Apr 01 2009
An Empty Title
Last night, before clicking off my bedside light, I was reading an old(er) copy of Discover magazine (January 2009 – The Year In Science). I came across this title:
PHYSICISTS LAUNCH SEARCH FOR THE GOD PARTICLE
[caps and bold theirs] Hmm, I wondered. Must they really use such an unscientific term in the title?
A reading of the copy below revealed no other use of the word or mention of anything remotely religious or supernatural. And it occurred to me: that is exactly how many educated people use the word “God” — as an empty title. There is nothing substantial behind it. No real world qualities, characteristics or attributes that could differentiate it from, say, an invisible, omnipotent, omniscient, and omni-fabulous homosexual alien. Not that there is anything wrong with it. The homosexual part.
In my thinking, there is no reasonable way to separate god and religion from science. Where claims are made about the nature of the universe, science has proven the very best way to evaluate those claims. And over the centuries science has severed the limbs of all gods. No, gods don’t cause disease or epilepsy. No, they don’t send rain or drought when pleased or angered. No, a god did not create the earth in six days a few thousand years ago. In terms of supernatural entities and influences, science is a bloody clever. Not intentionally. Simply because scientific thinking cuts away all bogus concepts and ideas. Supernatural ideas have proven bogus time and time again.
And that is why the word “God” appeared in the title of that piece alone. Why? Because the rest of it was 100% science.
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