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From: polard@fortune.UUCP (Henry Polard)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: Penses
Message-ID: <5289@fortune.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-May-85 15:46:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: fortune.5289
Posted: Tue May 21 15:46:48 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 22-May-85 07:38:46 EDT
References: <1655@decwrl.UUCP> <45200003@hpfcms.UUCP> <734@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Reply-To: polard@fortune.UUCP (Henry polard)
Organization: Fortune Systems, Redwood City, CA
Lines: 29

In article <734@ssc-vax.UUCP> version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site fortune.UUCP version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site ssc-vax.UUCP fortune!hpda!hplabs!tektronix!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!savage savage@ssc-vax.UUCP (Lowell Savage) writes:
>
>I think I'll make a stab at clarifying the difference between religion and
>science.  Religion is the study of God (or gods or lack of same) while
>science assumes that a supernatural being does not exist (or at least no
>longer "interferes" with the activity that takes place in the universe).
>Thus, from a scientific point of view, the only way to prove the existence
>of a God would be to observe inconsistencies in nature that are impossible
>to explain without negating that basic premise (i.e., assume that a super-
>natural being does exist).

Would you please tell us how you come to the conclusion that science ASSUMES
that a supernatural being does not exist?  My understanding is that that 
the existence of (a) supernatural being(s) has not been proved scientifically.
This is quite different from claiming that they/she/he/it does not exist.
There are THREE, not TWO scientific possibilities that apply to the 
existence of entities: (1)entity X exists (2)it does not  exist
(3)we can't scientifically prove either (1) or (2) and therefore the 
question is still open.  

The essential difference between science and religion is that
the former is open to changing its conclusions, whereas most religions
are not.  If God appeared personally in all His glory for all to see, 
I think scientists would admit to the existence of God.
-- 
Henry Polard (You bring the flames - I'll bring the marshmallows.)
{ihnp4,cbosgd,amd}!fortune!polard
N.B: The words in this posting do not necessarily express the opinions
of me, my employer, or any AI project.