hardie@uf-csg.UUCP (Peter T Hardie [stdnt]) (11/30/84)
Hello out there; An interesting article in the December OMNI discusses the new activities of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the Pope's own scientific advisory board. They, under the aegis of the Papacy, research nearly anything, and provide the Pope with information, but he does not dictate the subject of the research (although he can request a study of a subject if he needs information on it, I believe). The really interesting thing, though, is that several months ago (possibly a few years, but I don't have the article with me now), the PAS held a symposium on the subject of Rampethicus (spelling?) being the first specimen of genus Homo, with various disciplines giving their findings. The ultimate decision isn't important, but I find it very noteworthy that the Pope, head of one of the most conservative churches in history, has not asked the PAS to look into so-called 'scientific creationism'. One of the members, in fact, openly said "Creation is a myth...all it says is that God had something to do with the beginning of the world..." (that may not be a verbatim quote, but the meaning is the same). I realize that the Protestant churches don't consider the Pope the final authority in spiritual matters, but when he doesn't give the PAS any indication that he wishes it studied, it begins to look more and more like pure religion, and less like any science. "If God is dead, then anything is possible." --Dostoevsky -- Pete Hardie, Univ. of Florida, CIS Gould acct:..!akgua!uf-csv!uf-csg!hardie
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer) (12/04/84)
The modern, post 18th Century, Roman Catholic Church has always deferred
comment on the subject of evolution and the origins of life. While the
Church is "conservative" in many senses, it has never subscribed to the
tenets of fundamentalism and literalism. Scientific inquiry which does not
directly conflict with matters of morals (oh, I dunno, no fetal brain
transplants, or some such) has always been welcomed as a manifestation of
man's search for intellectual truth within God's Creation. Faith and
scientific knowledge are not seen to be at opposites, but are always in the
position to be resolved, a modern manifestation of the Thomist arguments on
Faith and Reason.
The Church may remark on abuses of scientism and technology, warning of the
pitfalls of reductionism, but it rarely proscribes scientific inquiry. For
example, even its rather Neanderthal attitudes on contraception would not
necessarily limit basic research on fertility.
--
/Steve Dyer
{decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPAethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac) (12/06/84)
[] >The Church may remark on abuses of scientism and technology, warning of the >pitfalls of reductionism, but it rarely proscribes scientific inquiry. For >example, even its rather Neanderthal attitudes on contraception would not >necessarily limit basic research on fertility. There you go again. Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis has been abused for far too long. All you chauvinists out there should remember that Neanderthals were highly cultured individuals with their own religious rituals and a large (in fact sometimes larger than modern humans') brain capacity. There is no need to belittle them by suggesting that they were against contraception or were supporters of the papacy. :-) :-) (In case anyone needs the reminder) "I can't help it if my Ethan Vishniac knee jerks" {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan Department of Astronomy University of Texas Austin, Texas 78712