God and the Folly of Faith: The Incompatibility of Science and Religion

Quotes by the author: "Science flies us to the moon....religion flies us into buildings"...."The problem is that people think faith is something to be admired. If fact, faith means you believe in something for which you have no evidence"...."From the very beginning, religion has been a tool used by those in power to retain that power and keep the masses in line."Stenger takes us on a quick and lively ride. Each chapter briefly covers data that volumes have been written about. Those familiar with the history of science and familiar with the perennial conflicts between science and religion will see familiar names and will have read many of the books in his bibliography.Preface: From the beginning, all religions have been concerned with keeping the status quo. Science, on the other hand, is continuously being fine-tuned, as new evidence is found and studied. Religion is based on things supernatural that have proven to be undetectable by scientific methods. Science is based on things observable and testable. Although many have tried to demonstrate otherwise, science and religion are incompatible. Scientists who are religious, when they enter their churches, usually check their scientific hats at the door.Chapter 1 Introduction: Despite efforts to rewrite history, science was effectively squelched by religion from the last days of the Roman Empire until shortly before the Enlightenment. "All the great pioneers of science - Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton - were believers, although they hardly had a choice in the matter. Open nonbelief was nonexistent in the West at that time."Chapter 2 The Earliest Skirmishes: Stenger begins with cavemen, their extreme superstitions, their attribution of agency to any life events they couldn't explain (everything), and their highly developed and overactive "agent detection device". If they were in the jungle and heard a noise, it was safer to assume that represented danger. Stenger then moves to the earliest Greek philosophers who came remarkably close to some hypotheses of science that have stood the test of time.Chapter 3 The Rebirth and Triumph of Science: Greek learning was almost completely lost to Western Europe from 500CE to 1500CE. Arabic science flourished, however, but before the scientific revolution hit Europe, science began to flounder in that world for unknown reasons. There is evidence that the printing press in Europe was frowned upon in Arab countries because calligraphy was an art form. For whatever reason, the Arab world lost their scientific impetus and never regained it. In this chapter, Stenger briefly visits our friends Copernicus, Gallileo, Newton, Hume, Locke, and Kant. He visits the Enlightenment and deism and then quotes Richard Carrier: "Had Christianity not interrupted the intellectual advance of mankind and put the progress of science on hold for a thousand years, the Scientific Revolution might have occurred a thousand years ago, and our technology today would be a thousand years more advanced."Chapter 4 Darwin, Design, and Deity: Unlike Newton's ideas, Darwin's ideas were seen to directly threaten the existence of God. This chapter covers that history, Paley's argument from design, natural selection, and evolutionary politics that continue to this day. It closes with arguments comparing religion to being infected by a virus.Chapters 5, 6, & 7 These are the science chapters, well-written for the lay person who is somewhat familiar with particle physics, quantum mechanics, and cosmology. It is heavily endowed with criticism of pseudoscientists who would misuse scientific terminology, especially the word "quantum". I particularly enjoyed the discussion of particle/wave duality and now understand that it is all particles. When enough particles are measured together, they can then assume the characteristics of a wave, but they are always particles.Chapter 8 Purpose: Reductionism, among scientists, particularly physicists, is the view that there is nothing more to the makeup of the universe, or any part of it, than its parts, and the interaction of these parts. "Although comprising only 5% of the total mass and energy of the universe; up and down quarks, electrons, and photons are all that are needed as ingredients of conventional matter in a working model for those observable phenomenon that are of direct concern to most humans...only elemental particle physicists and cosmologists worry about the other 95%." Nothing further emerges from this. Even consciousness is a direct manifestation of complex interactions among quarks and electrons. Stenger's view about purpose is well-described by this chapter's opening quote from David Hume: "Nature has no more regard to good above ill than to heat above cold, or to drought above moisture, or to light above heavy."Chapter 9 Transcendence: The afterlife and the notion that something exists beyond the world that addresses our senses...studies on intercessory prayer...spiritual energy and chi...near-death experiences...reincarnation. Our hyperactive caveman agency detectors are hard at work but the search for good evidence for anything supernatural is sadly lacking.Chapter 10 Beyond Evolution: Many years ago a good Christian friend of mine asserted that if it weren't for religion he would be completely antisocial and out of control. I was shocked and a little offended. I knew many nonbelievers and as far as I could tell, they acted in as moral a manner as anyone else. As a matter of fact, I eventually found out that good behavior is more correlated with nonreligious societies, such as certain Scandinavian countries, than it is with religious societies. This chapter covers matters of morality and whether belief in God needs to be a factor. It doesn't.Chapter 11 Matter and Mind: "Considerable evidence exists that the phenomena we call mind and consciousness result from natural mechanisms in a purely material brain. If we have disembodied souls that are responsible for our thoughts, decisions, dreams, personalities, and emotions, then these should not be effected by drugs. But they are. They should not be affected by disease. But they are....why would that happen if consciousness arises from an immaterial soul?" Counterpoints by D'Souza and others.Chapter 12 Metaphor, Atheist Spirituality, and Immanence: Many people who have studied religion lose their religion. Some lose their zeal for the dogma but still enjoy or want the spiritual experience. This chapter is about those who continue to try to find a place for spirituality, even though they have given up on the traditional view of a personal God, and their search to find rationale for this spirituality - heavy on Ian Barbour and others.Chapter 13 From Conflict to Incompatibility: The state of religion today (nationally and worldwide), whether or not religion is good for you, assets vs. liabilities of belief in an afterlife, and a summary of the conflicts covered in earlier chapters. Finally, whether a confrontational approach or the accommodative approach is more reasonable for today's nonbeliever. About this I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, as T. Jefferson said, (he actually stole it from Voltaire) another person's beliefs "neither pick my pocket nor break my leg". On the other hand, evangelicals are heavily influencing legislative action nowadays and I disagree with most of their positions.Chapter 14 Why Does It Matter: A concise dissertation on the disinformation spread by religious groups about science and important political issues for the nation. The drastically different worldview caused by religion, complete with ridiculous position statements from The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation, as just one example of religious idiocy. Stenger's closing remarks include, "We need to focus our attention on one goal...the eradication of foolish faith from the face of this planet."Sorry to say, I don't see that happening, but I couldn't agree more.

Those who accept God as a "given" do not rationally come to this conclusion. It is indoctrinated into us as children without logical argument. Frankly, the concept of God is a pagan political device to control the people. Those who could explain the wonders of being were viewed as most knowledgeable and commanded positions of authority. The argument that the universe cannot just happen and therefore there must be a God is anti-scientific at its core. Science never, ever creates a magical explanation just because it hasn't found an answer yet. Yet science has been chipping away at the concept of there being a god for centuries. This book takes the reader on an intellectual journey that successfully challenges all religious notions of God and brings you to the doorstep that "something from nothing" is not abstract double talk. It does not attempt to prove a negative: There is a God and science can't prove there isn't. Rather, it builds a case for existence without the need for a God, the Prime Mover. And the case is convincing albeit there is still much to discover. It allows the reader to take comfort in their self doubts about the existence of a God and not fear banishment to hell. Worth reading again and again.

Stegner, in "God & The Folly of Faith", attempts not necessarily to answer whether there is a God/Religion is true/untrue (although he does inadvertently). His other books focus more on that. In this book he's more focused on specifically whether science and religion (in their current forms are compatible).Having read some of his other books ("Has Science Found God", "God The Failed Hypothesis" & "The Fallacy of Fine Tuning") I can say there is alot of overlap. Actually this book feels kinda like a mixing of all his past books with a touch of new ideas and from a new perspective. That is both good and bad. It's good in that Stegner makes a complete argument leaving few if any stones unturned. Futhermore his writing has gotten significantly better with less technical jargon and better articulation, analogies and humor. It's bad however as the book is quite long, all over the place at times, and alot to digest.Despite this I enjoyed the book and learned quite a bit about things outside of the god debate (such as the history and origin of science as we know it, physics concepts and more). Stenger was an amazing and brilliant man who really knew what he was talking about and in this book he doesn't disappoint.I feel though this book is best read in conjunction with his other books. At bare minum I would read "God The Failed Hypothesis" before reading this book although for the complete package I would pick up "Has Sceince found God" & "The Fallacy of Fine Tuning". If you take the time to read these book then you will likely have almost all your question about god, religion and their relationship with science addressed and will be able to make a fair judgment on what you believe.You may also want to read other, more mainstream books like "The God Delusion" (Dawkins), "The End of Faith" (Harris) and "Godless" (Barker). Their a little less insane (in terms of material to digest), read easier, and better for those new to atheism or casually reading.I recommend this book but do be prepared for its a lot to digest.

Victor J. Stenger’s God and the Folly of Faith is a no-holds-barred assault on the notion that science and religion can coexist peacefully. This book is a battleground where reason and faith square off, and Stenger, a seasoned physicist, pulls no punches. He aims to convince readers that these two realms are fundamentally incompatible, and he sets out to prove it with a blend of scientific evidence, historical analysis, and philosophical argument.Stenger’s central thesis is as clear as day: faith is folly. He contends that religion has historically hindered scientific progress and that its core tenets are fundamentally at odds with the findings of modern science. He takes aim at everything from the creation myth to the existence of a divine being, leaving no stone unturned in his quest to debunk religious claims.The book is structured in a logical and accessible manner, guiding readers through a series of well-defined chapters. Each chapter tackles a specific aspect of the science-religion debate, allowing readers to follow Stenger’s argumentation with ease. While the subject matter is complex, Stenger’s writing style is surprisingly engaging. He manages to balance academic rigour with a conversational tone, making the book accessible to a wide audience.Stenger clearly knows his stuff. He backs up his claims with a mountain of evidence, citing numerous scientific studies and historical documents. His deep understanding of both science and religion is evident on every page. However, the book’s greatest strength is also its biggest weakness. By focusing so intently on dismantling religious beliefs, Stenger risks alienating potential readers who hold those beliefs dear.While God and the Folly of Faith is undoubtedly a well-researched and thought-provoking book, some readers might find Stenger’s tone overly combative, and his dismissal of religious experience as mere delusion could be seen as dismissive. And the book could have benefited from a more in-depth exploration of the philosophical implications of its arguments.Despite these criticisms, God and the Folly of Faith is a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about science and religion. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the philosophical and historical underpinnings of this complex issue. While it might not change everyone’s mind, it certainly gives readers plenty of food for thought.I would recommend this book to anyone with a curious mind and a willingness to challenge their assumptions. Whether you’re a devout believer, a confirmed atheist, or somewhere in between, Stenger’s provocative ideas will undoubtedly spark conversation and debate.

A meticulous historical review of science, the text is more about the ascension of secular thought and the refinement of the scientific method with resulting conclusions than about god bashing -- although, refreshingly, there is some of that too! Stenger makes his case with commodious room to spare -- no contest. His presentation is fair and objectively composed with a few points scored along the way against his thesis, Folly of Faith, but the outcome was never in doubt. Science wasn't really tested by faith. An excellent read for believers and non-believers, but the conclusions would test the faith of believers, if the least bit open-minded about reality.

An un-miltant atheist. Should be read without religious defenses. being upped. I agree that faith in someone OUT THERE is a folly

Victor Stenger writes with passion on the need to end our strange double-think on science and religion. Religion is not a harmless aberration but a positive 'folly' that causes great damage in many unsuspected ways - religious wars and genocides being just the most obvious. People who base their actions on faith cannot be reasoned with however stupid and self-defeating their consequent actions are. Stenger provides chapter and verse of the ill effects that faith still visits upon even highly civilised societies and he wonders at the ability of a few leading scientists to compartmentalise their minds into non-overlapping 'magisteria' in Stephen J Gould's terminology. However the book is not just an attack on 'blind' faith but a very informative description of our present knowledge in biology, physics and cosmology. He writes in a style that the non-scientist can easily follow and I have no hesitation in recommending the book to any who take an interest in science and civilisation.

About time someone told it like it is. Consider how much better a world it would be were it not for religion and politics.Oh,wait,they are one and the same!!!. Thanx,Victor,for telling it like it is.