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Show Pa;e Four Tie Daily Utzh Chronicle, Wednesday. May 25, 1977 An Inside View by dGvia rue " i : n 1 1 Science and religion Szrr.e L:r.e ago I saw a play on the life end trials of G al.!ec. 1 r.a, being torn between h;s reuycus. sorrowed at r;:s his lectual ccnvictrr.s. Though the faith end a uthor.t atve status ct religion h as diminished consi derebl y it seerr.s that the war tz.ll wages. A great psychological dilemma st.ll invades the minds cf many as we encounter the seeming conflicts between cur early indoctrm stion$ o! faith and news realms ci inquiry What are we to believe7 What is the place cf fa.th in an age cf science? What is the place cf faith in an age ci science? What is the status cf truth? Whet ere we to stake cur lives on? I recently found some interesting insight and answers in an article by Charles H Townes on "The Convergence cf Science and Religion" Unfortunately, I know neither the W . 11.' "., v r v" t"v. origin of the article nor the credentials cf the man. but perhaps that's best at times when considering new ideas. What is the place cf faith in the work cf a scientist? Townes tells us that "faith is necessary for the scientist even to get started and deep faith is necessary for him to carry out his tougher tasks." Why? "Because he must have confidence that there is crder in the universe and that the human mmd in fact his own mind has a good chance cf understanding this crder. In fact it is just this faith in an orderly universe, understandable to man, that allowed the basic change from an age of supers tituticn to an age of science and has made possible our basic scientific progress." Is not faith a necessary prerequisite for the pursuit of any goal or achievement m life? Do we walk by proven truths, infallable reasoning, or by faith? "Godel has shewn that in the most generally used mathematics it is fundamentally impossible to know whether or net the set of postulates chesen are even Only by constructing and using a new set of master postulates can we test the consistency of the first set But these in turn may be logically inconsistent without the possibility of our knowing it. Thus we never have a real base from which we can reason with sunty. "In the natural sciences, we prove it by making some kind of test of the postulate against expenence. We devise expenments to test our working hypothesis, and believe those laws or hypothesis are correct if they seem to agree with our expenence Such tests can disprove a hypothesis, or can give us useful confidence, but they can never prove in any absolute sense." Now what of religion, is it all up in the air? In the book of Isaiah, God invites to "come, let us reason together." Paul in the New Testament admonished the church to "Prove all things and hold fast to that which is true." And how shall we know that which is ture and worth living by? Jesus gave us an answer when he said: "Do my will (run an experiment on it) and ye shall know of the doctnne (the validity of my postulates) whether they be of God (who's already tned and proven them) or whether I speak of myselt (subjective). Townes adds that "the validity of religious ideas must be and has been tested and judged through the ages by the experience of societies and individuals. Is there ofany great need for them to be more absolute than the law gravity? The later is a working hypothesis whose basis and permancency we do not know. But we risk our lives daily on our belief in it, as well as many other complex scientific hypothesis." Though both may have to undergo considerable revolution, and progress true science and true religion must ultimately converge. However, if we maintain faith in that possibility and an open mind, the future discoveries in each should provide new strength for both. Now, again, what of Galileo and the cause for which he suffered? Townes tells us that it was largely an unnecessary question. The two are equivalent, according to general relativity." Yet the lesson is timeless. t. Pride ful human competition prior to her return to Kansas, "If I ever go looking for daze of my heart's desire again, I'll look in my own back boring slide, a slow drift into a yard, cause if it's not there I never really lost it at all." personal dreams and desires. New friends, lovers, jobs, and for some, material bit folks Many get into their sexual drives a tad heavier. Some dream of the success which possessions are nice, providing you have really taken the time to appreciate those friends, lovers, optimistically taunts us into the future. In this time of distant contemplative day dreaming jobs and material possessions you have now. The there's a potential for some essential precious worth of a life time, as contained in education. Learning to understand memories, is something that can never be replaced, about ourselves and others, trying to cope with disguarded, sold or seized by creditors pnor to death. and divergent feelings of of our value in can be immense future, perhaps Standing alone, or day dreaming quietly by even more so than this college education gig. yourself in your own mind, is a dandy time to think about the people and feelings which give the slow with lives stroll various our about Today we priorities, whether they be school, work or sex. But drifting parts of life significance and meaning. the most essential priority which will produce the Religion and politics aside, there is a very most fulfilling results, now and in the future, is the pleasurable part of human existence that isn't based on money, skin color or national origin. relationship with ourselves and others. When it finally comes time to buy the ranch Loving and caring for our own existence is part of But about for others. (expire), all the petty little hassles of pndeful human feeling good loving and caring ourselves shouldn't allow us to alienate friends and competition mean nothing; it's how much you are loved and have been loved by others that will allow lovers. Dreaming about the future, hoping for new your eyes to close to this existence forever, slowly, experiences, is often a blind pursuit. But like peacefully and with a sense of personal worth. A. Dorothy said to the various W izards and pixies in Oz This time of year school is getting to be an endless time-eatin- self-estee- m g self-disdai- n, The readers ' -- HCHRQNICLE Robert Walker Editor-in-Chie- f Karen Jerman Managing Editor Steve Schafer Advertising Manager Mike Wright Layout Editor Brad Rock Sports Editor My ma Bag ley Editorial Editor Kirk Johnton Editorial Assistant Jonathan Clark Business Manager Andrew Welch Associate Editor Rick Hall News Editor Sam Sanderson Photography Editor Jeff Howrey Entertainment Editor Joseph Brockmeyer Cooy Editor Moll Fowler Jean In gall Assistant Copy Editor Molly Fowler. Mary Corporon, Martha Wickelhaut. Ana Daraban, Glen Fairclough, Jim Smedley, Peg McEntt. Scarlett Hepworth. David Proctor. Dan Johnson. Ben Ling, John Harrington, Mark Shenefelt. Beth Singleton, Eleanor Hart. David Marts. Stan Fanicelli, Tom Martin. Charles Brittain, Rick Brough, Linda Olson, Barbara Rattle, Colleen REPORTERS Reichert Mark Marti Randi Smith PHOTOGRAPHERS. Bob Baumr. AD REPRESENTATIVES Steve: Johnton, Fieldttad. Smug Utahns mean the whole state is like that. Editor: recent Alaska (May The on 18) was obviously written from the point of view of your basic cheechako the greenhorn. Apparently, the writer was lucky enough to get a connection for one of the g limited number of jobs in Alaska, spent one summer raping the land for all he could get and then returned to Utah a smug, know-al- l Alaskan with one summer under his belt. Alaska is a beautiful high-payin- Karen Sped Mike Niklotoa. BACKSHOP FOREMAN Rex Nutting BACKSHOP ASSISTANTS Ron Varela, Kerry Urban. Diane Fates Brewton. Beth Singleton. Peg McEntee DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Ratfi Daghlm OFFICE STAFF loan Lartcheid. Mike liddell. Shan Tavey The opimont expreited on the ditorinl paget of the Daily Utah Chronicle do not necettarily represent the riews of the st.dentbody or the University administration Published daily during fall, winter and spring quarters (not including tett week or quarter breaks) by Publications Council of the University of Utah Subscriptions $20 a year (including summer quarter). $6 an academic quarter All subscriptions must he prepaid Two weeks notice lor change of address Forward all subscription correspondence to Subscription Manager. Daily Utah Chronicle. Union Building. University of Utah Letters to the editor must be typed and doublespnced on a 74 space line Letters ot 200 words or less will be given pnori'y Address letters to Viewpoint " The Chronicle has typewriters available tor your use We r reserve the right to edit tor libel, prcpt.e'y and am sorry that the writer has handicapped by his own unwillingness to explore the true wilderness he spoke of as opposed to the local Fourth Avenue bars from which he wrote his article. Perhaps if the writer himself would have taken a bath occasionally, he might have met some real Alaskans who do take baths! For those interested in coming to Alaska, don't except that all the legends surrounding the state are true. Be prepared, because if unemployment doesn't get you, the mosquitos will! Debbi Haines I article place it has expanses of wilderness unimaginable and unattainable to everyone except the most hearty. Pave Anyone can take a walk to a local garbage dump or walk Editor: down the poorer sections cf any large city, but that doesn't everything Who has been planting trees on all of my most u treasured paths on campus? Why should I use the weird sidewalks? I think the University architect and the grounds people are in collusion; to hide the brown footpaths and conceal the crummy layout of the sidewalks. Well, it won't work. Why don't you consider paving everything, eliminating the problem entirely? E.L Hardin P.S. I really loved the megalithic asphalt atrocity in front of the bookstore during its expansion. Get out? Gladly, f Editor: Richard Nixon and Lt. Gov. Monson and Kevin Cromar all have one thing in common they think the law is something other people have to abide by. Nixon gets into a psychiatrist's office and Monson has adopted a policy of legal discrimination against Utah citizens and Cromar looks at confidential files of homosexuals. The entire group should be jailed. Only in Utah could Nixon find friends and Monson and legally discriminate Cromar search files. People here seem so interested in other peoples' lives that they manipulate the law in an attempt to hurt people who haven't done anything to them. If I'm not happy here I should get out right Gladly! Marc Thomas |