The assertion by William Feeman (Science and Religion, poles apart) finds resonance with this author.
Science encourages freedom of thought; religion demands adherence to dogma. The concept of a mystical
supreme being, X (give your own name to X), is central to religious practice and the appeasement and
worship of X are required for a fulfilled life (and afterlife!). However the notion of an X does not
have to be the sole province of religions; even an irreligious scientist can recognize that there are
things in nature that do not fit readily into current scientific understanding. Moreover, that same
irreligious person might ponder the nature of X, and it may be that in order to make progress in this
quest, he/she will have to look elsewhere than to the scientific method.
If this is what furtherance of knowledge requires, then so be it. Nonetheless, whatever the future
brings, I cannot conceive that I would ever feel constrained to subjugate my thinking to the dictates of
religious dogma; that would be the demise of independent thought.
Michael A. J. Rodgers
Bowling Green