Religion and Science
Religion and Science:
The relationship between science and religion up until the 6th century were one in the same. Philosophers believed that natural occurrences were due to a divine power. Earthquakes and thunderstorms were merely upset gods showing their wrath. Individuals sought to learn the language of the gods to comprehend these phenomena. After the 6th century, new ideas formed that excluded the gods. These philosophers did not personify nature. They believed the world to be orderly and predictable. This brought on a renaissance of thought. By examining everything up to this point in history, the distinction between science and religion became clear. This rift spawned modern thought and science as we know it. Primitive science originated from man’s desire to speak to the gods and learn about natural phenomena in the world. Almost all of the ancient civilizations (Egyptians, Babylonians, etc.) had myths and beliefs about the origin of the human race and the formation of major topographical features. Up until about the 6th century, people believed in demon possessions, ghosts, and a variety of other invisible ailment-causing entities. They also believed that magic rituals allowed one to control these anomalies. Such individuals were generally held in esteem amongst the community. The reason why such myths were taken as fact for so long is attributed to the notion of “oral tradition.” Oral tradition was a method of keeping culture alive before there was a written record. The transmission of ideas and beliefs at the time occurred only in face to face encounters. It was characterized as a “long chain of interlocking conversations” between its members. The portions of these conversations considered important enough to remember were passed on to subsequent generations. This served as the principal source for the collective experience and the general beliefs, attitudes, and values of the community. (Lindberg 2007, 5) Circa 1500 BC, a fully syllabic system
The relationship between science and religion up until the 6th century were one in the same. Philosophers believed that natural occurrences were due to a divine power. Earthquakes and thunderstorms were merely upset gods showing their wrath. Individuals sought to learn the language of the gods to comprehend these phenomena. After the 6th century, new ideas formed that excluded the gods. These philosophers did not personify nature. They believed the world to be orderly and predictable. This brought on a renaissance of thought. By examining everything up to this point in history, the distinction between science and religion became clear. This rift spawned modern thought and science as we know it. Primitive science originated from man’s desire to speak to the gods and learn about natural phenomena in the world. Almost all of the ancient civilizations (Egyptians, Babylonians, etc.) had myths and beliefs about the origin of the human race and the formation of major topographical features. Up until about the 6th century, people believed in demon possessions, ghosts, and a variety of other invisible ailment-causing entities. They also believed that magic rituals allowed one to control these anomalies. Such individuals were generally held in esteem amongst the community. The reason why such myths were taken as fact for so long is attributed to the notion of “oral tradition.” Oral tradition was a method of keeping culture alive before there was a written record. The transmission of ideas and beliefs at the time occurred only in face to face encounters. It was characterized as a “long chain of interlocking conversations” between its members. The portions of these conversations considered important enough to remember were passed on to subsequent generations. This served as the principal source for the collective experience and the general beliefs, attitudes, and values of the community. (Lindberg 2007, 5) Circa 1500 BC, a fully syllabic system