Religion/Philosophy of Science Zarandi Can the knowledge provided by modern science satisfy our need to know the most profound nature of reality and of humanity? Science “The great advantage of this book is that it puts together texts of authors (scientists, philosophers and theologians) whose lucidity about modern and the science goes far beyond emotional reaction and moralist subjectivity; and this ‘tour de force’ is accomplished from within the point of view of the Science yth main traditional religions. Here, Science and Faith are reconciled in an M unexpected way: scientific objectivity is not an issue; but the real issue, where one sees no proof of progress, is whether man is capable of using of modern science properly. A must for the reader who wants to sharpen his or her discernment about modern science.” —Jean-Pierre Lafouge, Marquette University rogress and the and P “Writing as an active research scientist, living in the present Culture of Disbelief created (partly unwittingly) by the science establishment, I can Essays by think of no Research and Development project more significant to the Wendell Berry future of humanity than putting ‘science’ back into its proper place as a Titus Burckhardt part of culture, but not its religion. This book is an excellent contribution Myth to that paramount goal.” James S. Cutsinger —Rustum Roy, Evan Pugh Professor of the Solid State, Emeritus, William Dembski Pennsylvania State University René Guénon “A wonderful collection of essays dealing with the supposed conflict S. Hossein Nasr between religion and science from both a scientific and a metaphysical of E. F. Schumacher point of view. Anyone concerned with understanding the intrinsic Progress nature of this conflict which lies at the heart of the problems of the Frithjof Schuon present world crisis, would do well to study these essays.” Huston Smith —Rama Coomaraswamy, author of The Invocation of the Name of Jesus: Wolfgang Smith As Practiced in the Western Church and The Destruction of the Christian Tradition and others ISBN 0-941532-47-X World Wisdom 51995> Foreword by Giovanni Monastra World 9 780941 532471 Wisdom $ 19.95 Edited by Mehrdad M. Zarandi SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page 1 About this Book “Dr. Zarandi’s science training and teaching experience at Caltech has served him—and his readers—well. He has the gift of being able to describe the operating premises of modern scientific thought and their limitations. Whether you are a scientist, scholar or simply someone who takes life seriously, this book will encourage you to reexamine your most basic assumptions about life. Each reader’s understanding of the human condition is improved by this insightful collection.” —Professor A. Shakouri, University of California “Modern science believes—and fears—that by a kind of endless curiosity about the mechanism of material reality, we will eventually encompass— and thus exhaust—the enigma of existence in thought. The articles in this collection make it clear that the corollary is a vain effort to achieve a mate- rial utopia whose fulfillment always eludes us. In doing so, they bring a fresh enjoyment to the journey of discovery that science really is.” —Professor M. S. Alouini, University of Minnesota “Included here are articles by scientists and academicians that explore the limitations of modern science and the experimental method. Is the assumption correct that the technological advances of modern science are incontestable proof of humanity’s progress toward the realization of its ultimate well-being? Readers will see not only the practical but also the fun- damental limitations of technocracy and the insufficiencies of its image of humanity.” —Professor A. K. Ziarani, Clarkson University “The essays in this volume are a welcome critique of the hegemonic grasp which modern science holds on contemporary thought, avoiding both simplistic creationist ideology and postmodern relativism. It should be read by all thoughtful scientists and will be a valuable resource for philos- ophy of science courses.” —Dr. William Wroth SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page 2 “The essays collected in this volume provide a profound critique of mod- ern scientism but also resist the temptations of postmodernist antirealism and sentimental pietism. While the postmodern critiques of modern sci- ence are based on the denial of truth and thus unable to present an intel- ligible alternative, sentimental pietism and ethicalism criticize the consequences of modern science and technology without grasping their philosophical foundations. The essays go beyond the ‘little bit science, lit- tle bit ethics’ approach, and reassert the urgency of developing a different philosophical framework within which we can make sense of reality, both physical and metaphysical. Highly recommended for those interested in philosophy, science, religion and the environment.” —Professor Ibrahim Kalin, College of the Holy Cross “Here are essays from respected scholars—both inside and outside the sci- entific community—who share a clear consensus that physical existence can be understood adequately only as a manifestation of a higher, supra- formal reality which is spiritual. Those searching for an alternative to con- ventional wisdom that can stand up to scrutiny will be well pleased with these essays. Highly recommended.” —Professor Fariba Bahrami, Tehran University SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page i World Wisdom The Library of Perennial Philosophy The Library of Perennial Philosophy is dedicated to the exposition of the time- less Truth underlying the diverse religions. This Truth, often referred to as the Sophia Perennis—or Perennial Wisdom—finds its expression in the revealed Scriptures as well as the writings of the great sages and the artistic creations of the traditional worlds. The Perennial Philosophy provides the intellectual principles capable of explaining both the formal contradictions and the transcendent unity of the great religions. Ranging from the writings of the great sages of the past, to the perennialist authors of our time, each series of our Library has a different focus. As a whole, they express the inner unanimity, transforming radiance, and irreplaceable values of the great spiritual traditions. Science and the Myth of Progress appears as one of our selections in The Perennial Philosophy series. The Perennial Philosophy Series In the beginning of the Twentieth Century, a school of thought arose which has focused on the enunciation and explanation of the Perennial Philosophy. Deeply rooted in the sense of the sacred, the writings of its leading exponents establish an indispensable foundation for understanding the timeless Truth and spiritual practices which live in the heart of all religions. Some of these titles are companion volumes to the Treasures of the World’s Religions series, which allows a comparison of the writings of the great sages of the past with the perennialist authors of our time. SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page ii SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page iii Science and the Myth of Progress Edited by Mehrdad M. Zarandi World Wisdom SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page iv Science and the Myth of Progress © 2003 World Wisdom, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission, except in critical articles and reviews. For complete bibliographic information on the articles in this anthology, please refer to the page of acknowledgments placed at the back of the book. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Science and the myth of progress / edited by Mehrdad M. Zarandi. p. cm. -- (The perennial philosophy series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-941532-47-X (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Science--Philosophy. I. Zarandi, Mehrdad M., 1963- II. Series. Q175.3.S313 2003 501--dc21 2003010008 Printed on acid-free paper in Canada For information address World Wisdom, Inc. P.O. Box 2682, Bloomington, Indiana 47402-2682 www.worldwisdom.com SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page v The world is a theophany, an epiphany of things themselves unseen. - A. K. Coomaraswamy SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page vi SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page vii Contents Foreword ix Giovanni Monastra Preface xv In the Wake of the Fall 1 Frithjof Schuon Sacred and Profane Science 29 René Guénon Traditional Cosmology and the Modern World 45 Titus Burckhardt Religion and Science 77 Lord Northbourne Contemporary Man, between the Rim and the Axis 93 Seyyed Hossein Nasr Christianity and the Religious Thought of C. G. Jung 111 Philip Sherrard On Earth as It Is in Heaven 133 James S. Cutsinger The Nature and Extent of Criticism of Evolutionary Theory 159 Osman Bakar Knowledge and Knowledge 181 D. M. Matheson Knowledge and its Counterfeits 189 Gai Eaton Ignorance 213 Wendell Berry The Plague of Scientistic Belief 221 Wolfgang Smith SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page viii Scientism: The Bedrock of the Modern Worldview 233 Huston Smith Life as Non-Historical Reality 249 Giuseppe Sermonti Man, Creation and the Fossil Record 259 Michael Robert Negus The Act of Creation: Bridging Transcendence and Immanence 269 William A. Dembski Epilogue 303 E. F. Schumacher Acknowledgments 309 Biographies of Contributors 311 Index 319 SMP_Final2.qxd 5/8/03 3:16 PM Page ix Foreword “The only progress is to doubt of progress” Nicolas Gomez Davila This organic collection of essays on science and the myth of progress resembles a mosaic of value, where each part has its func- tion in the whole, while some tesserae play a more pivotal role, giving a precious mark to it. In this case we are mainly speaking of the writings of Guénon, Schuon, Nasr, Burckhardt and some other traditionalist authors, who expose the deep roots of the spiritual crisis of modern man: namely the ills of individualism and ration- alism.