Torn Between Torah and Science

Question:

I am deeply perturbed by the conflicts between Jewish beliefs and science. My heart and at times my mind, too, lead me to Torah, but at other times, my minimal understanding of science causes me to wonder about it all.

Answer:

You speak of a conflict between science and faith and how this rips you apart in two directions at once. Let me provide a simple way to make this much easier for you:

The conflict really has nothing to do with science, nor with faith. The conflict has to do with purpose.

The standard materialist, empiricist, reductionist view that many scientists take has nothing to do with purpose. The trinity of this faith is Chance, Necessity and the Human Mind. From these supreme deities arise the demigods of Matter and Energy.

I call it a faith because not only has science itself never provided a logical basis for belief in this pantheon, but has demonstrated many times over the absurdity of it all. As the esteemed British theoretician of science, Alfred North Whitehead wrote in the 1920s:

"The state of modern thought is that every single item in this general doctrine is denied, but that the general conclusions from the doctrine as a whole are retained. The result is a complete muddle in the scientific thought, in philosophic cosmology and in epistemology. But any doctrine which does not implicitly presuppose this point of view is assailed as unintelligible."

I'll detail it out a little:

1. Prove to me that everything in the universe must make sense to the human mind? On the one hand, the scientist tells us that our mind evolved through the challenges of survival. On the other hand, he claims that this jelly-like grey-matter device that so evolved is capable of explain the basic truths and origins of all things. Could anything be more absurd?

2. Explain to me what is chance and what is necessity? The cosmologist chooses at whim which elements of existence are so because they must be so and which originated at the outset of the universe.

3. Explain why we cling to this anachronistic notion of energy and matter in the mechanistic, Cartesian sense after a century of scientific probing and discovery has demonstrated again and again how inadequate these notions are in explaining the phenomenon of the quantum world.

So science is also a religion of faith. But it is faith without purpose. It is faith that we are simply artifacts of a cold, indifferent universe. Nothing has meaning, other than being material to write yet another doctoral thesis.

The ancient faith of the Jew, on the other hand, is a belief that life itself is nothing but meaning. Reality is personal. The focus of life is my decisions, what I choose to do with life. Those decisions and their consequences are more real than any star or subatomic particle, any fact in Wikipedia or news on your TV screen. Whereas to the contemporary scientist, life is a phenomenon, to the traditional Jew, life is real.

As I promised, I've tried to simplify the matter by deconstructing the common terms in which we generally couch this conflict.

I hope this helps--mainly because I don't see why any of this conflict should get in the way of you adopting the entire beauty of Shabbat and bringing our rich heritage into your life with a complete heart.

By Tzvi Freeman

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, a senior editor at Chabad.org, also heads our Ask The Rabbi team. He is the author of Bringing Heaven Down to Earth. To subscribe to regular updates of Rabbi Freeman's writing, visit Freeman Files subscription.

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December 16, 2012

Josef Friedman, My comments are addressed to anyone who will ask questions and seek answers. I believe the Bible to be true in all respects. I also believe that G-d created science, which is the study of the world which G-d created. Noah's flood happened. Science has discovered the physical evidence of it. However, science also shows that while the scriptural record is accurate, some of the popular interpretations of that record do not bear close scrutiny. Re creation ex nihilo. Creation had to be 'from nothing', or it could not have been 'in the beginning', there would have been something before it. The big problem for those who try to use the Big Bang theory to advance the cause of atheism is that the theory cannot start from nothing, which rather contradicts your claim. Big Bang theory needs G-d to kick-start it. The first human language started with Adam, not Babel. However I fail to grasp your association between that fact and Karen's comment on balance.

David Rankin
New Zealand

November 29, 2012

Boundaries of Science

Dave, it is odd that your comments are addressed to the more secular contributors when the majority of people here are biblical literalists who think that the earth is 6000 years old and the Flood actually happened, etc.

Karen et al seems to have more balance than many others. Wouldn't a plea for balance to people who believe all human languages originated at Babel be more appropriate?

Regarding creation ex nihilo - it is quite unlikely that the author of the Genesis creation myth was referring to creating something from nothing. As Gersonides asks, when did God create water? Like many other things in Judaism, the concept is probably borrowed from the Greeks, but in any case, it is not universally accepted among Jews.

Moreover, creation ex nihilo is probably mistaken. Currently, the big bang is often considered confirmation of creation ex nihilo, however this is does not follow from the evidence.

Josef I Friedman
Hillsborough, NJ
myjewishcenter.org

November 29, 2012

Science and Scripture

This is very simiple. It is a matter of faith in G-d and what he has laid down in His word. You either have faith in the science of mere men or the one who is all science and knows everything. I choose the one who is scienc, understands and knows everything.

Anonymous
Henderson, NV

November 28, 2012

Science and scripture.

Karen, Kolyah & Rob. Much of the confusion over these two results from not understanding what they are. A dictionary definition of science defines the boundaries of science. This proves that there are things outside of those boundaries - for instance, science cannot prove that a sunset is beautiful. G-d creating heaven and earth from nothing is outside of the boundaries of science. Science cannot visualise nothing - no time, no space, no matter, no energy. G-d exists but science cannot detect Him - He does not eat, He does not age, He does not breathe, He cannot be measured or weighed. It is like trying to get a train ticket from Israel to Canada. Both places exist, but that mode of transport cannot fulfill the task. "Believing in BOTH the Bible and science is like believing in both your dentist and gynecologist. (Karen)." I would say it is more like having food and drink. They are two sides of the same coin and we need both to be truly balanced. David

David Rankin
New Zealand

April 3, 2012

Hi Rob...

B"H
Sometimes, we must listen with the heart rather than the head and the noodle soup inside it. Not saying that you aren't already, the problem is not a problem to be solved rationally. Reason is of the conscious mind which in all probability accounts for aprox 7 - 9% of the brain's power. Thereby the conscious mind, the ego, and the id get in the way when we try tapping into the greater power G-d has already given us, the 90% world. Sciene has assisted us in accessing the G-d consciousness within ourselves to some extent. But when the sub-conscious is speaking a different language than the conscious mind things come to us in confusing thoughts, and images. meditation can help alleviate this. The kabbalah tradition has plenty of tools to do just that. You could contact you local Chabad and talk to your Rabbi about. Blessings and Chag Sameach al Pesach!

Kolyah
Pasadena, CA

April 2, 2012

Strange

I seem to have the opposite problem, I see the design in science. I understand that for multiple creations there must be a creator. My problem is for everything to work as it does then everything must have a function. For the life of me I can't seem put find what that function is or the designer who wants to put me there.

Mr. Rob Lena

November 11, 2010

Thank you, Kolyah.

Your post made me smile. Interesting thoughts.

Karen Joyce Chaya Fradle Kleinman Bell
Riverside, CA, USA
jewishriverside.com

November 9, 2010

Hi Karen

I would say that I've enjoyed many of your posts. What I meant was no disrepute to modern science, and modern scientific method. However, today's sciences originated from older disciplines. Many of which can be found in the literature of kabbalah. Astronomy from astrology, Pharmacology from Alchemy, Health sciences from Wicca, and the ancient rites of aboriginal witch doctors, etc. I did not intend to suggest that the 'Sod' (Hidden meanings) of the Bible, would equate to modern science. The origins of science can be found there. In fact, among some circles, Moses is called ' the Master Architect', and 'The Master Scientist' [ Ever seen the movie; "What the#@*&!% (bleep) Do We Know?" statements in it can be verified]. Peace to you.

Kolyah
Pasadena, CA

November 4, 2010

Rhi, this is sometimes true.

Sometimes, people find spirituality through Torah. Other people have spirituality and THEN go looking for Torah. I believe that I had spirituality within me even before I learned to read and write. It began, as a very small baby, with feelings of nice and not nice, right and wrong, and expanded from there. Then, little by little, I learned a little here, a little there about G-d and what is required of me and what G-d can do. I learned NOT JUST from Torah, but also from EVERY experience I had, from every person I met along life's path, from every religion of which I studied. I took the best of all and incorporated it into my sense of spirituality. I don't feel as though I am CONFINED to Torah. There is so much more out there! At 64 years old, I am STILL in the process of learning. Never in my life have I been torn between Torah and science. Never. I learn science facts, and they are facts. Torah to me are stories, legends, morals and philosophy. Both help me live happily.

Karen Joyce Chaya Fradle Kleinman Bell
Riverside, CA, USA
jewishriverside.com

November 3, 2010

karen

i did not express myself well with my post.
what i was attempting to express is that all around the world people accept spiritual realities and religious practises as being true and beneficial yet trying to get a non religious jew to see any spirituality is often one of the hardest tasks a Rabbi can face. Jews will deny Torah until they completely run out of options, until they have tried every other spiritual path under the sun, read every philosophy book written etc etc.

rhl

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