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

2. ScienceTheology

3. The Great Myth  The history of the ‘supposed’ conflict between Science and Religion is largely a myth propagated by a few influential public figures and philosophers  Resources at: www.TimLightfoot.com/Focus  The history of the ‘supposed’ conflict between Science and Religion is largely a myth propagated by a few influential public figures and philosophers  Resources at: www.TimLightfoot.com/Focus

4. How Science is Done Today: How Science is Done Myth 1: Science and religion have nothing in common

5. “Mad” Scientists ALL

6. Popular culture treats both science and religion as odd subcultures…..

7. If we are going to have a dialogue with scientists, shouldn’t we understand them?

8. Myth 2: All science is done by the scientific method.  Reality: Not even close.  The Scientific Method:  Hypothesize,  observe/experiment,  prove/disprove hypothesis,  report your results  Many different types of science with many different approaches…..  Reality: Not even close.  The Scientific Method:  Hypothesize,  observe/experiment,  prove/disprove hypothesis,  report your results  Many different types of science with many different approaches…..

9. Types/classification of science  Descriptive > Causal  Descriptive - describe the current state of the topic of study (soft science)  Social sciences  Associative - is there a relationship between phenomena? (squishy science)  Epidemiology  Causal - determine the cause of a phenomena (hard science)  Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Kinesiology  Descriptive > Causal  Descriptive - describe the current state of the topic of study (soft science)  Social sciences  Associative - is there a relationship between phenomena? (squishy science)  Epidemiology  Causal - determine the cause of a phenomena (hard science)  Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Kinesiology

10. Myth 3: All scientists are lone wolf geniuses…  Reality: Nope - While they may be geniuses, science is largely done in large groups….  Our group last year  Reality: Nope - While they may be geniuses, science is largely done in large groups….  Our group last year

11. Myth 4: Scientists can do whatever they want to….  Reality: Science may be one of the most regulated activities there is….  Compliance with Federal Law  Any study using human subjects (or their data) or animals must be approved by a federally mandated compliance committee  Got to have money to do the study  All scientists are responsible for bringing in the money they need to do their research…  Big funding: National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF)  Reality: Science may be one of the most regulated activities there is….  Compliance with Federal Law  Any study using human subjects (or their data) or animals must be approved by a federally mandated compliance committee  Got to have money to do the study  All scientists are responsible for bringing in the money they need to do their research…  Big funding: National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF)

12. How science really works… If you get money, do study If you don’t get money, revise and look for other funds Develop an idea Find money to do pilot studies Get approval to do pilot studies Apply for grants to fund studies Reapply for grants to fund studies

13. Myth 5: Scientists aren’t real doctors  Reality: The word “Doctor” arose from old English and means “teacher”  Normal educational path:  Bachelor’s degree (3-4 years)  Master’s degree (2-3 years)  Doctorate (3-5 years)  Post-doctoral research work (3-6 years)  Reality: The word “Doctor” arose from old English and means “teacher”  Normal educational path:  Bachelor’s degree (3-4 years)  Master’s degree (2-3 years)  Doctorate (3-5 years)  Post-doctoral research work (3-6 years)

14. Myth 6: Scientific findings can be published easily  Reality: Most scientific findings are rigorously reviewed and ‘proofed’ by 2-3 experts in the same area before acceptance for publication (peer- review)  Most good scientific journals only accept 20-30% of all manuscripts submitted  Reality: Most scientific findings are rigorously reviewed and ‘proofed’ by 2-3 experts in the same area before acceptance for publication (peer- review)  Most good scientific journals only accept 20-30% of all manuscripts submitted

15. Myth 7: All scientists are good, responsible people  Reality: Science is done by people  The same issues that strike other humans, strike scientists -  Greed, pride, ego, etc.  There IS misconduct in science  Betrayers of the Truth, 1982  Dr. Hwang Woo-Suk, South Korea  Etc.  Reality: Science is done by people  The same issues that strike other humans, strike scientists -  Greed, pride, ego, etc.  There IS misconduct in science  Betrayers of the Truth, 1982  Dr. Hwang Woo-Suk, South Korea  Etc.

16. Myth 8: Once published, scientific findings are considered fact and unchangeable  Reality: Scientific ‘facts’ are never stable and are always open to question and further examination  Scientists don’t care if it is a law, theory, fact, etc….it is all open to further testing and refinement (or rejection)  Reality: Scientific ‘facts’ are never stable and are always open to question and further examination  Scientists don’t care if it is a law, theory, fact, etc….it is all open to further testing and refinement (or rejection)

17. Myth 9: Scientists do science to establish a world-view  Reality: Good scientists want to understand the natural world. They seek to answer questions….

18. Myth 10: Scientists don’t believe anything that can’t be proven  Reality: Good scientists understand the limits of their measurement tools and methods  Truth:  Testable truth - truths that can be empirically tested and proven  Untestable truth - truths that can’t be empirically tested and proven  Reality: Good scientists understand the limits of their measurement tools and methods  Truth:  Testable truth - truths that can be empirically tested and proven  Untestable truth - truths that can’t be empirically tested and proven

19. Myth 11: Most scientists are heathens…  Reality: This may surprise you…

20. So what’s left?  “…science is an activity of persons, drawing on tacit skills learned through apprenticeship in a community whose purpose is the universal intent to seek truth about the physical world, while also acknowledging that current conclusions must remain open to the possibility of correction.” M. Polanyi, 1958

21. So what’s left?  “…science is a constant exercise of extending what we do know about the world and then correcting what we thought we knew for sure.” K. Miller, 1999

22. What’s left  “God is the unrestricted act of understanding, the eternal rapture, glimpsed in every Archimedean cry of Eureka” B. Lonergan, 1958 Kary B. Mullis Jim Hagberg Steve Kleeberger

23. What’s left?  “Each and every increase in our understanding of the natural world should be a step towards God and not a step away.” K. Miller, 1999.

24. Next week: How do you know what to believe?