Science and religion: an alternative paradigm

Abstract

Wetenskap en religie: ? alternatiewe paradigma
Die moontlike invloed van religieuse oortuigings op wetenskap het die aandag van wetenskapshistorici, teoloë, wetenskaplikes en filosowe ontlok. Die benaderings wat tradisioneel gebruik is om religie en wetenskap te koppel bly egter myns insiens onbevredigend. Die hoofprobleem is dat religieuse invloed meestal voorgestel word as opsioneel, dat dit slegs af en toe plaasvind en nie werklik beduidend is nie. In hierdie artikel word ? alternatief voorgestel wat hierdie veld van studie baie meer ‘verpligtend’ sal maak vir alle navorsers wat in wetenskap belangstel. Hierdie benadering is gebaseer op ? bepaalde siening van religie en van die onvermybare reperkussies wat dit inhou vir teorievorming. ? Voorbeeld van religieuse invloede in die veld van wetenskapsfilosofie word geskets. Laastens word die vraag oorweeg of die alternatiewe benadering wat hier voorgestel word kan lei tot ? relativistiese siening van wetenskap en die werklikheid.

The possible influence of religious beliefs on science has attracted the interest of historians of science, theologians, scientists and philosophers. Yet, in my opinion, the approaches traditionally used to connect religion and science remain unsatisfactory. The main problem is that religious influence is most of the time depicted as optional, occasional and not really significant. In this article, an alternative approach is proposed, that would make this field of research much more “mandatory” for all scholars interested in science. This approach is based on a certain understanding of religion and of its unavoidable repercussions on theory formation. An example of religious influences in the field of philosophy of science is sketched. Finally, the question is considered whether the  alternative paradigm proposed here may lead towards a relativist view of science and reality.