Science and Religion: A Physicist's Faith In Science And God  

By Charles H Townes  

Science and Religion: A Physicist's Faith In Science And God  

No one can deny that the universe is the outcome of intelligent placing. It is unusual. We, too, are unusual. To make it possible for life to exist, special physical laws are required. So I would say that this is a very special universe. It has been intelligently planned. How can anyone confute that?

So there is indeed a spiritual world; a Creator.

Most people do not realise that science, like religion, requires faith. We make so many assumptions. We believe that the laws of physics are reliable - that's a kind of faith. We create experiments that can test and verify these laws.

God initiated the universe, He created it. But we change the world too. Therefore, we have a responsibility; we have to ensure that we change it for the better. Take cloning, for instance. We humans are co-creators. How we go about cloning depends on whether we're doing it for the common good. It raises many complex and difficult questions. We are changing all the time. So instead of imposing a total ban on creative research, it is better to regulate it carefully.

What does technology do? It enhances our ability to do newer and bigger things - for good or bad. Then again, we can harm one another even without the help of technology. So the potential to hurt each other predates any technology. Science and technology merely enlarge the scope, the possibilities. The choice remains with us as it did even before we invented technology.

Science attempts to understand how the universe works. Religion attempts to understand the purpose and meaning of the universe. If there is purpose and meaning, it will affect the nature of the universe. Once we understand the meaning, we can get to know the purpose. Science is said to be objective while religion is subjective.

Science has its inconsistencies. Religion has its puzzles, too. Science doesn't allow free will; yet, we think we have free will. We have to learn to accept inconsistencies in both science and religion. The more we understand about the two, the greater the possibility of bringing the two streams of thought closer together. To make this possible, science and religion will have to change in many ways.

True, science has many inconsistencies. Even general relativity and quantum mechanics are not consistent with each other. Yet, we think each one of them is correct. So too in religion. Now take the subject of revelations. It is part of the history of religion. But revelations happen in science, too, except that a revelation is not called a revelation - it's an idea, a flash of genius, a new creation.

When the idea for the laser came to me, I was sitting on a park bench, thinking... why haven't I been able to do this? Suddenly, I got this new idea. Who gave me this idea? God? Who knows? In science, we don't usually talk about it. You could say I had an idea.

I do believe there is a spiritual presence in the universe. It is difficult to define God, but I can feel an omnipresence everywhere. People ask, if God created the universe, who created God? So there's always a problem with a beginning.

Many of us create a spiritual universe that is not visible. This will evidently not be included in the domain of science. So too, free will. It is said that because we don't know, it can't be. I would say that because we don't know, we don't know.

( The author, a Nobel laureate, invented the maser and co-invented the laser. He spoke to Narayani Ganesh when he visited India recently. )

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More from same author see: Charles H Townes  

See also: Science and Religion, Faith and Belief, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)