Science and the Sages

By Paul Utukuru

As Albert Einstein said, “Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.” Einstein also believed that God does not play dice. This year is the one hundredth anniversary of the publication of his theory of relativity, which revolutionized the world of science.

The question as to whether God plays dice or not has not yet been settled because of the still irreconcilable features of quantum mechanics and relativity, but it is fair to say that God does play hide-and-seek with us, and science and religion are the main players in the game. Among the secondary players are our mathematical tools, our languages and our communication channels through our literature, our music and our arts. For Hindus, the name of the game is Krishna’s Leela.

Science is basically concerned with the progressively increasing understanding of the mechanics of nature with respect to matter, energy and life of which religion provides little detail. On the other hand, religion is concerned with spirit, spirit worlds and the soul of which science has yet no understanding.

Religion is concerned with miracles, psychic powers, ESP and the like, most of which science is unable to take seriously because they do not fit neatly into its current paradigms. Science is about theory, experiment and reproducibility. Religion is of faith, revelation and subjectivity. Science is about life here and now. Religion is about life before and/or hereafter. Science is for the fulfillment of comforts from outside. Religion is for fulfillment of desires from inside. Science is neutral to ethics and morals. Religion is loaded with dos and don'ts.

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