The Carina Nebula, in an image from the ESO Paranal Observatory in Chile<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is no more heretical to say the Universe displays purpose, as [Sir Fred] Hoyle has done, than to say that it is pointless, as Steven Weinberg has done. \u00a0Both statements are metaphysical and outside science. \u00a0Yet it seems that scientists are permitted by their own colleagues to say metaphysical things about lack of purpose and not the reverse. \u00a0This suggests to me that science, in allowing this metaphysical notion, sees itself as religion and presumably as an atheistic religion (if you can have such a thing).\u2019<\/p>\n
Michael Shallis, \u201cIn the eye of a storm,\u201d\u00a0New Scientist<\/em>,\u00a0101 (1393): 42\u201343 (19 January 1984)<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Posted from Venice, Italy<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u201cIt is no more heretical to say the Universe displays purpose, as [Sir Fred] Hoyle has done, than to say that it is pointless, as Steven Weinberg has done. \u00a0Both statements are metaphysical and outside science. \u00a0Yet it seems that scientists are permitted by their own colleagues to say metaphysical things about lack […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Nebula](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2016\/05\/559px-The_spectacular_star-forming_Carina_Nebula_imaged_by_the_VLT_Survey_Telescope.jpg\")
<\/a>