PHYS 125

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PHYS 125

• The Big Issues
• Lecture 6
• Science, Ethics, Beliefs and Religion

Dr Chris Bowdery
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The Big Issues
Science, Ethics, Beliefs and Religion
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Science and Ethics
What do scientists do? Learn about the
world? Meddle with it? Control what is around
us? Observe the universe?
Probably all of these in different circumstances
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Physics Research
Most university physics research is observing
under controlled conditions. Controlling the
world is not usually on the agenda.
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Physics Research and Ethics
Some physics research does have ethical
considerations.
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Physics Research and Ethics
Nuclear weapons
Wartime work not supervised by society Now UN
and other groups monitor work
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Physics Research and Ethics
Nanotechnology
Nano-scale ? billionth of a metre 10-100 atoms
(one day individual atoms) Nano-particles
(already used in some products) Encompasses
precision engineering as well as electronics
electromechanical systems (eg 'lab-on-a-chip'
devices) , mainstream biomedical applications in
areas as diverse as gene therapy, drug delivery
and novel drug discovery techniques.
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Physics Research and Ethics
Nanotechnology
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Physics Research and Ethics
Nanotechnology
Ethical concerns General health
hazards Specific self-replicating nano-robots
These could run amok and transform the materials
(biomass) around us into who-knows-what. ? the
grey goo scenario (Eric Drexler 1986)
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Physics Research and Ethics
Nanotechnology
No-one is planning to build self-replicating
robots No-one knows how. More a hypothetical
scare than a real issue
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Physics Research and Ethics
Communicating with ET
If ET is hostile, we might be giving away our
existence ? conquest from space
Today SETI scientists are only listening not
talking But our radio, TV and radars are giving
us away
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Physics Research and Ethics
High Energy Physics
Could a future particle accelerator create a mini
black hole ? devour the Earth?
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Physics Research and Ethics
High Energy Physics

• Theory suggests production of mini-black holes is
  very unlikely
• Cosmic rays hit Earth with much higher
  energies and nothing bad has happened

2) Subatomic black holes could not devour
anything anyway.
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Physics Research and Ethics
Conclusion
All these areas need monitoring This is already
happening (COSHH) Education to allay fears and
scares Balance between stopping everything and
allowing everything.

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Science and Beliefs
Astrology the belief that the positions of the
planets amongst the stars, as viewed from the
Earth, at the time of a persons birth, have an
affect on that persons future.
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Astrology
Before planets and stars were understood, easy to
see how their appearance and movements in the sky
should seem to be mysterious and important.
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Astrology
Now hard to reconcile astrology with science.
Influence of the planets (if any) cannot be due
to gravity (well understood). It would have to
be some other effect, unknown to science. Not
hard to conceive of a time when a baby is born on
another planet. Would the position of Earth
affect that babys future? If so, Earth should
affect our future and more so than the other
planets.
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Astrology
Experts in astrology claim that we should not
attack a subject we know little about. This
sounds like good advice but it is also good
advice to consider alternative explanations
grounded in psychology and chance coincidences.
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Astrology
Should we make a distinction between tabloid
astrology and the serious practitioners? Astro
logy is a bit of fun. Astronomy is lots of fun.
Nigel Marshall (GCSE Astronomy examiner)
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Superstition
Superstitions rules of behaviour based upon bad
experiences and fears in the past. This
course does not presume to pronounce on what is
right or wrong.
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Science and Religion
Always been controversial Sometimes disagreement,
sometimes persecution (verbal, violent) Opposed
or in harmony?
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Science and Religion
Science probably cannot say anything about a
possible spiritual aspect to life.
By definition outside of the scope of normal
physical experimentation.
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Science and Religion
Cannot contribute to the existence of God
and life-after-death
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Science and Religion
This doesnt stop scientists expressing an
opinion (like everyone else)
We will examine a range of views
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Science and Religion
Richard Dawkins Zoologist, author,
atheist Considers religion to be foolish
nonsense a virus of the mind
Photo by Lalla Ward
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Science and Religion
Steven Weinberg Physicist, Nobel prize
winner, atheist Presented a physics view against
existence of God in Dreams of a Final Theory
1992
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Science and Religion
John Polkinghorne Physicist, author, became
anglican priest Switched from academic career
in particle physics theory. Sees no conflict
between science and Christianity
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Science and Religion
Abdus Salam (1926-1996) Physicist, Nobel prize
winner devout Muslim Saw no contradiction
between Islam and science
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Science and Religion
Brian Josephson Physicist, Nobel prize
winner believes in the paranormal Directs the
Mind-matter unification project
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Science and Religion
The Soul and the Spirit
Soul 1 nonphysical aspect of person the complex
of human attributes that manifests as
consciousness, thought, feeling, and will,
regarded as distinct from the physical body 2
religion spirit surviving death in some systems
of religious belief, the spiritual part of a
human being that is believed to continue to exist
after the body dies. Old English sawol .
Ultimately from a prehistoric Germanic word that
is also the ancestor of German Seele soul.
(MSN Encarta dictionary definition, incomplete
list)
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Science and Religion
The Soul and the Spirit
Spirit 1 life force of individual a vital force
that characterizes a living being as being
alive 2 will somebodys will, sense of self, or
enthusiasm for living 3 paranormal supernatural
entity a supernatural being that does not have a
physical body, for example, a ghost, fairy,
angel, or demon 4 soul somebodys soul,
especially that of a dead person 13th century.
Via Anglo-Norman from Latin spiritus , literally
breath, from spirare  to breathe, of unknown
origin. The underlying idea is of the breath of
life. (MSN Encarta dictionary definition,
incomplete list)
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Science and Religion
The Soul and the Spirit
Some religions believe in separate body and
spirit and/or mind and/or soul Some believe in a
unity of these.
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Science and Religion
The Soul and the Spirit
Science ? some things commonly associated with
the soul/spirit are strongly connected with
physics biology e.g. the brain consciousness,
artistic ability, aesthetic sense, etc. Whether
this argues against the existence of the
soul/spirit is unclear.
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Science and Religion
Was the Universe created?
This is a topic we can discuss here. There are
four distinct scenarios.
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Universe
1 Infinite creator God created by some
means Conventional science Other
science
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Universe
2 No creator Always existed or Spontaneously
came into existence
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Universe
3 Created by an advanced civilisation for
research purposes? Physicists believe that given
time we could eventually do this
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Universe
4 Just a simulation on someones powerful
computer for research purposes? Physicists
believe that given time we will eventually do this
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Universe
1 is the oldest scenario 2 was thought to be
impossible but now popular, especially with
atheists 3 4 require an explanation of their
origin Maybe 1 requires an explanation of Gods
origin (?) 4 seems unpleasant but .
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Universe
Maybe an advance civilisation can achieve time
travel and make a universe which it can live
in. Closed loop which allows a designed universe
without an external creator. Bizarre?
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Science and Religion
Much to discuss Little to conclude for now