The Spiritual Foundations of Science
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Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Anjam Khursheed, The Spiritual Foundations of Science, bahai-library.com.
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The Spiritual Foundations of Science

Anjam Khursheed

Abstract

This paper examines some characteristic features of a Baha'i approach to
science. In contrast to popular modem western accounts of science which
often attempt to reduce it to methods of logic and experiment, the Baha'i
reference point for the nature of science is the spiritual nature of man. The
experience of some outstanding scientists of the past is cited to support the
Baha'i view.

1. Introduction

Many critics of modem western thought have commented on its fragmentation
into two separate realms. The philosopher and mathematician Alfred
Whitehead has described this division in terms of a bifurcation of nature'1,
where he states modem western thinking to be split into a quantitative world of
science, and a qualitative world of human emotions and values.

The writer C. P. Snow has described this division in terms of a 'clash between
two cultures'2, a conflict between the scientific and humanistic (the artistic,
religious and so on) in our society. He states that science is another 'culture'
which has its own language, metaphors and view of the world. The clash
between science and art is portrayed in terms of the misunderstandings and
rivalries that exist between different nations.

A. N. Whitehead, "The concept of Nature", p26-4S, Cambridge, Cambridge University
Press, 1964
see the book by C.P. Snow, "The Two Cultures: a second look",        Cambridge,
Cambridge University Press, 1969
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The psychologist Floyd Matson has described the fragmentation of modern
thinking in tarns of a 'broken image'3, where the traditional picture of man
being made in God's image is shattered. He links these divisions in modern
thought to the rise of a mechanistic world view of the universe, and refers to it
as the 'modern dogma of scientism'4.

All these critics of modern thought link its divisions to a popular
misconception of science. One of the most common ways of picturing science
in the modern mind is to see it in terms of a collection of "facts and numbers".
Science is conceived of as an objective method of observation, hypothesis and
experiment. This view of science is generally classed as a "positivist"
conception of science. The positivist representation of science portrays it as a
method which is dominated by empirical measurements, either in observation
or experiment, and hypotheses which are constructed according to rigorous
methods of logic, whether they be deductive or inductive. Such a description
of science, as is well known, was explicitly formulated by the logical
positivists in the early part of this century5. It is one however, which still tends
to dominate our view of science today, even amongst scientists themselves.
The positivist conception of science is based upon understanding science in
terms of explicit verification procedures which are thought to be objective: that
is independent of spiritual values and purposes.

Positivist science tacitly assumes that other spheres of human activity such as
religion, or art, do not have a 'scientific* method Science is thought to contain
verification tests of truth which other human activities do not have. The
famous verification principle of logical positivism was an example of such a
test bang used to distinguish science from other spheres of human activity6.
Others have preferred to use the truth-criterion of "falsifiability" to capture the
nature of scientific investigation7. All these representations of science assume
that it can be adequately described by formal methods of procedure, whether
F. W. Matson, "The Broken Image", pv-vi, NY, Anchor Books, 1966
ibid, p6
see for instance the book by Ayer A.J., "Language, Truth and Logic", Penguin Books,
1971
ibid., p l 6
Popper K.R., "The Logic of Scientific Discovery", p40-41, Uwin Hyman, London,
1990
The Spiritual Foundations of Science

in observation, hypothesis or experiment. It is this view of science that still
dominates the modern mind.

2. Examples of methods identified with science by empiricist
philosophers

Francis Bacon: Science as a collection of facts

Collection of Facts,                         Valid scientific theories,
encyclopedia of data                         confirmed by more facts

Francis Bacon (16th century) thought that science was largely about
gathering facts. He thought that theories automatically emerge from
trends or patterns from the facts, and that they are turned into a scientific
law by the process of induction. Theories are tested by gathering more
facts. Valid theories are the ones which are supported by the facts.

Hume's Fork: Scientific test for a meaningful proposition

Proposition

mathematical                                    empirical

Does it contain abstract                 Does it contain any
reasoning concerning                     experimental reasoning
quantity or number?                      concerning matter of fact
or existence?

'Commit it then to the flames: for it can contain
nothing but sophistry illusion!"
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David Hume (18th century) was influenced by what he understood to be
Newton's experimental method. Hume thought that Newton's scientific
success was mainly due to his experimental work. Hume attempted to
extend this approach into a scientific method which could describe human
nature and philosophy. His method was based upon giving priority to
propositions that could be directly related to information gathered by the
senses. Hume's fork is a typical example of him attempting to arrive at a
method for distinguishing sciencefromnon-science. His philosophy was
typically directed against the metaphysics of the scholastic tradition in
Western philosophy.

Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell (early 20th century) believed that progress in science is
based upon the facts, both in observation and experiment. He thought that
mathematics was a subset of logic - a tautology containing such
statements as "all bachelors are men", and that it could be reduced to
identifiable axioms and explicit rules of logic.

Logical Positivists: Empirical science/logic as a method to determine
meaning

The Verification Test                           í   4--

Proposition

Logic                                    Empirical Science

Domain of Logic?                               Factual content?
(Tautological statements)

Meaningless propositions
The Spiritual Foundations of Science

The touchstone of truth for the logical positivists ( early 20th century) like
Hume, was empirical science. They were concerned with
"decontaminating" science from metaphysics, theology and ethics.
Through the verification principle, they attempted to arrive at a
"scientific" definition of meaning. The verification principle has many
similarities with Hume's Fork.

Scientific methods discussed by 17th century scientists

René Descartes

Complex                  Step by step             Self-evident truths
phenomenon               reduction

Mechanical -               Part by part —        -•    Extension,
system (clock)             decomposition               mass, time

René Descartes articulated a scientific method based upon proceeding in a
logical step by step analysis of complicated phenomena, simplifying them
into simple irreducible parts. His method is similar to that of a geometric
proof, which by relying on only a few simple axioms is able to proceed in
clear steps of deductive logic to arrive at powerful conclusions.

Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton did not present a scientific method, but he did present
general maxims that guided his scientific work. They are as follows: look
for the simplest explanation, the one with the lowest number of postulated
causes; assume that the same effects arise from the same causes;
properties of bodies found through experiment and observation are
generalised to become universal properties; proceed by general induction
8             THE SINGAPORE BAHAT STUDIES REVIEW

from phenomena to propositions (theories). Here it is clear that Newton
combines a method of induction articulated by Francis Bacon with the
deductive method advocated by René Descartes.

Using inductive and deductive logic in scientific research does not
necessarily constitute a "scientific method", and it is quite likely that
Newton and Descartes did not conceive of them as a list of rules which
could be mechanically applied to create science.

3. A Baha'i approach

There is much written about the nature of science in the Baháí writings. In
fact the Baha'i faith is one of the few world religions to mention science
explicitly within the orbit of its sacred scripture. But one of the most striking
features about the Baha'i writings on the subject of science is that procechires
of observation, the role of experiment, or the processes of logic are scarcely
mentioned.

On several occasions in his western tour between the years 1911-13, 'Abdul-
Bahá based his public talks on the nature of science8. On all these occasions
he never spoke about the 'methods' of science. To some of his western
audience it must have seemed that instead of speaking about science, 'Abdul-
Bahá spoke about man. This is also true of the Baha'i writings as a whole.
Instead of finding a description of the nature of science in terms of special
methods that are unique to science, that set it apart from all other forms of
human activity, it is the special characteristics of the mind of man that are
described, which set him apart from all other forms of life.

From the Baha'i point of view, one cannot understand the nature of science
without first understanding human nature. They are inextricably linked.
Human nature from the Baha'i perspective, is not reducible to the processes of
nature. One special characteristic of man, which is not found within nature, is
said to be his intellectual capacity. 'Abdďl-Bahá states that:

see for instance: Abdu'l-Bahá,"Paris Talks", pl41-146, The Baha'i Publishing Trust,
1911, llt'h ed., London, 1969, or "The Promulgation of Universal Peace", p29-31 and
p348-352, The BaháT Publishing Trust, Wilmette niinois, 2nd edition, 1982
The Spiritual Foundations of Science

"Man is endowed with ideal virtues - for example,
intellection, volition, faith, confession and acknowledgement
of God - while nature is devoid of all these. The ideal
faculties of man, including the capacity for scientific
acquisition, are beyond nature's ken. These are powers
whereby man is differentiated and distinguished from all
other forms of life"9.

Science is possible, according to this view, only because human nature is
fundamentally different to the world of nature. Human nature is seen to have
characteristics not found elsewhere, such as consciousness, free-will and
memory. Without the special qualities of human nature such as consciousness
andfree-will,no science would be possible.

Since from the Baha'i view point, the character of science essentially derives
from special non-natural powers of the mind, it is not artificially separated
from other creative spheres of human activity such as the arts and crafts.
Science is frequently mentioned in the Baha'i writings in the same context as
the arts and crafts. Baha'ullah states that the "arts, crafts and sciences uplift
the world of being", and uses the general term "knowledge" to refer to them
all10. 'Abdul-Bahá, in the context of discussing science, states that one must
put effort in striving to acquire, "science and the arts"11. From the Baha'i
perspective, since arts and crafts are also founded on unique creative powers
of the mind, they share a natural unity with science. There is no definite
boundary between the arts, crafts and sciences within the Baha'i faith. All are
regarded as important forms of knowledge which Baháis have a spiritual
obligation to learn.

The importance given to science within the Bahái writings cannot be over
emphasised. Science is described as "the first emanation of God to man", "a
means by which manfindsa pathway to God", and as God's "love of reality in
man"12. Baha'ullah states that: "Art, crafts and sciences uplift the world of
'Abdu'1-Bahá, "Promulgation of Universal Peace*. p51
Baha'ullah, "The Writings of Baha'ullah", p316, a compilation, The Baha'i
Publishing Trust, New Delhi, 1st ed.,1986
'Abdu'1-Bahá, "Promulgation of Universal Peace", p50
'Abdu'1-Bahá, "Promulgation of Universal Peace", p49
I    10              THE SINGAPORE BAHÁT STUDIES REVIEW

being, and are conducive to its exaltatioa Knowledge is as wings to man's life,
and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon
everyone.....Great indeed is the claim of scientists and craftsmen on the
peoples of the world.."13. 'Abdul-Bahá stressing the importance of science,
states that: "Therefore, you should put forward your most earnest efforts
toward the acquisition of science and arts. The greater your attainment, the
higher your standard in the divine purpose"14. In another passage, 'Abdul-
Bahá states that: "The greatest attainment in the world of humanity has ever
been scientific in nature.....the highest praise is due to men who devote their
energies to science.."15. Elsewhere in the Baha'i writings, the Baha'i faith is
described as, "scientific in its method"16.

Another important feature of the Baha'i conception of science is that science is
believed to reflect the existence of profound cosmological mysteries. Science is
stated to be a revelation from God. The universe, from the Baha'i perspective,
is seen to be filled with the knowledge and signs of God. Each atom is said to
contain within it, profound cosmological mysteries. The unity and order of the
cosmos, a belief which underlies all scientific investigation, is given special
emphasis within the Baha'i conception of science, and is ultimately looked
upon as a sign of divine purpose and design in the universe. It is stated in the
Baha'i writings that the universe is regulated by laws which operate from the
atomic to astronomical level. 'Abdďl-Bahá states that:

"This Nature is subjected to an absolute organisation, to
determined laws, to a complete order and a finished design,
from which it will never depart; to such a degree, indeed,
that if you look carefully and with keen insight, from the
smallest invisible atom up to such large bodies of the world
of existence as the globe of the sun or other great stars and
luminous spheres, whether you regard their arrangement,
their composition, their form or their movement, you will

"Writings of Baha'ullah", p316
'AbduT-Bahá, "Promulgation of Universal Peace", p50
'AbduT-Bahá, "Promulgation of Universal Peace", p348
Shoghi Effendi, "The World Order of Baha'ullah", pxi, Baha'i Publishing Committee,
New York, 1938
The Spiritual Foundations of Science                       11

find that all are in the highest degree o f organisation and are
under one law from which they will never depart".17

The nature of science is ultimately impossible to capture or describe since this
knowledge, embedded within the universe, is regarded as infinite. Human
science, is understood to be empowered to capture a portion of this knowledge.
Bahá'uTláh states that:

"Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is
a direct evidence of the revelation within it of the attributes
and names of God, inasmuch as within every atom are
enshrined the signs that bear eloquent testimony to the
revelation o f that M ost Great L ight Methinks, but for the
potency of that revelation, no being could ever exist. How
resplendent the luminaries of knowledge that shine in an
atom, and how vast the oceans o f wisdom that surge within
a drop! To a supreme degree is this true of man, who,
among all created things, hath been invested with the robe of
such gifts, and hath been singled out for the glory of such a
distinctioa For in him are potentially revealed all the
attributes and names of God to a degree that no created
being hath excelled or passed.”18

The BaM 'f conception of science is thus inseparable from mystery, and that
science is inherently limitless. It is founded on cosmological mysteries: the
unity and order of the cosmos, which is understood to be a sign o f God in the
world of nature, and the creative power of the human mind, which is regarded
as the greatest of all signs of G odin the universe. The nature of science is seen
to be unfathomable, because the mysteries that underlie it are believed to be
unfathomable. Bahá'u'lláh states the human soul to be a "mystery among His
mysteries". Bahá'uUáh states that: "Every created thing in the whole universe

17 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, "Some Answered Questions". p3. The Bahá'í Publishing Trust,
Wilmette Illinois, pocket size ed., 1990
18 Bahá’u’lláh, "Gleanings from the Writings of Baháulláh", The Baha’i Publishing
Trust, London, 1978, XC, pl76-7
12               THE SINGAPORE BAHÁT STUDIES REVIEW

is but a door leading into His knowledge....Verily I say, the human soul is, in
its essence, one of the signs of God, a mystery among His mysteries"19.

Speaking of the rational faculty of man, Baha'ullah states that:

"Wert thou to ponder in thine heart, from now until the end
that hath no end, and with all concentrated intelligence and
understanding...this divinely ordained and subtle Reality,
this sign of the revelation of the All-abiding, All-Glorious
God, thou wilt fail to comprehend its mystery or appraise its
virtue"20.

The very recognition of such a mystery bdng unfathomable, is in itsdf
regarded by Baha'ullah as the "acme of human understanding":

"This confession of hdplessness which mature
contemplation must eventually impd every mind to make is
in itself the acme of human understanding, and marketh the
culmination of man's development"21.

The recognition of the essential mystery lying behind the power of the rational
faculty of man, the foundation upon which scientific investigation is made,
from the Baha'i point of view, is essential to understanding the nature of
science. According to this view, as science makes more and more progress, the
cosmological truths that make this progress possible, appear in greater
mystery. Contrary to modern popular conceptions of science, scientific
progress is believed to enhance mystery, not to diminish it.
The notion of science being objective in an impersonal sense, without
reference to human minds, convictions and values, is not found within the
writings of the Baha'i faith. The preconditions necessary to acquire truth,
including scientific truth, are believed to lie in cultivating certain spiritual
characteristics on the part of the enquirer. Scientific facts are not set in
opposition to religious ideals. The ability to acquire knowledge, from the
Baha'i point of view, depends upon having certain moral prerequisites.

"Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'ullah", LXXXII, p. 160
"Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'ullah", LXXXm, pl64-165
"Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'ullah", LXXXm, pl65
The Spiritual Foundations of Science                    13

One of the most important of all these preconditions is the obligation to think
for oneself and rely on one's own reasoning. The spirit of Baha'i enquiry
entails taking the responsibility to carry out one's own investigations where
possible, and to minimise the passive absorption of information from others.
Blind imitation of other people's views is seen to be the main source of
propagating prejudices. 'Abdul-Bahá states:

"Furthermore, know ye that God has created in man the
power of reason whereby man is enabled to investigate
reality. God has not intended man to imitate blindly his
fathers and ancestors. He has endowed him with mind, or
the faculty of reasoning, by the exercise of which he is to
investigate and discover the truth, and that which he finds
real and true he must accept He must not be an imitator or
blind follower of any soul. He must not rely implicitly upon
the opinion of any man without investigation; nay, each soul
must seek intelligently and independently, arriving at a real
conclusion and bound only that reality. The greatest cause
of bereavement and disheartening in the world of humanity
is ignorance based upon blind imitation"22.

Other spiritual prerequisites include being open-minded, striving to minimise
prejudice, and being humble in one's investigations 23.
The Baha'i faith can only be considered to be "scientific in its method" in
terms of its reliance on using one's own unique powers of mind, as opposed to
the passive absorption of information from others. Only in this sense can the
Baha'i faith said to be "scientific in its method"24. This phrase captures an
important attitude of mind which characterises the Baha'i approach. The
unique powers of mind upon which science is founded: its ability for creative
abstraction, its truth-seeking nature, its ability to reason, its ability to be
independent of social prejudices, its ability to perform courageous leaps of
faith, and many more, are all seen to be just as indispensable to the progress of
religion, as they are to the progress of science. The individual Baha'i has an

'AbduT-Bahá, "Promulgation of Universal Peace", p291
'AbduTBahá, "Paris Talks", pl35-7
Shoghi Effendi, "World Order of Baha'uUah", pxi
14                THE SINGAPORE BAHÁT STUDIES REVIEW

obligation to use the same creative qualities of mind which underlie scientific
investigation, in his or ha- study of religioa

'Abdul-Bahá states that:

"Consider what it is that singles man out from among
created beings, and makes of him a creature apart. Is it not
his reasoning power, his intelligence? Shall he not make use
of these in his study of religion? I say unto you: weigh
carefully in the balance of reason and science everything
that is presented to you as religioa If it passes this test, then
accept it, for it is truth! If, however, it does not conform,
then reject it, for it is ignorance!"25.

Another important element within the Baha'i view of science is that science
must in some way save society. Science is not separable from its effects in
society. Baha'ullah warns of avoiding sciences that "begin in mere words and
end in mere words", and encourages the acquisition of "such arts and sciences,
however, as are productive of good results, and bring forth their
fruit acceptable before God"26. 'Abdul-Bahá after having given a discourse
on the nature of science, states that: "How shall we utilize these gifts and
expend these bounties? By directing our efforts toward the unification of the
human race. We must use these powers in establishing the oneness of the
world of humanity..."27. Science from this perspective, cannot be separated
from its social consequences. Man has a special responsibility to use his
creative powers of mind towards serving humanity. Without this end purpose
in mind, developments in science are stated to endanger civilisation.
Baha'ullah warned that "The civilisation, so often vaunted by the learned
exponents of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of
moderation, bring great evil upon mea...If carried to excess, civilisation will
prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within
the restraints of moderation"28. 'Abdul-Bahá echoes the same theme when he

'Abdul-Bahá, "Paris Talks", pl44
"Writings of Baha'ullah", p313

AbduT-Bahá, "The Promulgation of Universal Peace", p51
"Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'ullah", CLXHI, p341-2
The Spiritual Foundations of Science                       15

stated that: "material progress alone does not tend to uplift man. On the
contrary, the more he becomes immersed in material progress, the mere does
his spirituality become obscured only if material progress goes hand in
hand with spirituality can any real progress come about"29.
From the Baha'i perspective, the unity between science and religion can be
understood on many different levels. Religion provides the scientist with faith
in the unity of Nature, a belief in the rationality of Nature's laws. Religion also
directs scientific discoveries to the service of mankind. It provides a moral
framework for the application of scientific discovery. Science on the other
hand can protect religion from falling into superstitious beliefs by always
distinguishing the primary irreducible truths of religion from its secondary
aspects, ones that are relative to the time and place in which it comes. Science
for instance demonstrated that the belief of the earth to be 6000 years old,
justified by some Christians from a literal interpretation of biblical text, was in
fact mistaken. By doing so, science performed an invaluable service to
Christianity. It showed that such a belief was not central to Christian doctrine,
and forced Christians to redirect their attention to the irreducible truths of their
religion, such as their belief in the power of humility, love, justice etc.

The Baháí view is often presented in terms of an image given by 'Abdul-
Bahá, where he describes science and religion to be the two wings of a bird30.
With only the wing of science, he states that the bird of the Tiuman soul' will
fall into the 'slough of materialism'. With only the wing of religion, he states
that humanity will fall into the 'quagmire of superstition'.

Science here is presented as a multi-level activity which has spiritual
foundations. One way of approaching science might be to liken it to an
iceberg. The tip of an iceberg is the only part visible above water level. The
mountain of ice upon which the tip sits is not apparent from observation of the
tip alone. In fact, there is no indication above the surface that the iceberg
consists of a vast mass of ice which is expanding in size as it penetrates deeper
into the sea. Likewise, it is easy to underestimate the spiritual depth to science
and reduce it to visible and tangible parts. At a deeper level, science consists
of intellectual engagement, which involves problem solving and putting
something to the test. Beyond the intellectual level, science involves moral

'AbduT-Bahá, "Paris Talks", pl07
'AbduT-Bahá, "Paris Talks", pl43
16            THE SINGAPORE BAHÁ'Í STUDIES REVIEW

obligations and commitments, which include commitments to not falsifying
one's results, an openess to criticism, and relying upon truth as the ultimate
source of authority. Beyond this level and very much related to it, there is the
level of metaphysical involvement, bringing in intuitions about our place in the
cosmos, feelings of wonder and mystery, and faith in the power of our minds
to understand Nature. The diagram below indicates some of the less visible
but deeper aspects to science.

4. The Experience of Scientists

The positivist conception of science only partially captures the nature of
scientific investigation. Formal methods erf logical reasoning and emparical
tests, as attested by the great scientists of the past and many philosophers this
century, only capture surface layers of the true nature of science. Science is
built upon spiritual foundations, and not empirical-mathematical ones. Some
statements about the nature of science from scientists themselves can be used
The Spiritual Foundations of Science                        17

to demonstrate this point. From the many examples which can be listed, only a
few will suffice here.
The way in which Isaac Newton for instance looked upon his own lifetime's
work in physics demonstrates that he considered science to be founded on an
ocean of spiritual truths:

I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself
I seem to have been only a boy playing on a seashore, and
diverting myself in now and thai finding a smoother pebble
or a prettier shell than the ordinary, whilst the great ocean of
truth lay all undiscovered before me.31

Newton's view of his science is characteristic of pre-modern conceptions of
science. Every scientific advance was seen to be washed up from out of an
ocean of spiritual truths. Every scientific fact indicates the presence of deeper
truths beyond it. The nature of science according to this image is seen to be
unfathomable. Empirical tests and observations, rational hypotheses, are
likened to be "pebbles" on the shoreline of scientific truth, whose reality is
intuitively believed to extend infinitely far beyond them.

Another indication that the nature of science penetrates far beyond formal
procedures of logic and empirical observation was given by Neils Bohr. The
revolution of quantum theory in physics necessitated a much mere profound
view of science than the positivist one. Perhaps the greatest philosophical
lesson of quantum theory is that absolute objectivity is unattainable in science.
When one inherently affects what one sees, absolute objectivity is impossible
to maintaia An observation will always contain an inherent amount of
uncertainty associated with it, generated by the "subject" influencing the
"object". The mere the subject shares with the object, the greater the
uncertainty produced. Under such circumstances, Neils Bohr states that we
can only make progress in terms of "images and parables":

Quantum theory thus provides us with a striking illustration
of the fact that we can fully understand a connection though
we can only speak of it in images and parables. In this case,

Quoted on p207 of "Physics and Beyond", Werner Heisenberg, Harper and Row.
1971
18              THE SINGAPORE BAHÁ1 STUDIES REVIEW

the images and parables are by and large the classical
concepts, ie, 'wave* and 'corpuscle'. They do not fully
describe the real world and are, moreover, complementary
in part, and hence contradictory. For all that, since we can
only describe natural phenomena with our everyday
language, we can only hope to grasp the real facts by means
of these images. This is probably true of all general
philosophical problems and particularly of metaphysics. We
are forced to speak in images and parables which do not
express precisely what we mean. Nor can we avoid
occasional contradictions; nevertheless, the images help us
draw nearer to the real facts. Their existence no one should
deny. Truth dwells in the deeps'.32

Neils Bohr captures important characteristics of scientific investigation in the
above citatioa He expresses the belief that scientific investigation contains
much more than can be expressed in explicit formal terms: "truth dwells in the
deeps". It is a vision of science which understands human knowledge to only
capture imperfect glimpses of the reality of the universe, and has obvious
parallels in religion. Neils Bohr referring to the ban with which positivist
philosophy would place on scientific investigation, stated that: "this ban would
prevent our understanding of quantum theory".33

Science is founded on an intuition of unity in the universe. It is based cm a
conviction of the rationality of the universe, which cannot be demonstrated to
be completely true. It requires faith. One can always be sceptical about such a
faith, as Hume's philosophy clearly showed34.

All great advances in the history of science have brought our vision of the
universe into a greater unity. This was demonstrated in ancient Greece, where
the Ionian philosophers looked for the "One bdiind the Many", or in the
science of Pythagoras, by his discovery of an equivalence principle between
musical intervals and the numerical ratios of the length of a musical
instrument                              ,
Ibidp210                                |
Ibidp208
see the book by Hume D., "A Treatise of Human Nature", Penguin Classics, 19S4
The Spiritual Foundations of Science                      19

It is also evident in Netwon's physics when he showed that the same laws of
motion which applied to projectiles on the surface of the earth also regulated
planetary motion: the motion of a falling apple and moon were united together.
Similarly in the middle of the 19th century James Clerk Maxwell showed that
the Electric force and Magnetic force were in fact one single force -the
electromagnetic force.

The equivalence principles discovered by Einstein also brought a vision of the
universe in greater unity: of the unity between energy and mass or the unity
between inertial and gravitational acceleration. All these discoveries in the
history of science serve to demonstrate the same point: that progress in science
advances by integrating our vision of the universe into a wider scheme of
unity. Scientific investigation is founded upon the conviction that the universe
is intelligible to us. Einstein for instance stated that: "The most
incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible"35. The
spirit of science is characterised by a search for universal truths. Science is
based upon the value we place upon such a search. Scientific investigation
entails the search for deeper and deeper meaning in the universe. Science is
thus founded upon spiritual values: a search for meaning, a faith in the
rationality and unity of the universe, and the search to acquire universal truths.
Einstein expressed these spiritual characteristics in the following way:

But science can only be created by those who are
thoroughly imbued with the aspiration towards truth and
understanding. This source of feeling, however, springs
from the sphere of religion To this there also belongs the
faith in the possibility that the regulations valid for the
world of existence are rational, that is, comprehensible to
reason I cannot conceive of a genuine scientist without that
profound faith. The situation may be expressed by an
image: Science without religion is lame, religion without
science is blind36

Holton G. and Elkana Y., "Albert Einstein". p242, Princeton University Press. New
Jersey, 1982
Albert Einstein, "Out of My Later Years", p26. The Citadel Press, 1956
20            THE SINGAPORE BAHAT STUDIES REVIEW

Science and religion find common ground in their search for universal truths.
Universal truths cannot be compartmentalised From this perspective, if a
scientist genuinely searches for universal truths, he or she will be naturally led
to religion, and correspondingly, a sincere member of a religious faith will be
open to the results of scientific investigation.

Both science and religion also require a precondition of reverence. Science
requires a respect within the subject for the object under study: an obligation
to purge oneself of ego-centric prejudices. Likewise, religion also requires
reverence. The scientist-philosopher Micheal Polanyi stated that: "we need
reverence to perceive greatness, even as we need a telescope to observe
spiritual nebulae"37. Both science and religion require a feeling of child-like
humility. Newton pictured himself as a boy play on the shore of truth, while
only those "born again", are said to be able to enter the "Kingdom of Heaven".
There are obviously many more examples which can be given to show that
there are parallels between science and rdigioa The main point here is that
science is founded on spiritual values, and not on an impersonal method of
logic or observation. Science is not independent of spiritual values, but it is
rather founded upon them.

The principle of complementarity between science and religion may be likened
to the union of the magnetic and electric force in dectromagnetism. James
Clerk Maxwell discovered that the seemingly separate forces of electricity and
magnetism were in fact one, and that light consisted of electromagnetic waves.
The electromagnetic force, although embracing both the electric and magnetic
force, is at the same time, something completely different. The unity of the
electric and magnetic force is a creative form of unity, in the sense that their
union produces a new dimension, an effect which could not have been
predicted from either force alone: two static forms of energy by coming
together give rise to a dynamic form of energy which is able to propagate
information throughout space. Electromagnetic energy is now constantly
encircling the earth in the form of radio signals, satellite signals, television
signals etc and putting peqple from all nations into closer contact with one
another.

Micheal Polanyi, "The Study of Man", p96, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London,
1958
The Spiritual Foundations of Science                  21

Science and religion are at the moment considered by most modern western
people to be two separate forces in human culture that have little to do with
each other. But from the Baha'i perspective, they are both different aspects of
a single deeper force, a force which drives us to uncover universal truths, a
force which impels man to search for God, the force which will build the
'Kingdom of Heaven on earth'. 'Abdul-Bahá states that when the two forces of
science and religion come together, there will be 'a great unifying, cleansing
force in the world which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discords
and struggles - and then will mankind be united in the power of the Love of
God'38. Like the union of the electric and magnetic force, the outcome of
bringing science and religion together will have far reaching consequences. A
new dimension to human culture is prophesied to emerge, one which will
encircle the earth with a lasting peace, a kind of peace not yet witnessed
before.

'AbduT-Bahá, "Paris Talks", pl46
-- The Spiritual Foundations of Science (Used by permission of the curator)