Science

Jesus freaks, voodoo cults, materialism, mysticism, rank humanism—all are manifestations of a people desperately wanting to believe in something. The average student today, with his education paid for, and his every sensual want instantly realized, feels the inevitable need to look for some deeper meaning in life; and with huge amounts of free time, students are casting about for a belief system. In the past such a state of affairs would have led a certain percentage into investigation of Judaism or Christianity, but this avenue is largely rejected today for it is believed science and religion are at odds with each other and cannot be reconciled.

The basic problem is that the traditional view of man as a morally responsible agent personally accountable for his individual actions is thought to be obsolete because of what is now known about the scientific nature of both the universe and man himself. The new knowledge is called “scientific determinism.”

MG

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Michael Gazzaniga

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Jesus freaks, voodoo cults, materialism, mysticism, rank humanism—all are manifestations of a people desperately wanting to believe in something. The average student today, with his education paid for, and his every sensual want instantly realized, feels the inevitable need to look for some deeper meaning in life; and with huge amounts of free time, students are casting about for a belief system. In the past such a state of affairs would have led a certain percentage into investigation of Judaism or Christianity, but this avenue is largely rejected today for it is believed science and religion are at odds with each other and cannot be reconciled.

The basic problem is that the traditional view of man as a morally responsible agent personally accountable for his individual actions is thought to be obsolete because of what is now known about the scientific nature of both the universe and man himself. The new knowledge is called “scientific determinism.”