It strikes me from the outset that the origins of what is now generally defined and accepted as Science are in the pursuit of the knowledge of the creation rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25). (I haven't read the whole article yet!)
On reflection those men of science who investigated the creation and who were also worshipers of the Creator God were the ones who made the most startling and helpful discoveries and achievements. These are they who found purpose in the knowledge of God Himself, and knew that the creation was there in service to Him first and to themselves as an heritage. It was in their discovery of Him through His revelation of Himself not merely in all created things but in all of creation--through His Name, Law, and Son as well as sea and stars and spores--that led to their discovery of meaning and use.
In contrast, those Scientists who fulfill the quote above absolutely "discover" only meaninglessness, the outflow of which is the abuse of themselves and one another in using what is created to serve singularly the finite creature's ends--abortion, organ harvesting, cloning, etc. Thus Science's highest accolades and strongest affinities among mere Scientists are to the Survival of the Fittest doctrine.
It is because the Creator does indeed exist as the Author and Originator of all that is created, and all sincere investigation of created things must eventually arrive in Him, that modern Scientists (true to the origins, perhaps, of that branch of knowledge, but not to its fulfillment) do in fact resort to very unscientific methods in order to continue to practice the ideology that they have formed around their short-shrifted observations.
Knowledge of the Universe that denies and purposefully excludes knowledge of Him who formed it is a ladder with many rungs but only one sidepiece: dangerous climbing indeed.
to:
"Science was understood to be about the elucidation of quantities; questions of meaning were no longer relevant,"
...the reading is progressing nicely!
What a beautiful essay-post, dear .30Carbine! So very well said. Thank you!
Good metaphor.. I see it as scientists climbing a ladder thats fallen on the ground.. defeating the purpose of the ladder.. And tends to make you look like a monkey.. (consider climbing a ladder horizontal on the ground).. When you reach the top of the ladder you're no better off than when you started climbing the ladder..