Tag Archives: Science

A little girl’s letter to Einstein: Do scientists pray?

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einstein
The Riverside Church

January 19, 1936

My dear Dr. Einstein,

We have brought up the question: Do scientists pray? in our Sunday school class. It began by asking whether we could believe in both science and religion. We are writing to scientists and other important men, to try and have our own question answered.

We will feel greatly honored if you will answer our question: Do scientists pray, and what do they pray for?

We are in the sixth grade, Miss Ellis’s class.

Respectfully yours,

Phyllis

***************************************************************************************************

January 24, 1936

Dear Phyllis,

I will attempt to reply to your question as simply as I can. Here is my answer:

Scientists believe that every occurrence, including the affairs of human beings, is due to the laws of nature. Therefore a scientist cannot be inclined to believe that the course of events can be influenced by prayer, that is, by a supernaturally manifested wish.

However, we must concede that our actual knowledge of these forces is imperfect, so that in the end the belief in the existence of a final, ultimate spirit rests on a kind of faith. Such belief remains widespread even with the current achievements in science.

But also, everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that some spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe, one that is vastly superior to that of man. In this way the pursuit of science leads to a religious feeling of a special sort, which is surely quite different from the religiosity of someone more naive.

With cordial greetings,

your A. Einstein

 

source: brain pickings

Leave your “i” behind.

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Canada’s renowned scientist David Suzuki received an Award for Science from the U.S. National Wildlife Federation DrSuzuki-computerSmcalling him “one of our strongest allies north of the border.” 

“Our highest priorities must be the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil that provides food and the biodiversity that keeps us alive and healthy.”   – Dr. David Suzuki

He is also a nature enthusiast that makes use realize that nature is good for all of us. It’s a known fact that we benefit by spending more time outdoors than spending more face time. I can attest to that.

Being at work 7 hours a day in front of the computer contributes very little for my well-being.  The minute I take coffee and lunch breaks that means green time for me. A walk around the block can depressurized me and calms me down.  Spending time in nature reduces the negative results of automatic thoughts and redirects my mind to being playful and extrovert.

This is plain science and all I need is me as the guinea pig.

For the month of May, David Suzuki launched the 30 x 30 Nature challenge by spending 30 minutes in nature for 30 days. That is doable.  I extend this challenge whoever reads this wherever you are in planet earth.  This is not limited to Canadians.

So I say to you, get off your butt, walk away from the computer, go outside, breath and relax.  Not to mention, unplug yourself from any gadgets and open your ears to the sound around you.  Leave your “I” behind. No iPhone, iPod or iPad.  Can you do that?

Then come back and tell me what you did in 30 minutes and how it fells. See that space below for comment?  That is for you.

Inside my mind: A human hunger

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What’s inside our skull?  Is it our brain or our mind? This is a real brain floating in liquid to keep it intact as a specimen, and undoubtedly it’s not mine.  Our brain is divided into two hemispheres and it … Continue reading →

Atheist and Zen

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What does an Atheist and a Zen have in common?  They are both have a column in Common Ground magazine.
David Suzuki
David Suzuki writes an article about Science Matters.  He is an atheist. He denies the existence of God but his work, in my opinion, is about godly matters such as the Nature of Things.  His mind is fascinating and captivating.  He was born in Vancouver, Canada.  I have attended his lectures.  David wrote the book The Sacred Balance. 
Eckhart TolleEckhart Tolle writes an article about Finding Zen.  He is the author of the Power of Now and his latest book, A New Earth.   A spiritual teacher, born in Germany and took residence in Vancouver.  I have never seen him nor read any of his books. 
Common Ground has articles about Sufism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sahaja Yoga, and Inter-Faith, to name a few.  However, I still have yet to see an article about Catholicism. 
Reading this magazine expands my curiosity about other belief systems.  The more I understand the more I become in tune with my own personal faith as a Catholic.  Catholic means “universal”. 
Excerpt from Suzuki: Science of Breathing:
“Your next breath will contain more than 400,000 of the argon atoms that Gandhi breathed in his long life. Argon atoms are here from the conversations at the Last Supper, from the arguments of diplomats at Yalta, and from the recitations of the classic poets. We have argon from the sighs and pledges of ancient lovers, from the battle cries at Waterloo, even from last year’s argonic output by the writer of these lines, who personally has had already more than 300 million breathing experiences.” 
About.com excerpt from New Earth:
“People believe themselves to be dependent on what happens for their happiness, that is to say, dependent on form. They don’t realize that what happens is the most unstable thing in the universe. It changes constantly. They look at the present moment as either marred by something that has happened and shouldn’t have or as deficient because of something that has not happened but should have. And so they miss the deeper perfection that is inherent in life itself, a perfection that is always already here, that lies beyond what is happening or not happening, beyond form.” 
QUOTE – Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard: Life must be lived forward, but can only be understood backward. 
Keeping this quote in mind, I don’t believe in the Power of Now.  However, I know what awareness, mindfulness and what is.  At least with the Science of Breathing, I learned about science as well as part of my faith, knowing that I am breathing in the argon of those people at the Last Supper.
 
 

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