Question

we’re used to the idea that religion and science are very different. but [i] according to Martin Gardner, religion and science, at their best, are similar; and [ii] according to Will Tuttle, religion and science, under herder culture, are similar. explain both [i] and [ii].

Answer 1

According to Martin Gardner, there is  a world that lies beyond the grasp of science. “We can believe”, according to Gardner, “when our will compels us to believe. We are not constrained by science to accept only whatever is on the right-hand side of the equal sign.” Thus, for Gardner, human consciousness is one such phenonmena which is not within the grasp of present human understanding, but it may become comprehensible to future advances of science and technology. Gardner’s ideas present amathematical concept of a transcendental dimension where perhaps Gods and souls can be found and it is here that he sees that science can make a contribution by moving its disciplinary horizons beyond the perspective of skepticism and opening itself to the will to further knowledge.

(ii) Accroding to animal rights thinker Will Tuttle, a conglomeration of the philosophy of religion and science can be seen in its devastating consequences for the development of the herding culture and how it evolved human society’s relationship with the animal world.  Herding of animals for food as a practice transformed human norms and behaviors, giving rise to patriarchy, war for control of cattle, slavery, the capitalist class and at the same time it steadily suppressed our natural empathy and respect for animals, nature, and each other. The religious institutions of the 17 th century further reinforced the control of animals by brutal means as a ‘gift of nature’. Modern science too reinforce and extended the control of animal species as source of food by creating discourses of ‘ protein rich diet’, ‘ technological advancements in processing of animal products’, etc to further substantiate human superiority position in the food chain in order to justify our routine exploitation and eating of animals.