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ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Gee... I'm not sure I buy that entirely. I mean, "why" IS a part of
theology, but isn't it also a part of science? In other words, don't scientists
ask and answer WHY questions all the time? why is the sky blue? Why do
volcanoes erupt?
Even more significant, I think, is the question WHY does natural selection
seem to prefer the human animal, which logically has so very many physical and
psychological weaknesses and flaws? We look for answers that seem to
suggest that our present adaptation is somehow preferable (relative to our
environment) than past adaptations...
Even though, as I understand it, it's scientifically wrongheaded -- we often
wind up wondering why and how evolution tends toward the perfect
adaptation...even though it seems self-evident that the most perfectly adapted animals
already existed millions of years ago, and exist to this very day (eg,
cockroaches!).
I heard a great explanation about the difference between science and
religion during a Fresh Air interview with physicist Brian Green. He
said he didn't understand why there has to be a controversy between
science and religion because they try to answer different questions.
Science asks "how?", "when?" and "what?" whereas Religion asks "Why?".
So they definitely aren't mutually exclusive, just tackling different
kinds of questions.
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