Article Printer Friendly Printer Friendly 

Book Review

SCIENCE IS GOD, by Professor David F. Horrobin

(MTP. £1.5).

Review by J. C. Cooper

Source: Studies in Comparative Religion, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Winter, 1971). © World Wisdom, Inc.
www.studiesincomparativereligion.com


Professor Horrobin is rightly disturbed by the lack of understanding of science and the exaggerated claims made for its powers, which result in its function in the world being both underestimated and overestimated.

It is pointed out that the scientist assumes order in the universe. Confronted with this problem the agnostic affirms nothing and denies nothing so gets nowhere. The atheists assert that there is no God and so make a statement that requires a "fantastic jump of faith" and can never offer any worthwhile explanation of the existing order. As to the existence of God and the possibility of miracles, science can neither prove nor disprove them and so does not impinge upon religion. Nor are death and pain subjects for conflict between science and religion: without death there could be no life as we experience it on this planet; without the warning mechanism of pain man and animal alike would be at the mercy of an environment in which free movement would be fraught with constant danger.

A balanced assessment is made of aims and values in education, of student needs and staff responsibilities and of the limitations of the present educational systems and constructive suggestions are given for their reform into a system which would reveal the potentialities of the student and instructor rather than the ability for "massive factual regurgitation". It is stupid to speak of a "science" of Economics, Sociology and Education as these disciplines deal with people and the unpredictable, not with exact science; to "believe that all we need is more sociological information in order to plan with certainty our very own Great Society"... is a terrifying myth.

The book is eminently readable and contains a great deal of sense, mis-called "common".