Can Science Be a Religion?

Religion is a touchy topic within the scientific community. Science, meanwhile, can be just as sensitive a topic within some religious communities. Are there times when the two overlap? When fervent belief in science functions much like devout faith? Trace investigates.

Read More:
'Belief in science' increases in stressful situations
"A faith in the explanatory and revealing power of science increases in the face of stress or anxiety, a study by Oxford University psychologists suggests."

Scientific faith: Belief in science increases in the face of stress and existential anxiety
"Growing evidence indicates that religious belief helps individuals to cope with stress and anxiety. But is this effect specific to supernatural beliefs, or is it a more general function of belief -- including belief in science?"

Is Science a Religion?
"The 1996 Humanist of the Year asked this question in a speech accepting the honor from the American Humanist Association."

Study: Non-Religious People's Faith in Science Increases Under Stress
"Pre-regatta rowers were more likely to agree with Carl Sagan that 'in a demon-haunted world, science is a candle in the dark.'"

Science is a religion
"Nowadays more and more people seem to confuse science with fact."

Top 10 Reasons Science Is Another Religion
"As a Biologist with a PhD in Neurosciences, I'm well aware that this is a controversial subject for both scientists and religious people alike."

Watch More:

____________________

DNews is dedicated to satisfying your curiosity and to bringing you mind-bending stories & perspectives you won't find anywhere else! New videos twice daily.

[MrTechFox]

The answer to whether science is a religion or not depends entirely on how the word religion is defined. That is pretty much it.

Some would say that religion has faith, while science has fact, but that distinction is only valid if you define faith in a likely unfavorable way towards religion. If you define faith the way that a lot of educated apologists like John Lennox do, then faith is something everyone has, even us atheists.

The argument often times will be derailed by people having a variety of definitions for the same word, and depending what their definitions are, sides that are completely opposite to each other could both be correct.

In general, I feel that science does not have to be a religion, but for a lot of die hard atheists, it often becomes that way.

[innominatusambrosius]

most atheist I've talked to see science in the same way most theists see their gods.
Absolute truth does not exist. Do you think a god would actually see himself as a god or a person first?
Does a king see himself a person or a king first?
I am a person but I am still a god; also I want love, not worship.

[chaoton]

I ask you a very simple question. If you dont [believe/have faith] in scientific method in the first place, would you choose to use it?

[theshells]

Did not realize this channel had been selling science as a religion sine 2013 -
Science is often wrong - that is the point. Scientists used to be allowed to say they were wrong - not anymore.

[mamumich]

why did he shout great tesla @ 0:39?? please guide me

[ColeMarkusen]

How many takes did it take to say recapitulation?

[ThePooba]

Hello tech support here, computer not working? Light some incense.

[NathanNJ]

Science focuses on this realm of life as we sense it and interactive with it. Religion focuses on there is more to everything than we can perceive with our senses and some overarching purpose beyond it. They both are right in my eyes.

The more I hear of theoretical physics: quantum entanglement, dark matter, the higgs field and so on. The more I feel assured there is a uniting force behind the cosmos. What people do in church or in labs is not as important as being spiritual.

[GamersGrind]

Is there an issue with posts on youtube today or were my two posts remove? They are not appearing at all. Both suggested comparing religion to science is in the realm of the atheist activist.

[johnnyboy]

Religion vs. Science is an age old argument, but you need to be open-minded on both sides of these subjects. I'm a young man with the heart of a Christian and the mind of Scientist. For a long time I didn't think that these too would ever correlate with one another, but they do, and Einstein even agrees with this. The bible actually has scientific truth about our universe that is proven by science. The problem with the bible is that it is pretty difficult to understand (I often get confused, and I constantly ask for help). Job 26:7 talks about space, Hebrews 11:6 gives the description of atoms, and Psalm 19:4-6 talks about the planets revolving around the sun. To end this off, before bashing religion or science remove your ego and ask questions. Yes I even thinks it's ok to question religion to an extent. If you never ask questions then how will you ever learn? 

[raypearson]

I am a Christian but love science! Keep it up guys at Dnews, you rock!

I see both as beliefs because neither can be "proven".
If God could be proven there would be no need for faith and searching and I search everything with an open mind.
The theory of evolution seems somewhat plausible with the exception of the origin of biological substance forming at random from the elements. This seems impossible without God.

Sadly too many people live their lives saying they are Christians but prove to be close-minded hypocrites that alienate others because of insecurity.

[ovidiub]

I love Traces funny faces. Please do more :D

[Adrian-fukr]

No. It depends on how one defines the concept of "religion". Science is a method that is used by people who are problem solvers, and religion is an organized group of people holding similar irrational beliefs. You can learn to trust scientists, but science is not about absolutes, it is about improving knowledge by continued work, and continued scrutiny and testing. Religion is based on dogma and the suppression of the critical faculties, and is not tolerant to questioning and testing. It also preys on people's lack of education (due to poverty and other reasons), irrational fears, existential questions, etc, basically all the weaknesses are being exploited in order to grant power, influence, and monetary gain to individuals with no real contribution to solving problems in the human society.

[sexywhitebriefs]

yes. science is the new religion with ridged dogma just like the rest.

[speshulgurlee]

Can the roots of all mass religions be scientific theories from ancient times?

[SheikhN-bible-syndrome]

science IS A RELIGION it is called atomism it is the belief in the atom and that everything that is "real" can be quantified and if it can't be quantified the it doesn't exist. But they ignore the fact that they are assuming what the atom is and how it works when they have only predicted outcomes of certain experiments and upon predicting them mostly correct they assume that they know the reason why they were able to predict it accurately but they fail to realize that there can and is always more then one way to skin a cat so assuming on faith that the atom is what they say it is qualifies is as a religion.

[sl]

lol this video is glitched. I cant see comments when on my pc

[patrickhodson]

When it comes to unanswered questions, what do you hear scientists say? "More work needs to be done" "We'll find the answer eventually" "We need to keep exploring further" etc. These are definitely statements about faith.

[vector]

Yes
For god sake most scientists are religious

[solutor]

Religion:
-a particular system of faith and worship.

-a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance.

yes, science can be a religion.