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Asked by thaw520mugs on 13 Mar 2025.
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Robbie Lynch answered on 13 Mar 2025:
Religious belief can impact science. For example religious arguments have been used to restrict research. Sometimes a scientist may decide not to be involved with a project if it conflicts with their religious beliefs. On the other side though it is important to know that many scientists are religious and they do not allow their beliefs to impact the work in a negative way. They may see their faith as separate from their work.
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Comments
Andrew M commented on :
To add to Robbie’s answer, I’ve a number of colleagues who are firm in a number of faiths and see no contradiction between thier faith and their work. In some cases it’s their faith that has driven them towards science, a desire to explore the majesty, beauty and wonder of creation, to better understand it and draw closer to the Divine by doing so. The same desire drove many of the early philosophers and scientists. Universities started off as religious institutions and organisations like the Vatican Observatory continue to do excellent scientific work to this day.
melissau commented on :
As a vet the only time I’ve come across religious belief affecting science is when talking about what happens when animals are killed for food. Some beliefs want animals to be conscious at the time they’re killed, which is different from the ‘typical’ practice in this country which requires the animal to be rendered unconscious (what we called pre-stunned) immediately before they’re killed.