[kosta50]

Kosta, this has nearly nothing to do with the rest of the discussion, but no, you cannot [define any surface with a mathematical formula]

I disagree. Any surface can be expressed as a series of intervals (a separate function) relative to the previous one. The integrated sum of such functions carried to asigned limits becomes the expression for the entire surface.

It is either Christian faith or faith in the scientific method, or some combination of the two

I would say that one's belief in gravity is an entirely different kind of belief than the belief in God. I think you are comparing apples and organges. Very few people will disagree on anything having to do with gravity. Our "knowledge" of God, however, is subject of diverse opinions, sharp disagreements, numerous interpretations and, indeed, thousands of unrelated religions.

[annalex]

A collection of local-domain functions is not the same as a single function, although indeed that set is not enumerable. But then the number of independent integrations you need is also not enumerable.

few people will disagree on anything having to do with gravity

Only because we have a single science taught in schools, so that people do not disagree on the elementary Newtonian level taught in school. Once advance physics are contemplated on a post graduate level, people do disagree. As to religion, members of the same religious community do not disagree either; the difference is simply that for historical reasons we do not have unified theology taught in school. Christians, outside of seminaries, understand religion pretty poorly, just like pre-Newton men understood gravity poorly.

Besides, I am talking not of belief in gravity but belief in the scientific method. I agree that once you believe in the scientific method, there is little serious argument about gravity; just like if you believe in God there is little argument about the afterlife.