Free thought; Modernism (Christian theology) -- Catholic Church; Religion and science; Teaching, Freedom of
Still it cannot be denied that some of the great scientists were of
different mind, men like _R. von Virchow_, _Tyndall_, _A. von Humboldt_,
_Du Bois-Reymond_. Nor shall it be disputed that, at the present time, a
large number of men of average learning are on the side of unbelief.
However, it must not be forgotten that unbelief is more frequently
pretended to the outside world for appearance’s sake than it really dwells
in the heart. This is, to a great extent, due to human respect, to public
opinion, and the prevailing tendency of science. Then again, it must be
remembered, that religiously minded scientists are often crowded out from
the schools of science, with the natural result that the others
predominate. Another point to be borne in mind is that the atheistic
representatives of science are doing more to get themselves talked about;
they are seeking more diligently the attention of public opinion. Men like
_Tyndall_, _Vogt_, _Moleschott_, _Haeckel_, are known in larger circles
than men like _Faraday_, _Maxwell_, _Ampère_, _Volta_, _Pasteur_, who,
engaged in serious work, gave no time to making propaganda, as the others
did by lecturing and popular writing for materialistic and monistic views
in the name of science; they had no desire for the limelight of attention,
and for posing as personified science.
All this does not change the fact that a very large number, indeed the
largest number, of natural scientists of first rank were believers in God,
or of pious, Christian mind. And that is of the greater importance. To do
pioneer work in the field of science, to give impetus, to make progress,
requires a penetrating and, at the same time, an independent mind, one
that can rise above conventional commonplace. The fact that such men have
largely been very religious, that they never belittled religion, weighs
much more in the balance than the disparagement of inferior minds.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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