Science and religion share some important characteristics, but in other respects they represent opposites. Science is simply in search of natural explanations using the method of scientific inquiry. It does not insist or state that the supernatural does not exist. The scientific method is based on hypothesis formulation followed by testing,
where the test depends on observation, experimentation and evaluation. By contrast, religion uses a system of beliefs that does not require experimentation, predictability, reproducibility or evaluation. A belief system simply requires that one believes.
Period! In many religious teachings, to believe without question is considered a virtue. In this respect, science and religion represent two very different approaches to life and its complexities. They depend on different precepts for purportedly understanding our natural world.
Since religion is based on faith while science is based on logical deduction and experimentation, one might ask what these systems could possibly have in common. In fact, science and religion share some powerful characteristics and dependencies, central to all human activities. For example, they both attempt to provide answers to questions such as who we are, where we came from, and what the origins of our world and the universe are.
Another shared characteristic that we would like to focus on in this editorial is the use of imagination. Imagination is essential to many human activities such as business, engineering, science, health, art, and our personal interactions.
It has also been instrumental in the design and interpretation of ancient and current belief systems. Imagination provides an initial basis for problem solving. We egocentrically contend that humans are the most imaginative species on Earth,
and as far as we know, this is true. If so, we have a remarkable gift which we can exercise and utilize to advantage. But imagination can be used for many purposes – beneficial, detrimental or neutral.
Imagination is central to good science; it is necessary to conceive testable hypotheses and design correct experiments. It allows us to conclude what aspects of the unknown need to be researched. It tells us which experimental approaches can be used to answer specific questions.
It guides us as to how data should be interpreted and to what extent speculations might be justified. If we were unable to perceive connections between events and facts that comprise the pieces of a puzzle, our scientific and technological achievements would be much more limited.
