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pan6467 · 11-27-2007, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leto

Well, I think that people generally attempt to come up with the simplest reasoning for events (Occam's Razor?) and will automatically gravitate to the view that suits them and their arguements.

I think, however, that eminent scientists such as Einstein were getting close to the the view that belief in the efficacity of a toolset (i.e. a paradigm, a methodology) doesn't mean that one can't have faith in a belief. Go ahead and believe that God created the universe. Maybe at one point in our development of science, we may even be able to demonstrate that.

But there is nothing wrong in believing that science can provide some answers, and will grow to answer more. Increasingly, the religious will be able to devote more of their faith to worship of God, rather than having to explain anomalies as acts of God.

Speaking of Einstein :

Quote:

Professor Einstein spoke of his religious convictions and his understanding of God on a number of occasions. Perhaps his clearest statement of belief was a telegram that Einstein sent to Rabbi Herbert Goldstein of the International Synagogue in New York in 1929. Rabbi Goldstein had sent Einstein a message asking him bluntly, “Do you believe in God?” Einstein replied as follows:

Quote:

“I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings.”(2)

Einstein was a great admirer of the 17th century philosopher Benedictus Spinoza. Although Spinoza never achieved fame and fortune during his lifetime, he is highly regarded today for his courage, his convictions and his ideas. He was a man with ideas that were ahead of his time. Spinoza held that the infinite, natural universe is identical to God. He did not believe in a “personal God.” Instead, he believed that everything that exists is made of the same “substance” and is in many ways connected. Therefore, the totality of all existence is in a sense a Unity. This Unity of the all-inclusive All is God. It was not a separate divine being who created the universe. Instead, the universe ordered itself. It was the universe that made Earth fertile and caused Earth to give birth to life. According to Spinoza, no supernatural being was necessary. Spinoza is one of the classic examples of a pantheist. The word “pantheism” literally means “All is God.” Perhaps the simplest way to state the philosophy is to say, “For the pantheist, nature is God.” Einstein’s reply to Rabbi Goldstein was a statement of belief in the pantheistic concept of God.

Still a belief. The most intelligent, scientific mind ever, had a belief in a God of his understanding. Kind of sounds..... hmmmmm.... neo paganistic, like a naturalist.