Pebble in the Pond: Beginning A Dialogue on Science & Religion

Thus far in the story (1)….  God created nature AND the Bible, so there is no conflict between the two systems that are trying to understand them;  Science actually arose and was fostered by Christianity - the supposed conflict is mythical;  Science works to understand the natural world and is always open to correction (plus, a surprising number of hard scientists are religious and attend Church regularly);  God created nature AND the Bible, so there is no conflict between the two systems that are trying to understand them;  Science actually arose and was fostered by Christianity - the supposed conflict is mythical;  Science works to understand the natural world and is always open to correction (plus, a surprising number of hard scientists are religious and attend Church regularly);

Thus far in the story (2)….  There are several ways that science and Christianity can interact; we prefer dialogue and/or integration. Problems arise when individuals use science and/or religion for their own devices;  Each of us have a framework/blanket of beliefs; adding and subtracting beliefs is difficult. When considering ‘beliefs’, we need to use triangulation.  There are several ways that science and Christianity can interact; we prefer dialogue and/or integration. Problems arise when individuals use science and/or religion for their own devices;  Each of us have a framework/blanket of beliefs; adding and subtracting beliefs is difficult. When considering ‘beliefs’, we need to use triangulation.

All previous classes available at

Reading Science & Kuhn Today: Reading Science & Kuhn

Types of science papers: Conf proceedings Conf proceedings Experiment results Experiment results Reviews Reviews

Reading Science  Abstract  Introduction  Methods  Results  Discussion  Acknowledgements  References  Abstract  Introduction  Methods  Results  Discussion  Acknowledgements  References

Mousetrap Intermission

Thomas S. Kuhn  Who the heck was Kuhn?  Working a PhD in Theoretical Physics;  Switched to history of science  Moved to philosophy of science  Wrote The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962)  Popularized the use of the word “paradigm”  Who the heck was Kuhn?  Working a PhD in Theoretical Physics;  Switched to history of science  Moved to philosophy of science  Wrote The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962)  Popularized the use of the word “paradigm”

What is a paradigm?  Normal science "means research firmly based upon one or more past scientific achievements, achievements that some particular scientific community acknowledges for a time as supplying the foundation for its further practice"  An achievement that:  Sufficiently unprecedented to attract an enduring group of adherents away from competing modes of scientific activity;  Sufficiently open-ended to leave all sorts of problems for the redefined group of practitioners to resolve  A characteristic of a mature science  Copernican astronomy; Newtonian dynamics, Lactate physiology, etc.  Normal science "means research firmly based upon one or more past scientific achievements, achievements that some particular scientific community acknowledges for a time as supplying the foundation for its further practice"  An achievement that:  Sufficiently unprecedented to attract an enduring group of adherents away from competing modes of scientific activity;  Sufficiently open-ended to leave all sorts of problems for the redefined group of practitioners to resolve  A characteristic of a mature science  Copernican astronomy; Newtonian dynamics, Lactate physiology, etc.

What is a paradigm?  An achievement that is:  Sufficiently unprecedented to attract an enduring group of adherents away from competing modes of scientific activity;  Sufficiently open-ended to leave all sorts of problems for the redefined group of practitioners to resolve  An achievement that is:  Sufficiently unprecedented to attract an enduring group of adherents away from competing modes of scientific activity;  Sufficiently open-ended to leave all sorts of problems for the redefined group of practitioners to resolve Our paradigm

Lactate & Paradigms Karlman Wasserman MD PhD

How are paradigms useful?  Create avenues of inquiry.  Formulate questions.  Select methods with which to examine questions.  Define areas of relevance.  Create avenues of inquiry.  Formulate questions.  Select methods with which to examine questions.  Define areas of relevance. Our paradigm

So - what’s left to do?  MOPPING UP!  Check for matches  Extend paradigm  MOPPING UP!  Check for matches  Extend paradigm

Pro/Cons of Paradigms  No effort made to call forth new sorts of phenomena.  No effort to discover anomalies.  When anomalies pop up, they are usually discarded or ignored.  No effort to invent new theory (and no tolerance for those who try).  No effort made to call forth new sorts of phenomena.  No effort to discover anomalies.  When anomalies pop up, they are usually discarded or ignored.  No effort to invent new theory (and no tolerance for those who try).  "By focusing attention on a small range of relatively esoteric problems, the paradigm forces scientists to investigate some part of nature in a detail and depth that would otherwise be unimaginable". .... and, when the paradigm ceases to function properly, scientists begin to behave differently and the nature of their research problems changes.  "By focusing attention on a small range of relatively esoteric problems, the paradigm forces scientists to investigate some part of nature in a detail and depth that would otherwise be unimaginable". .... and, when the paradigm ceases to function properly, scientists begin to behave differently and the nature of their research problems changes. CONS PROS

Aha! Science IS close- minded!  Paradigms are usually resilient and resistant to change  So, how does science progress?  Anomalies occur  If perceived, this leads to a crisis in the paradigm  Paradigms are usually resilient and resistant to change  So, how does science progress?  Anomalies occur  If perceived, this leads to a crisis in the paradigm

Lactate & Paradigms Karlman Wasserman MD PhD Jim Hagberg

“You Say You Want a Revolution” Lennon & McCartney, circa 1967  If an anomaly can not be resolved by altering the current paradigm; or  The anomaly can’t be ignored:  A new paradigm emerges  “Revolution”  “Paradigm shift”  Once a new paradigm emerges:  it changes the field's foundational theories.  it changes methods and applications.  it alters the “rules”.  If an anomaly can not be resolved by altering the current paradigm; or  The anomaly can’t be ignored:  A new paradigm emerges  “Revolution”  “Paradigm shift”  Once a new paradigm emerges:  it changes the field's foundational theories.  it changes methods and applications.  it alters the “rules”.

Lactate & Paradigms Karlman Wasserman MD PhD George Brooks PhD Jim Hagberg

Fall-out of a scientific revolution  New way of looking at data  Very stressful to workers in the area  Those with "older views... are simply read out of the profession and their work is subsequently ignored.”  New way of looking at data  Very stressful to workers in the area  Those with "older views... are simply read out of the profession and their work is subsequently ignored.”

Why is this important to us?  Concept of ‘paradigm shift’ has been applied to many situations;  Insight as to how science progresses;  Understand that there is resistance to change in science;  Eventually anomalies are recognized and either are resolved or result in new paradigms  Concept of ‘paradigm shift’ has been applied to many situations;  Insight as to how science progresses;  Understand that there is resistance to change in science;  Eventually anomalies are recognized and either are resolved or result in new paradigms

Next week….. Genetics of Christianity?