Religious creeds are a great obstacle to any full sympathy…
““Religious creeds are a great obstacle to any full sympathy between the outlook of the scientist and the outlook which religion is so often supposed to require ... The spirit of seeking which animates us refuses to regard any kind of creed as its goal. It would be a shock to come across a university where it was the practice of the students to recite adherence to Newton's laws of motion, to Maxwell's equations and to the electromagnetic theory of light. We should not deplore it the less if our own pet theory happened to be included, or if the list were brought up to date every few years. We should say that the students cannot possibly realise the intention of scientific training if they are taught to look on these results as things to be recited and subscribed to. Science may fall short of its ideal, and although the peril scarcely takes this extreme form, it is not always easy, particularly in popular science, to maintain our stand against creed and dogma.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Scientific inquiry should remain open‑minded and not be bound by rigid doctrines, whether religious or academic.
In simple terms: Science thrives without dogma.
Key Takeaway
Encourage critical thinking.
Themes
science
philosophy
education
critical thinking
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- research labs
- classroom teaching
- public policy
- science communication
Key Concepts
epistemology
skepticism
intellectual freedom
Questions to Reflect On
- How can institutions foster open inquiry?
- What role should philosophy play in science?
A Different Perspective
Dogmatic thinking can still appear in scientific communities.