All things Quote by Thomas Burnet
“...tis a dangerous thing to ingage the authority of Scripture in disputes about the Natural World, in opposition to Reason; lest Time, which brings all things to light, should discover that to be evidently false which we had made Scripture to assert.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Sacred and Secular Knowledge, 1685
Relying on scripture to refute scientific explanations can backfire when truth emerges over time.
In simple terms: Using faith to deny science can be disproved later.
Key Takeaway
Balance faith with empirical inquiry.
Themes
science vs religion
authority
truth
epistemology
skepticism
Mood
cautious
reflective
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- public policy
- education curricula
Key Concepts
critical thinking
historical analysis
philosophy of science
Questions to Reflect On
- What role should scripture play in modern scientific discourse?
- How can reason and faith coexist constructively?
A Different Perspective
Risk of undermining credibility when evidence contradicts claims.
![“[I]t is to be borne in mind, in regard to the philosophical sciences, that the inferior sciences neither prove their principles nor dispute with those who deny them, but leave this to a higher science; whereas the highest of them, viz. metaphysics, can dispute with one who denies its principles…” quote by Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cfc/thomas-aquinas-837_faith_i-t-is-to-be-borne-in-mind-in-regard-to_496751.jpg)
