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The physical scientists lean towards maybe, maybe not, while the humanitarians, theologians, and life sciences types lean towards yes. Personally, I think mult
by russell 18y ago
The physical scientists lean towards maybe, maybe not, while the humanitarians, theologians, and life sciences types lean towards yes.
Personally, I think multiple universes explain everything.
- Herring 18y agoYou'd think it'd give them pause that people actually studying the universe are so likely to say no.
- ekiru 18y agoPhysicists, astronomers, and astrophysicists - 3 Yes or most likely yes(the link to Paul Davies' essay lists his answer as "Perhaps", but in the essay, he consistently argues in favor of the universe having purpose), 2 No or most likely no. Chemists - 2 No, although de Duve's essay does not seem to disagree with finding a greater meaning in the universe, but merely with the terminology of the question. Humanities and social sciences - 2 Yes. Theologians - 2 Yes. Computer scientist - 1 Yes. It seems to me to be inaccurate to claim that the physical scientists tend towards uncertainty. None of them express uncertainty in their essays answering the question. They are fairly evenly split between belief in purpose for the universe and lack of such belief, however. Your judgment about the theologians, social scientists, etc. leaning towards yes is much more supported by their answers, since they all did say something which is equivalent to yes.
- vinutheraj 18y agoI don't think a sample space of 12 people, however eminent they are, isn't enough to make a general statement like this. Sorry!
- ekiru 18y agoOf course not, but if one does make a generalization based on this small sample as the person I was replying to did, one's generalization should agree with the data.