Fuzzy Notions - Daily Dose of Wisdom

People are under the impression that Torah is about fuzzy notions, while science deals with hard facts. In fact, just the opposite is true.

Science is limited to that which we can measure. Therefore, it cannot know time and space, but only the relative motions of objects within them. It cannot know the true causes of events, but only predict the probabilities of their occurrence. It cannot know life or consciousness or love or purpose, but only measure in general terms the consequences of such.

Torah is the blueprint by which time and space and life were made. Not a knowledge that works its way in from the outside, but speaks from within and directs us how to approach it.

Torah is not science, but with the knowledge of inner Torah, scientists would have a much greater understanding of their observations of the outer world.

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Past the Cosmic Machine

Greece Defeated

Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. To order Rabbi Freeman’s book, Bringing Heaven Down to Earth, click here.

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November 2, 2010

claiming to know?

re: "To be fair to science"

True scientists (without an agenda) indeed do not claim to "know" discoveries that are based on theory, speculation etc. You are correct!

However, to be fair the good rabbi there are plenty of scientists who do claim to know these as fact (like Richard Dawkis "Evolution is a fact" in Ben Stein's expelled").

For a great essay:
Evolution - Facts, Theories, and Fiction
Dr. Zvi Shkedi, Torah and Science Institute

Chris
Atlanta

October 30, 2008

The very reason I fell in love Torah learning is because its such a specific blueprint for living a successful and happy life. Its such a great gift that God and our wonderful Jewish traditions have given us - and I find every hour of learning is repaid a hundredfold in time I save preventing emotionally and financially costly mistakes I would inevitably make had I had to reinvent the wheel in my own lifetime.

Hava
NYC, NyC

October 27, 2008

fuzzy notions dose

This daily dose is so accurate. Thank you.

b. wolke
thornton, IL, usa

October 26, 2008

To be fair to "science"...

This piece implies that science claims to "know" certain things (such as time and space). That's kind of a red herring -- science uses the hypothesis that seems to best fit the evidence, and (like Talmud) proceeds to critically evaluate, including arguing with, it to get to a better hypothesis. "Science" (really, scientists) don't claim to know things like life or consciousness or love or purpose, and saying "science" can't know them (because they're out of its scope) is something most scientists would strongly agree with.

Michael
Silver Spring, MD

October 26, 2008

Never a truer word was said!

Evelina