--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a common perception that science and…" description: "\"It's a common perception that science and religion are mutually exclusive. But there are many scientists who would consider themselves to be spiritual ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/664/katharine-hayhoe-15846_climate-change_it-s-a-common-perception-that-science-an_2458451.jpg" --- # It's a common perception that science and religion are… ![“It's a common perception that science and religion are mutually exclusive. But there are many scientists who would consider themselves to be spiritual people. Not only that, but in the case of climate change - a scientific issue with strong moral implications and difficult decisions to be made…” quote by Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/664/katharine-hayhoe-15846_climate-change_it-s-a-common-perception-that-science-an_2458451.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/664/katharine-hayhoe-15846_climate-change_it-s-a-common-perception-that-science-an_2458451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/664/katharine-hayhoe-15846_climate-change_it-s-a-common-perception-that-science-an_2458451.jpg) > “It's a common perception that science and religion are mutually exclusive. But there are many scientists who would consider themselves to be spiritual people. Not only that, but in the case of climate change - a scientific issue with strong moral implications and difficult decisions to be made - it's essential to connect the science to our values. And for many of us, our values come from our faith.” [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science and religion can coexist; values from faith guide moral decisions on scientific issues like climate change. **In simple terms:** Science and faith can work together on moral issues. Key Takeaway Integrate personal values with scientific understanding. Themes science faith ethics climate values Mood thoughtful inspired reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - policy making - community outreach - personal decision making - education - activism Key Concepts interdisciplinary dialogue moral reasoning worldview integration Questions to Reflect On - How can we bridge gaps between scientific data and faith‑based values? - What role should personal beliefs play in public policy? A Different Perspective Faith perspectives may conflict with scientific consensus in some contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Difficult decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-decisions/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science and religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-and-religion/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [It's a common perception that science and religion are mutually exclusive. But there are many scientists who would consider themselves to be spiritual people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/it-s-a-common-perception-that-science-and-religion-are-mutually-2/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [Science values static patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/science-values-static-patterns/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [What is false in the science of facts may be true in the science of values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/what-is-false-in-the-science-of-facts-may-be-true-in-the-science-of/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [“The values of science and the values of democracy are concordant, in many cases indistinguishable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-values-of-science-and-the-values-of-democracy-are-concordant-in-2/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The values of science and the values of democracy are concordant, in many cases indistinguishable. Science and democracy began - in their civilized incarnations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-values-of-science-and-the-values-of-democracy-are-concordant-in/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The greatest decisions I've made in my life are by instinct. I remember when I hired Bill I had a lot of people telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kraft/the-greatest-decisions-i-ve-made-in-my-life-are-by-instinct-i/) [Robert Kraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kraft/) > [Many times in our lives we have to make difficult decisions that will affect not only our lives, but the lives of others around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-maynard/many-times-in-our-lives-we-have-to-make-difficult-decisions-that-will/) Gene Maynard > [I am facing the most difficult thing of my life, my own greatest failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-am-facing-the-most-difficult-thing-of-my-life-my-own-greatest/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [What's called a difficult decision is a difficult decision because either way you go there are penalties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/what-s-called-a-difficult-decision-is-a-difficult-decision-because/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [The trouble with the SNP is they want power without responsibility. They do not want to take difficult decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-grayling/the-trouble-with-the-snp-is-they-want-power-without-responsibility/) [Chris Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-grayling/) > [ “\[...\] the kind of healer who knows that sometimes one must inflict terrible agony - rebreak a bone, carve off a limb, kill the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/the-kind-of-healer-who-knows-that-sometimes-one-must-inflict-terrible/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“This is how best to effect change. If you reiterate the same fears and the same sensible measures with proper augmentation enough times, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olli-jalonen/this-is-how-best-to-effect-change-if-you-reiterate-the-same-fears-and/) Olli Jalonen > [“It's easier to simply react; to choose to try to do everything, rather than make the difficult decisions and unchoose things -- it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-crabbe/it-s-easier-to-simply-react-to-choose-to-try-to-do-everything-rather/) [Tony Crabbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-crabbe/) > [A film is a chain of very difficult decisions, and I think one of them is to choose an accurate cast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-camara/a-film-is-a-chain-of-very-difficult-decisions-and-i-think-one-of-them/) [Javier Camara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-camara/) > [I do think that despite my best efforts to resist it, I am now a grown-up. It's due to lots of very difficult decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/i-do-think-that-despite-my-best-efforts-to-resist-it-i-am-now-a-grown/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) ## More by Katharine Hayhoe > [Our carbon emissions have to eventually go to zero. We have to. Otherwise we're never going to have a stable climate and that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/our-carbon-emissions-have-to-eventually-go-to-zero-we-have-to/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [If we smoke, there's no magic number of cigarettes, or number of years, that we can smoke before we know we'll get lung cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/if-we-smoke-there-s-no-magic-number-of-cigarettes-or-number-of-years/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [We're not paying a real price for carbon. If we were, we wouldn't be using as much. We need to have the right perspective.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/we-re-not-paying-a-real-price-for-carbon-if-we-were-we-wouldn-t-be/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [It's easier to discredit the science than to say that climate change is a genuine issue but we don't want to do anything about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/it-s-easier-to-discredit-the-science-than-to-say-that-climate-change/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [People have taken advantage of the very well-trodden pathways that divide science and faith on other issues, such as creation, evolution, and the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/people-have-taken-advantage-of-the-very-well-trodden-pathways-that/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [When I look around, the biggest way in which we are failing to care for those in need is through ignoring climate change and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/when-i-look-around-the-biggest-way-in-which-we-are-failing-to-care/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [I think it's interesting that the United States and Australia are two of the most individualistic nations in the entire world in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/i-think-it-s-interesting-that-the-united-states-and-australia-are-two/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [The first thing we can do as individuals and as communities, like a school or a university or a church, is cut our energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/the-first-thing-we-can-do-as-individuals-and-as-communities-like-a/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [It's easier to deny the reality of the problem altogether than acknowledge that it is real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/it-s-easier-to-deny-the-reality-of-the-problem-altogether-than/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [I don't have to change the world all by myself, I just need to partner in the work God wants us to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/i-don-t-have-to-change-the-world-all-by-myself-i-just-need-to-partner/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [I feel that one of the most important things I can do is connect climate change to the values, the faith, and the issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/i-feel-that-one-of-the-most-important-things-i-can-do-is-connect/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [We have to reach out to churches and schools and help people understand science, and we have to build rapport between scientists and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/we-have-to-reach-out-to-churches-and-schools-and-help-people/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [I've even had people tell me that I must not be a Christian because I think climate change is real. But you know, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/i-ve-even-had-people-tell-me-that-i-must-not-be-a-christian-because-i/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [When I talk to my neighbor, or to someone at church who doesn't accept that the planet is changing, I know that they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/when-i-talk-to-my-neighbor-or-to-someone-at-church-who-doesn-t-accept/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) > [One of the biggest issues with renewables right now is the fact that if the wind isn't blowing, if the sun isn't shining, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hayhoe/one-of-the-biggest-issues-with-renewables-right-now-is-the-fact-that/) [Katharine Hayhoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) [Explore all 41 Katharine Hayhoe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hayhoe/) ## More Climate change quotes > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [There are many more traits that the climate deniers share with the creationists and Holocaust deniers and others who distort the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-r-prothero/there-are-many-more-traits-that-the-climate-deniers-share-with-the/) [Donald R. Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-r-prothero/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I do not underestimate the difficulty of the challenge that global climate change presents to us. It will take a significant effort and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-pena/i-do-not-underestimate-the-difficulty-of-the-challenge-that-global/) [Federico Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-pena/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [As a politician - particularly as a politician in a coalition - you quickly realise that compromise is a part of the game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/) [Edward Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-davey/) > [George H.W. Bush said we will lead on climate change, and we'll lead from the top. That was 30 years ago. And now Republicans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bullock/george-h-w-bush-said-we-will-lead-on-climate-change-and-we-ll-lead/) [Steve Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bullock/) > [Climate change is not an excuse to give the federal government ever more power over private property and state resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-strange/climate-change-is-not-an-excuse-to-give-the-federal-government-ever/) [Luther Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-strange/) > [Most Americans believe in fairness; we believe that people should work hard but there should be a safety net. We believe in saving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-maclean/most-americans-believe-in-fairness-we-believe-that-people-should-work/) [Nancy MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-maclean/) > [21st-century foreign policy is going to be built on countries that can tackle transnational challenges together. Climate change and public health are the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/21st-century-foreign-policy-is-going-to-be-built-on-countries-that/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [You'd be forgiven for thinking that climate change means we'll have to sacrifice our creature comforts. But it doesn't have to be that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lynas/you-d-be-forgiven-for-thinking-that-climate-change-means-we-ll-have/) [Mark Lynas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lynas/) > [Wind and solar power, energy efficient buildings, cars that go farther on a tank of gas, and other solutions can fight climate change. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-beinecke/wind-and-solar-power-energy-efficient-buildings-cars-that-go-farther/) [Frances Beinecke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-beinecke/) [Browse all 2,684 Climate change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's a common perception that science and religion are mutually exclusive. But there are many scientists who would consider themselves to be spiritual people. 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