Can religion and science get on?

Imperial College Union Debating Society’s first public debate of the year saw students debate Lord Professor Robert Winston and Bioengineering Senior Lecturer Dr Jennifer Siggers on the motion “This house believes that religion is harmful to the progress of science” in front of a packed lecture theatre.

Speaking first in proposition of the motion was James Clough, a PhD candidate in the Department of Physics and a World Universities Debating Championship quarter-finalist, who made the case that certain widely held religious views such as the Biblical account of creation necessarily caused people to reject science as a way of understanding the world.

In opposition, Dr. Siggers argued that religious belief, in particularly monotheism, leads to the idea that the universe is governed by natural laws, and that religion spurs on scientific understanding of these natural laws as a means of better understanding God.

Final year Physics undergraduate and Debating Society President Niall Jeffrey replied that the majority of scientists have no religious beliefs and that there are other motivations underpinning scientific endeavor. He went on to elaborate historical examples of religious orthodoxy holding back scientific progress, such as the suppression of Galileo’s proposal of a heliocentric solar system in Renaissance Italy.

Speaking last, in opposition to the motion, Lord Winston argued that humans have an innate religiosity, drawing on Paleolithic cave paintings to support this point. He spoke about his work in the field of embryology, and how his religious background made him more able to engage with critics of this controversial research. He told the audience that the sense of wonder that comes from religion has been a source of great motivation for him; and that his grandfather, a Chief Rabbi, was one his inspirations for pursuing a career as a scientist.

The debate was opened up to members of the audience, who raised a variety of points ranging from the relationship of Eastern religions to science to the possible effect preconceptions due to religious belief having an effect on the lines of enquiry that scientists may take.

Debating Society President Niall Jeffrey told Felix, “we are extremely pleased to see so many people coming to watch and get involved in the debate, which has been our most successful public event to date. We hope that people will have many more chances to join our debates in future, and on behalf of the debating society and everyone present I would like to extend my thanks to Lord Winston and Dr. Siggers for their participation and for helping make this such a stimulating and enjoyable evening.”