boro Nut

No it doesn't, but it IS an anagram of Really Metal Phalic Satanism, which is a lot more pertinent.

Boro Nut

[ August 08, 2002: Message edited by: Boro Nut ]</p>

scigirl

Ok Boro Nut, you *clearly* have too much time on your hands! Say, you wanna help me pack??

Xeluan,

That is an awesome pic - it's now my background.

scigirl

Hans

Three cheers scigirl.

My life became much more interesting and exciting when I was finally able to put pascel's wager behind me and look at the world around me for the mystery it is. Mysticism is the perfect word to describe my ex-theistical vision.

Thank you for sharing.

crab juice

I totally agree, scigirl, and I can't understand how anybody thinks that the prospect of an afterlife in Heaven blowing sunshine up God's ass is a more attractive notion than that we're all made from little bits of the stars.