Experiments in Science & Faith

Greg Severn

Department of PhysicsUniversity of San Diego

www.sandiego.edu/~severn

18 October 2007

gds (USA φysics) Graduate Christian Fellowship–UCSD 18 Oct. 07 1 / 15

Preliminary Questions.....

How can one tell when one is doing an experiment?

Are experiments good things to do?

These are good questions for the scientist; but what about the personof Faith?

Mapping Icons for each part: (a) Science and Religion andtheir questions of pertinence, (b) exemplars of scientificexperiments, and (c) ‘faith-experiments’

A tale of two statues, in the L.O.C.

What is an experiment, and why do we care?

Definition (Experience)

Experience, in physical science, ..... our means of becoming acquaintedwith the material universe and the laws which regulate it.

Definition (Observation)

When, as in astronomy, we endeavor to ascertain these causes by simplywatching their effects, we observe.

Definition (Experiment)

when, as in our laboratories, we interfere arbitrarily with the causes orcircumstances of a phenomenon, we are said to experiment.

Question: are all observations and experiments scientific? What mischiefdo we get into for mistaking nonscientific and scientific observations?

Exemplars of (a) experiments of discovery and (b)confirmation. First, Rutherford discovers the chemicalidentity of α particles

Rutherford’s Experiment (1908): discovery that α’s are Helium nuclei

Uranium was found to emit penetratingemanations of sorts ‘a’ and ’b’

mounting evidence associated ‘a’ with He++

the experiment pictured here won the day forRutherford’s thesis

Cavendish tests the received theory of gravitation, and someasures the density of the Earth for the first time

Cavendish Experiment (1798): Confirmation of Universal Law ofGravitation , BTW Density of Earth = ∼ 5.6XρH20

|~F12| ∝ −m1m2/r2

every bit ofmatter attractsevery other bit ofmatter!

How to test it?

The method was complex, and involved many trailseliminating possible causes of motion unrelated to Theoryunder test

Cavendish Experiment (1798): Confirmation of Universal Law ofGravitation , BTW Density of Earth = ∼ 5.6XρH20

Frequency, and equilibriumdistance give Force of Gravity

Cavendish expressed his result interms of the Density of theEarth: 5.48(±7%)X density ofwater.

Was Tycho’s Supernova a good scientific observation?Yes, if some precise theory could be tested thereby

Tycho’s Observation (1572): new science in the heavens

Is there any mischief in thinking one is doing anexperiment when one is really not?Are there any examples of this in science?

‘Tests’ of Newton’ssecond law,mistaking premisefor conclusion

Cold Fusion andirreproducibleresults

Are Experiments possible from the point of view of faith?

Can one design a Trial to answer the God question?

Does Scripture suggest, by precept or example, that such a trial ispossible? (Maybe No, Maybe Yes)

Take for example Ps. 44; is it an account of a goodexperiment?Set the stage: a tune by Michael W. Smith

Set the stage: a tune by Michael W. Smith

Faith & ‘Scientific Observation’

Psalm 44.23 Awake, O Lord! whyare you sleeping? Arise! do notreject us forever.Why have you hidden your face andforgotten our affliction andoppression?

This is an example of ‘Maybe No’

What about Romans 1.20? Does it refer to scientificobservation?

19: ...since what may be known about Godis plain to them, because God has made itplain to them.20: For since the creation of the world God’sinvisible qualities (his eternal power anddivine nature) have been clearly seen, beingunderstood from what has been made, sothat men are without excuse.

This is an example of ‘Maybe Yes’, which I still think is an exampleof No

What about Romans 1.20? Does it refer to scientificobservation?

19: ...since what may be known about Godis plain to them, because God has made itplain to them.20: For since the creation of the world God’sinvisible qualities (his eternal power anddivine nature) have been clearly seen, beingunderstood from what has been made, sothat men are without excuse.

This is an example of ‘Maybe Yes’, which I still think is an exampleof No

Is there any mischief in thinking one is doing anexperiment when one is really not?Are there any examples of this in realm of Faith?

We don’t really have experimental access to the supernature. Butsome ‘baptize’ God into simple nature anyway: ‘absence of evidence isevidence of absence’. (Think Bertrand Russell and Richard Dawkins)

If we count answered prayer as an ‘experimental observation’, then, ifwe are scientists, how must we count unanswered prayer?

1 mistaken foundation for faith2 we invite scientific unbelievers to either reject our faith claims or

suspend judgment.

To draw a moral: faith calls to faith, as deep calls to deep, and it’sthe Love of God that draws us.

suspend judgment.

1 mistaken foundation for faith

2 we invite scientific unbelievers to either reject our faith claims orsuspend judgment.

suspend judgment.

The two placques in the L.0.C.

Summary

Scientific experiments... interferewith the phenomena in order toisolate causes, as specified byprecise theory.The heart receives (or rejects)Faith, it doesn’t discover itscientifically; Further, the mindcomes to comprehend sciencediscursively, and with it, thewhole universe, but finds religionineffable.

Thanks for your attention!

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