If the history of science teaches us anything, it is that what conquers our ignorance is research, not giving up and attributing our ignorance to the miraculous work of a creator. Jerry A. Coyne More Quotes by Jerry A. Coyne More Quotes From Jerry A. Coyne If the history of science shows us anything, it is that we get nowhere by labeling our ignorance “God”. Jerry A. Coyne history-of-science ignorance shows Science has only two things to contribute to religion: an analysis of the evolutionary, cultural, and psychological basis for believing things that aren't true, and a scientific disproof of some of faith's claims (e.g., Adam and Eve, the Great Flood). Religion has nothing to contribute to science, and science is best off staying as far away from faith as possible. The "constructive dialogue" between science and faith is, in reality, a destructive monologue, with science making all the good points, tearing down religion in the process. Jerry A. Coyne two believe reality The fact that both Jews and Christians ignore some of God's or Jesus's commands, but scrupulously obey others, is absolute proof that people pick and choose their morality not on the basis of its divine source, but because it comports with some innate morality that they derived from other sources. Jerry A. Coyne christian people jesus Religion is based on dogma and belief, whereas science is based on doubt and questioning. Jerry A. Coyne atheism doubt religion In religion, faith is a virtue. In science, faith is a vice. Jerry A. Coyne virtue vices faith We don't have faith in reason; we use reason because, unlike revelation, it produces results and understanding. Even discussing why we should use reason employs reason! Jerry A. Coyne understanding use have-faith Faith is a padlock of the mind, and few keys can open it. Jerry A. Coyne padlocks keys mind All scientific progress requires a climate of strong skepticism. Jerry A. Coyne progress climate strong Now, science cannot completely exclude the possibility of supernatural explanation. It is possible though very unlikely that our whole world is controlled by elves. But supernatural explanations like these are simply never needed; we manage to understand the natural world just fine using reason and materialism. Jerry A. Coyne materialism reason world Evolution tells us where we came from, not where we can go. Jerry A. Coyne where-we-came evolution Damn, but science is just a constant feed of cool new facts and theories. Theology doesn't come close. Jerry A. Coyne damn theory facts Can a geology teacher blithely tell his students that the earth is flat, or a European history professor that the Holocaust didn't happen? That's not academic freedom, but dereliction of duty. Jerry A. Coyne academic-freedom holocaust teacher We are the one creature to whom natural selection has bequeathed a brain complex enough to comprehend the laws that govern the universe. And we should be proud that we are the only species that has figured how we came to be. Jerry A. Coyne proud law brain There is no horror, no amount of evil in the world, that a true believer can't rationalize as consistent with a loving God. It's the ultimate way of fooling yourself. Jerry A. Coyne evil way world These mysteries about how we evolved should not distract us from the indisputable fact that we did evolve. Jerry A. Coyne mystery should facts We humans have many vestigial features proving that we evolved. The most famous is the appendix. Jerry A. Coyne features prove humans Theology is the post hoc rationalization of what you want to believe. Jerry A. Coyne theology want believe We now have many of the answers that once eluded Darwin, thanks to two developments that he could not have imagined: continental drift and molecular taxonomy. Jerry A. Coyne development answers two Why, exactly, are scientists supposed to accord "respect" to a bunch of ancient fables that are not only ludicrous on their face, but motivate so much opposition to science? Jerry A. Coyne ancient fables faces The battle for evolution seems never-ending. And the battle is part of a wider war, a war between rationality and superstition. Jerry A. Coyne superstitions battle war
