Intersection of science and religion (Introduction)

by dhw, Thursday, January 29, 2015, 20:41 (3374 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: A Nobel Laureate on the topic:-http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2005/06/17_townes.shtml-Charles Townes:-I like the following. Please note the appeal for open-mindedness!-INTERVIEWER: I think it's settling those ethical issues that's the problem. Who decides what differentiates a "person" from a collection of cells, for example? 
“That's very difficult. What is a person? We don't know. Where is this thing, me - where am I really in this body? Up here in the top of the head somewhere? What is personality? What is consciousness? We don't know. The same thing is true once the body is dead: where is this person? Is it still there? Has it gone somewhere else? If you don't know what it is, it's hard to say what it's doing next. We have to be open-minded about that. The best we can do is try to find ways of answering those questions.” -Also:
INTERVIEWER: You'll turn 90 on July 28. What's the secret to long life?
“Good luck is one, but also just having a good time. [...] I'd say the secret has been being able to do things that I like, and keeping active.”-A wonderful recipe! -DAVID: He was able to reconcile his scientific research and scientific knowledge and still accept his religion. James Shapiro author of Evolution; A view from the 21st Century has done the same thing and started the new website:-http://www.thethirdwayofevolution.com/related-reading-Shapiro was president of his Temple (Jewish)-Shapiro also emphasizes that “the goal is to focus attention on the molecular and cellular processes which produce novelty without divine interventions or sheer luck." [my bold]
And “It has come to our attention that THE THIRD WAY web site is wrongly being referenced by proponents of Intelligent Design and creationist ideas as support for their arguments. We intend to make it clear that the website and scientists listed on the web site do not support or subscribe to any proposals that resort to inscrutable divine forces or supernatural intervention, whether they are called Creationism, Intelligent Design, or anything else.” [my bold] -Just thought I'd better remind you!