Critical Thinkers vs God

[Nakosis]

The results might help explain why scientists are among the least religious. According to a 2009 Pew poll, only about half of scientists believe in God or a higher deity, compared to more than 80 percent of the general public.
"The results don't speak directly to it, but it could explain why people who receive extensive training in fields that require deep analytic thinking might tend to be among the least religious," he says.
Although critical analysis of life's origins might be one thing that convinces atheists to lack faith in God, Gervais says there are many other reasons that need to be explored.
https://www.usnews.com/news/article...itical-thinkers-less-likely-to-believe-in-god

Can critical thinking and belief in God coexist?

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[Rival]

Can critical thinking and belief in God coexist?

Yup.

 

[74x12]

The results might help explain why scientists are among the least religious. According to a 2009 Pew poll, only about half of scientists believe in God or a higher deity, compared to more than 80 percent of the general public.
"The results don't speak directly to it, but it could explain why people who receive extensive training in fields that require deep analytic thinking might tend to be among the least religious," he says.
Although critical analysis of life's origins might be one thing that convinces atheists to lack faith in God, Gervais says there are many other reasons that need to be explored.
https://www.usnews.com/news/article...itical-thinkers-less-likely-to-believe-in-god

Can critical thinking and belief in God coexist?

​

Some scientists secretly believe in God or would believe in God if not for the fact that there is the stigma that you aren't a good scientist if you believe in God or even that you're stupid. It's peer pressure.

 

[ratiocinator]

Some scientists secretly believe in God or would believe in God if not for the fact that there is the stigma that you aren't a good scientist if you believe in God or even that you're stupid. It's peer pressure.

Yeah, right, that would explain the 50% (as cited in the post you're replying to) that openly declare their belief.

 

[Aštra’el]

According to a 2009 Pew poll, only about half of scientists believe in God or a higher deity​

“Only” about “half of scientists” is still a massive number.

 

[ratiocinator]

“Only” about “half of scientists” is still a massive number.

The point is that the percentage goes down from 80% in the general population, which indicates that training in analytic thinking makes a difference.

 

[Brickjectivity]

"We're trying to understand what leads some people to believe and other people to disbelieve." --the article. They are just sensationalizing things. The honest psychological question is not what makes people believe but what people desire of God. Belief is already understood in Psychology. It proceeds from desire. I think one problem for the OP is that this does not tell us whether critical thinking is at odds with belief in God. We already know its at odds with certain ways of believing in God.

Think about someone who has hallucinations about something they know is not real. Hunger makes food appear. This is understood and has been for a long time. The desire creates an anticipation in the mind and in extreme cases a hallucination of the object. We don't need another study to determine that the mind is weak when it desires something.

We already know critical thinking is at odds with distractions and desires. What they (Social Scientists) will eventually find out is the strongest believers are strongly motivated by desire for a particular version of God they are fond of. Perhaps they want the God of love or the God of security or judgement or perhaps someone who watches them from above. These are all in sync with belief proceeding from desire. They should have asked these people about the version of God that they wanted most to believe in.

The results don't make God and critical thinking exclusive from one another.

 

[icehorse]

Can critical thinking and belief in God coexist?

Interesting question.

The first thing I'm noticing in this thread is the conflation of "belief in a god" with "religion".

If we were to define god as "the creator of the universe as we can currently observe it", it would be quite possible to believe that AND be a critical thinker, and keep religion completely out of the conversation

 

[RestlessSoul]

Was hoping the thrust of this thread would be “who would win in a fight?”

Disappointed now tbh…

 

[Nakosis]

"We're trying to understand what leads some people to believe and other people to disbelieve." --the article. They are just sensationalizing things. The honest psychological question is not what makes people believe but what people desire of God. Belief is already understood in Psychology. It proceeds from desire. I think one problem for the OP is that this does not tell us whether critical thinking is at odds with belief in God. We already know its at odds with certain ways of believing in God.

Think about someone who has hallucinations about something they know is not real. Hunger makes food appear. This is understood and has been for a long time. The desire creates an anticipation in the mind and in extreme cases a hallucination of the object. We don't need another study to determine that the mind is weak when it desires something.

We already know critical thinking is at odds with distractions and desires. What they (Social Scientists) will eventually find out is the strongest believers are strongly motivated by desire for a particular version of God they are fond of. Perhaps they want the God of love or the God of security or judgement or perhaps someone who watches them from above. These are all in sync with belief proceeding from desire. They should have asked these people about the version of God that they wanted most to believe in.

The results don't make God and critical thinking exclusive from one another.

It an article from a few years back, when "critical thinking" was in vogue. Don't know what happen to that, been a while since I've heard the term.

However, I suspect one chooses to apply "critical thinking" selectively. Those who want to continue to believe is God selectively don't apply it simply accepting their belief for what it is without analysis.

The need to avoid the application of critical thinking would mean that their belief in God wouldn't stand up if applied.

I feel that critical/analytical thinking has taking over my worldview such that even if I had a strong desire to believe in God, I couldn't

Certainly a scientist can compartmentalize their critical thinking such that they can do rational critical analysis in science, and set aside this same rational analysis with regard to their belief.

I haven't found anything more recent that would address the points you've made.

 

[ecco]

Some scientists secretly believe in God or would believe in God if not for the fact that there is the stigma that you aren't a good scientist if you believe in God or even that you're stupid. It's peer pressure.

Source? Oh, you have none? How would you know? Have many atheistic scientists confided in you?

Your comment is based on wishful thinking It is not based on critical thinking. It is a good example of what this thread is about.

 

[Nakosis]

Interesting question.

The first thing I'm noticing in this thread is the conflation of "belief in a god" with "religion".

If we were to define god as "the creator of the universe as we can currently observe it", it would be quite possible to believe that AND be a critical thinker, and keep religion completely out of the conversation

Maybe, but I would question what could we possibly know about such an entity.
I would think that "God" would be place among an infinitely large set of "unknown factors".

 

[ecco]

“Only” about “half of scientists” is still a massive number.

Don't get too carried away with glee.

Belief in a god is not the same as belief in and acceptance of the God of the Christian Bible and everything that comes with it.

Also, the word "scientist" is not really defined. These days computer programmers are called Information Technology Scientists. Then there are rocket scientists. I know one. Really smart. She is a fundamentalist.

I'd like to see hove many biologists and geologists and others in the fields of the natural sciences believe in a god.

 

[ecco]

"We're trying to understand what leads some people to believe and other people to disbelieve." --the article. They are just sensationalizing things. The honest psychological question is not what makes people believe but what people desire of God. Belief is already understood in Psychology. It proceeds from desire.

I'm not sure where you got the conclusion that belief stems from desire.

When it comes to religion it's very clear that belief stems from childhood indoctrination.

By and large...
Sunnis produce Sunnis. Methodists produce Methodists. Catholics produce Catholics.

Later on, desire may play a part, but the origins can be traced to very early childhood.

 

[74x12]

Source? Oh, you have none? How would you know? Have many atheistic scientists confided in you?

Your comment is based on wishful thinking It is not based on critical thinking. It is a good example of what this thread is about.

Call it a theory then because I'm using critical thinking to come to this opinion rather than wishful thinking as you claim.

I probably think more critically than you do. For example you are just accepting everything at face value whereas I question it. I know that statistics are easily misrepresented, falsified or manipulated.

I'm using rational thinking and I believe I did hear as much from more than one scientist talking candidly about their colleagues who are pressured into denying anything supernatural. But no it wasn't a study or a poll.

 

[Nakosis]

Was hoping the thrust of this thread would be “who would win in a fight?”

Disappointed now tbh…

For your pleasure.

 

[74x12]

Source? Oh, you have none? How would you know? Have many atheistic scientists confided in you?

Your comment is based on wishful thinking It is not based on critical thinking. It is a good example of what this thread is about.

I'm the splinter your mind; the nagging doubt. You think you have all the answers until I question everything you thought you knew. Deal with it.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

The point is that the percentage goes down from 80% in the general population, which indicates that training in analytic thinking makes a difference.

The point also to consider is that the material world can draw us away from the Spiritual worlds.

So if one spends their life after material discovery, it is very easy to forget the Spirit that is the cause and has created it all.

Regards Tony

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Of course critical thinking and religious views do not oppose. Our highest educated demographic isn't irreligious atheists it's observant Hindu.

What I find more interesting is breaking down which scientists are more likely to believe in what. Mathematicians and physicists have a much higher rate of religious belief than biologists and archeologists, for example.

 

[Altfish]

​

The results might help explain why scientists are among the least religious. According to a 2009 Pew poll, only about half of scientists believe in God or a higher deity, compared to more than 80 percent of the general public.
"The results don't speak directly to it, but it could explain why people who receive extensive training in fields that require deep analytic thinking might tend to be among the least religious," he says.
Although critical analysis of life's origins might be one thing that convinces atheists to lack faith in God, Gervais says there are many other reasons that need to be explored.
https://www.usnews.com/news/article...itical-thinkers-less-likely-to-believe-in-god

Can critical thinking and belief in God coexist?

​

In the UK more than 50% of the population don't believe in a god.
But if you are a scientist, you question everything, accept nothing without proof. Why would you believe in an illusive god?