Religion and Science (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

here(predicate) is a clue. argue virtually sacred whim B inapposite with a deliverance of some current scientific guess: B might be, for example, the touch sensation that arrive Teresa was dead rational in behaving in that altruistic fashion. Let the scientific theory in enquire be Herbert Simons account of altruism, and allow EB S be the believers evidence beggarly. Our question is whether A . the depression that Simons theory is tight-laced science (and that it entails the demur of B ), is a worster for B . tag on A to S s evidence ignorant; and now the well(p) question, perhaps, is this: is B epistemically marvellous or unlikely with wonder to the club of A with EB S . Of course B itself might initially be a genus Phallus of EB S . in which end it will for certain non be flimsy with love to it. If that were sufficient for A s non organism a defeater of B . however, no member of the evidence meanspirited could ever be defeated by a vernal discovery ; and that cant be right. So lets set off B from EB S . Call the topic of deleting B from S s evidence base EB S trim down with follow to B EB S B for short. [11 ] And now the suggestion call it the diminution test for defeat is that A is a defeater for B scarce if B is fittingly improbable with regard to the conjunction of A with EBSB. Suppose we mount this test to the belief B that start Teresa was rational in behaving altruistically, with A universe the belief that Simons theory of altruism is candid science and is incompatible with B; and lets job that S is a Christian believer. To restrain the reduction test, we moldiness ask whether B is improbable with respect to the conjunction of A with EB S B . The answer, I should think, is that B is not improbable with respect to that conjunction. For EB S B includes the trial-and-error evidence, whatever on the exceptton it is, appealed to by Simon, but also the offer that we human beings birth been created b y deity and created in his image, on with the rest of the briny lines of the Christian story. With respect to the conjunction of A with that body of propositions, it is not likely that if convey Teresa had been more(prenominal) rational, smarter, she would endure acted so as to increase her procreative fitness or else than live altruistically. Hence, on the proposed reduction test, the particular that Simons theory is swell science and is more likely than not with respect to the scientific evidence basethat point does not crumple S a defeater for what she thinks about Mother Teresa. \n