Posted on 12/02/2009 2:06:25 PM PST by mainstreetradical.com
“In Global Warming We Trust?” With the Copenhagen conference on global warming approaching, I have looked for a historical context in which to couch the debate. It is difficult to find anything in recent memory and the almost religious fervor by the left to discredit global warming dissenters leaves little choice but to look at former clashes between faith and science. Few clashes were bigger than that of Galileo and the papacy.
(Excerpt) Read more at mainstreetradical.com ...
My vote is for Lysenkoism, a communist perversion of biology that ruled with an iron fist from 1948 to 1964 in the Soviet Union. All data was altered to fit the Marxist model of biology. Very similar to socialist global warmism.
In 1948, genetics was officially declared "a bourgeois pseudoscience"; all geneticists were fired from work (some were also arrested), and all genetic research was discontinued. Nikita Khrushchev, who claimed to be an expert in agricultural science, also valued Lysenko as a great scientist, and the taboo on genetics continued (but all geneticists were released or rehabilitated posthumously). The ban was only waived in the mid 1960s.
Thus, Lysenkoism caused serious, long-term harm to Soviet biology. It represented a serious failure of the early Soviet leadership to find real solutions to agricultural problems, allowing their system to be hijacked by a charlatan — at the expense of many human lives.
How is it that propaganda against the Catholic Church remains the favorite pass time of every bigoted media jackass, despite the facts easily found in the historical records of the Church? We Catholics do not censor our history, both the good and bad... However, as to the supposed “historical conflict” between science and religion in general, here is a listing that literally flies in the face of the authors’ insidious assertions:
Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. First mathematical system of planets going around Sun. Attended European universities. 1497 Became Canon in Catholic Church. 1533 Presented his system at Vatican. Pope Clement VII approved, urged Copernicus to publish; also by Catholic Bishop Guise, Cardinal Schonberg, and Protestant Professor George Rheticus. Copernicus never under threat of persecution. Referred to God in his works. Did not see his system in conflict with Bible.
Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1627) Philosopher. Established Scientific Method for discovery of truth, service to country and Church. Rejected atheism: “…a little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion; for while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no further; but when it beholdeth the chain of them confederate, and linked together, it must needs fly to Providence and Deity.”
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) Mathematician, Astronomer. Early work on light. Established laws of planetary motion. Came close to Newtonian concept of universal gravity. His idea of force changed astronomy radically. Extremely sincere, pious Lutheran. Works contain writings how space, heavenly bodies represent the Trinity. Suffered no persecution for open avowal of sun-centered system. Allowed to stay in Catholic Graz as a Professor (1595-1600) when other Protestants had been expelled!
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) 1633 Published controversial work on solar system. He provided no proofs of his sun-centered system. His telescope discoveries did not indicate a moving earth. His proof was based on tides, and found invalid. He ignored Kepler’s elliptical orbits. The controversy came about because he put the Pope’s argument in the mouths of simpletons, rather than keeping the dispute private, thus offending his old friend. He was then forbidden to teach sun-centered system, for reason that he failed to prove his theory. However, he did useful theoretical work on dynamics. Galileo Galilei expressly said that the Bible cannot err. He saw his system as alternate interpretation of biblical texts, not a refutation of them.
Rene Descartes (1596-1650) Mathematician, Scientist, Father of modern philosophy. Roman Catholic. Retained deep faith. At 24, sought to gather knowledge in one system of thought. Asked what could be known if all else doubted. Proposed “I think therefore I am.” Sought to establish God’s existence. Only if God exists and would not want us deceived by experiences, can we trust senses and logical thought processes. Wanted his God centered philosophy adopted as standard Roman Catholic teaching.
(Rene Descartes and Francis Bacon regarded as key figures in development of scientific methodology. Both had systems in which God was important, and both seem more devout than the average for their era.)
Isaac Newton (1642-1727) Genius, innovator in Optics, Mechanics, Mathematics, Chemistry. Saw mathematics, numbers central in all. Devoutly religious. Considerable work in biblical numerology. Aspects of beliefs not orthodox, but thought theology very important. In his system, God essential to nature, absoluteness of space. From Principia: “The most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion on an intelligent and powerful Being.”
Robert Boyle (1791-1867) Chemist. Founder, key member of Royal Society. Encyclopedia Britannica: “His will endowed lectures ‘for proving the Christian religion against notorious infidels.’ Devout Protestant. Promoted Christian religion, giving money to translate, publish New Testament into Irish, Turkish. In 1690, developed theological views in The Christian Virtuoso, to show study of nature a central religious duty.” Wrote against atheists. More devoutly Christian than average in his era.
Michael Faraday (1791-1867) Son of blacksmith. One of greatest scientists of the 19th century. Work on electricity, magnetism revolutionized physics, and led to modern lifestyles, (computers, telephone lines, etc). Devout Christian member of Sandemanians, which significantly influenced and strongly affected way in which he approached, interpreted nature. Originating from Presbyterians, the Sandemanians rejected idea of state churches, tried to go back to New Testament Christianity.
Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) Abbot. Laid mathematical foundation of genetics in 1856 (3 years before Darwin published Origin of Species). Unknown until 1900, when botanists, rediscovered him. 1860’s notable for X-Clubs, dedicated to lessen religious influence, propagate image of conflict between science and religion. Darwin’s cousin, geneticist Francis Galton, a proponent of eugenics, wrote how the “priestly mind” not conducive to science, while a monk made breakthroughs in genetics.
William Thomson Kelvin (1824-1907) Physicist. More religious than average for era. Physicists George Gabriel Stokes (1819-1903) and James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) also of deep Christian faith in era when many nominal, apathetic, or anti-Christian. Encyclopedia Britannica: “Maxwell regarded as scientist of 19th century who had greatest influence on 20th century physics; ranked with Newton, Einstein for fundamental contributions.” Creationist, estimated Earth 20-100M yrs, upper limit 500M.
Max Planck (1858-1947) Physicist. Quantum Theory. Revolutionized understanding of atomic, sub-atomic worlds. 1937 lecture “Religion and Naturwissenschaft” expressed view God everywhere present: “holiness of the unintelligible Godhead conveyed by holiness of symbols.” Atheists attach too much importance to symbols. Believed in almighty, all-knowing, beneficent God; that Science, religion wage “tireless battle against skepticism, dogmatism… against unbelief, superstition” with goal “toward God!”
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Physicist. Britannica: “Firmly denying atheism, expressed belief in ‘Spinoza’s God who reveals himself in the harmony of what exists.’ Said to physicist “I want to know how God created this world, I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts, the rest are details.” On Uncertainty Principle “God does not play dice.” On religion “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”
That works as a bon mot, but it's not quite precise. It bothers me when people refer to the Galileo episode without apparently bothering to find out what that was all about.
Even after Galileo's first trial (1616) Riceloll and other contemporaries of Galileo were well aware --- and were permitted to declare--- that neither the pope nor any Church agency had made an anti-Copernican definition of doctrine. In other words, the geocentric theory was never "dogma," and the heliocentric theory per se was not regarded as heretical.
Bellarmine told Galileo that if he just put up his evidence as supporting a hypothesis--- instead of claiming absolute "philosphical" truth, there would be no problem.
As it happens, Galileo actually didn't have solid evidence: he said the rotation of the earth was proved by the tides sloshing around. His hypothesis (that the sun as the center of the Universe--- the Universe) was false. His conclusions about Scripture (an area he should have never gotten into) were spurious, and his claims --- at that time --- poorly supported. And so, in the matter of science, Bellarmine actually had the better of the argument.
A weak pope (Urban VIII) nevertheless permitted a verdict that Galileo was "vehemently suspected" of heresy. (A stupid and unjust ruling, very much the product of academic rivalries and clerical factions, plus the fact that Galileo and Urban were both "vehemently" cranky.) The result was that Galileo was put under "house arrest" and permitted to stay in the houses of friends, always comfortable and usually luxurious.
Galileo continued both his work and his correspondance, enjoying both popularity and notoriety, and eventually Urban VIII sent Galileo his special blessing, a reconciliation of the two old men. When he passed away just before his 80 birthday, Galileo was interred not only in consecrated ground, but within the church of Santa Croce at Florence.
Not exactly canonization (for either Urban or Galileo!) but neither was it the melodramatically-distorted myth of "dogma" vs "science." "Scientific consensus," plus human foolishness, had the starring roles in this unfortunate prosecution.
Which is where it "connects" with Climategate.
Great list!
But you need to change the years for Robert Boyle. I believe it should be: 1627-1691
You are correct... I repeated the entry of the following listing... Don’t ask me how... I have no idea!
Robert Boyle (1627-1691)
Note also that Nicholas Copernicus was the FIRST to propose a Sun-centered system. He did not get into trouble, as Galileo did, because he did not purposely set out to embarrass the Pope by publicly refuting him. (The often omitted detail is that Galileo and Pope Urban VIII were good friends)
Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. First mathematical system of planets going around Sun. Attended European universities. 1497 Became Canon in Catholic Church. 1533 Presented his system at Vatican. Pope Clement VII approved, urged Copernicus to publish; also by Catholic Bishop Guise, Cardinal Schonberg, and Protestant Professor George Rheticus. Copernicus never under threat of persecution. Referred to God in his works. Did not see his system in conflict with Bible.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.