Posted on 04/15/2017 8:48:53 AM PDT by Kaslin
And the whole Descartes question has no bearing on the larger point that western science is a direct result of Christian culture.
Precisely. Descartes himself was a direct result of Christian culture.
“He considered himself a devout Catholic.”
You really should read your link more carefully ...
Moses wasn't and isn't a Christian? Why, then, was he on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus? Isn't that determinative? I'll just suggest finding a different example to join Plato in your statement.
“Consider what would have happened to a Muslim who behaved as Decartes did”
Many consider that Descartes was assassinated by a Catholic Priest.
Yes, but there were many complications in his case. He was one of many proponents of Copernicus's heliocentric theory of the solar system, published 100 years previously, which was unproven--because it couldn't yet be proven. The technology to do so wasn't there. The measurements of the planets and their orbits for an earth-centered solar system worked just as well as they did for Copernicus's model. The question was finally settled in the early 19th century, when better telescopes were able to detect a parallax effect in viewing the planets at various times of year, which proved they were going around the sun and not the earth.
Galileo was disciplined for 1) publishing a book about the solar system wherein in for no apparent reason and without warning, he made fun of his friend and the financial backer of his scientific work--the mild-mannered Pope Urban; 2) making a number of scientific claims about the solar system--not just the Copernican theory--that were unproven and stating them as fact, some of which claims later turned out to be wrong; 3) alienating absolutely everyone in authority by his arrogant, cantankerous, and loopy behavior.
He was also one of the greatest scientific minds who ever lived.
Not only were most scientists at the time opposed to the Copernican theory--other Christian religious leaders, notably including Martin Luther, were vehement in denouncing it as opposed to the truth revealed in the Bible.
By the way, Copernicus was a Catholic priest, and he had been ordered by his bishop to publish his controversial theory. The reigning Pope at that time (a century before Galileo), Clement VII, was fascinated when he heard of his work, and had his Cardinals write to Copernicus to request copies of his books.
This case is an example of why there can never be any theory worthy of being called "settled science." The only thing "settled" in real science is the scientific method itself, which guarantees that any theory can be tested at any time until the end of the world--when, we can hope, all these things will be revealed!
“Precisely. Descartes himself was a direct result of Christian culture.”
Fortunately he did not adhere to the ‘Christian’ science teachings of that day ...
What God has done is so amazing, even more than I can understand. And the gifts he gives us are so great, my words fail me. For one thing, allowing me to discuss here with you, giving me the opportunity learn more about the heresy of Descartes. And where his faith in our Lord and Saviour might have taken detours, or stumbled into mishaps.
Re: “Please enlighten me where Descartes professed a belief in Jesus Son of God.”
Whether or not Descartes was a doctrinally correct, believing Christian is beside the point. He clearly had a Christian view of the universe. Being a Theist does not mean one is also necessarily a believer in Jesus as God’s Son, and Descartes was, if nothing else, at least a Theist with a view of God that matched that of the Judeo-Christian God.
Thomas Jefferson was not an orthodox Christian either, yet his view that God endowed mankind, as Creator, with inalienable rights, is still a Judeo-”Christian” worldview - not Islamic, or Hindu, and certainly not atheistic.
Atheism is defined as a specific belief that God doesn’t exist. Very different from heresy.
Important to note: atheism is a belief system which gives rise to the thoughts, feelings and behaviors (practices) of the atheist.
I believe so too.
“Yes, but there were many complications in his case. He (Galileo) was one of many proponents of Copernicus’s heliocentric theory of the solar system, published 100 years previously, which was unproven—because it couldn’t yet be proven. The technology to do so wasn’t there. “
Copernicus didn’t publish his major work till his death because he was afraid of the Christian Church.
Galileo showed that the planets orbited the sun by documenting the phases of Venus.
“Atheism is defined as a specific belief that God doesn’t exist. Very different from heresy.”
Yes. Is a muslim an atheist or heretic?
“Whether or not Descartes was a doctrinally correct, believing Christian is beside the point. He clearly had a Christian view of the universe.”
The predominant Christian view of the universe at that time was that the sun orbited the earth. That was NOT his view.
Your argument seems to be that Descartes was persecuted by the Church, therefore he was not a product of Christian culture and cannot be said to have been produced by Christian culture.
That is the counter argument. Science sprang from Christianity, and not from other religions. The persecutions of the Church were relatively feeble attempts that did not stop the development of science. In fact, the Church did numerous things to promote science. The pope funded Galileo, as noted above, as it did many early scientists.
From TexasGator:
“Fortunately he did not adhere to the ‘Christian’ science teachings of that day ...”
Exactly the point, isn’t it?
Islam, China, India, all had several times the population of Christendom. None of them produced science. They could easily have copied early Christian scientists, and made discoveries of their own. They had the resources. They had the contacts with Europe. They did not do it. Why?
Because their basic philosophies were not compatible with scientific inquiry and the search for truth.
“By the way, Copernicus was a Catholic priest, and he had been ordered by his bishop to publish his controversial theory. “
LOL!
This article is complete and utter garbage designed to make Christians feel good about themselves. It’s entire argument that all other scientific achievement in history were mere skill and basic knowledge is a simple handwave. And the claim that science is really just about figuring out how awesome God is ignores countless acts of willful ignorance institutionally condoned by the religious. Obviously the faithful here are going to eat this up like figgy pudding, but it is perhaps the most ridiculous thing I have ever read.
Theist.
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