Education
Do You ‘Believe in Science’…or Not?
Is science an oracle of truth—revealing what we should do and how we should think—or is it an ongoing, contested deliberation about that truth?
Jacob Z. Hess
August 28, 2020
Is science an oracle of truth—revealing what we should do and how we should think—or is it an ongoing, contested deliberation about that truth?
However nice it would be to feel unified in our response to COVID-19, there are many ongoing differences in perspective between thoughtful, good-hearted people. Could it help to map out fairly what those disagreements are?
Confusion, anxiety, despair, and anger are everywhere. Thankfully, we are not left “comfortless” or without inspired direction in these challenging times.
In an age of increasing distance, some important answers are available close at home—as mindful partners can help restore our yearning for intimacy.
Regarding COVID-19 and those who have assumed management of our lives, the public needs to know and agree on when it is necessary for us to cede control.
When presumptuous certainty stands in the place of a living faith, the stage is set for the shattering of one’s “faith” without typically even recognizing the hyper-fragility of what had been tightly held previously.
As we find gratitude in the midst of pandemic, it’s important we give our gratitude not just generally but specifically to those who have helped us.
During a pandemic, it’s tempting to think that it is somehow misguided to be focusing on education. C.S. Lewis boldly and beautifully suggests otherwise.
Job’s words, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord,” are especially meaningful post-COVID.
Why have governments not deemed churches “life-sustaining” like similar public accommodations? Recent court rulings may help clarify the balance.
When we free our beliefs from the constraints and obligations of truth, we lose our greatest defense against toxic polarization.
Conspiracy theories can be dangerous and outright false. But they can also sometimes be true (opioid epidemic). Rather than write them all off, how can we better discern truth from error?