Pinker and Lehrer:
Both Pinker and Lehrer strive to grasp at the point that science is something that the modern world relies too much on, and that a reductionist view is not something that can only propel human understanding so far. Science is something that cannot exist on its own, it cannot explain everything that the world has to offer. It cannot answer the deepest questions of human relation. As Pinker says, “Science gets the empirical universe; religion gets the questions of moral meaning and value.” Science, by itself, cannot answer all of the questions we seek the answers to. There are many areas in the sciences which can benefit by different areas of thinking, which people with differing backgrounds and beliefs can provide. As Lehrer puts it, “The sciences must recognize that their truths are not the only truths.” Science needs to put aside its ego in order to further its discipline, it must recognize the fact that it is not the only way understand and discover the secrets of the universe.
Pinker and Self to Text:
Upon reading this essay by Pinker, I had to call upon my own cultural and spiritual beliefs to help me understand some of the things that Pinker was saying. Through out this essay, Pinker repeatedly calls religion into question when talking about how science can be used to refute various, vital views that every religion has. Such as when Pinker says, “And we know that we did not always know these things, that the beloved convictions of every time and culture may be decisively falsified, doubtless including some we hold today.” when referring to newly discovered science. The fact of the matter is that religion shapes the decisions we make, whether consciously or unconsciously. Even though science has the ability to prove some religious beliefs wrong, there are angles from a religious point of view that can explain newly discovered science. These “Heretics” that Pinker mentions are people who cannot stray from their religious texts by one word. In that way science and religion are similar. Both are unwilling to see from each others point of view. The combination of the two could see unforeseen effects.
Revisit your quote from Pinker. I’m not sure if you quite grasped the context. I have to admit that your claim sentence in your second paragraph cracked me up. I think the idea of drawing a connection between science and religion is super interesting, though.