SCIENTIFIC LEAP OF FAITH

by Bill Nugent
Article #101

  The phrase “leap of faith” is usually applied to religious people. In this article we shall see how this phrase also clearly and stunningly applies to those scientists who believe in an atheistic materialistic worldview.

Let me first explain the logic and rationale by which a scientist must process natural phenomena. The scientist must first use inductive reasoning in a formula known as the scientific method. In the scientific method the scientist adds the findings of experiments to come to a conclusion. In using the scientific method the scientist is moving from the parts (data) to the whole (conclusion, established fact).

Once facts are gathered the scientist must use the analytical method to make sense of the facts. The analytical method is the means by which a scientist explains the logic of the facts. A convenient way to do this is by means of a syllogism. A syllogism is a logical argument consisting of three parts. The first two parts of a syllogism are statements of facts that provide the evidence from which the conclusion is drawn. The third part of the syllogism is the conclusion.

A common example of a syllogism is as follows:

1. All men are mortal.
2. Socrates is a man,
3. therefore Socrates is mortal.

We can clearly see that the conclusion: ‘Socrates is mortal’ proceeds logically and reasonably from the facts presented in the first two parts of the syllogism.

Now let’s build a syllogism from established scientific facts and see what conclusion logically flows from those facts.

1. Single celled organisms are extremely complex functioning systems and are in fact more complex than any machine made by man.
2. Complex functioning systems have been observed to come about only by the deliberate actions of an intelligent designer.
3. Conclusion: A pre-existing intelligent designer must have assembled the first single celled organism. We may call this intelligent designer, God.

An atheistic materialistic scientist, when confronted with the above syllogism would not likely try to dispute fact # 1. All scientists now know that single celled organisms are complex beyond comprehension. An atheistic scientist may be bold enough to dispute fact # 2. If the scientist disputes the fact that complex functioning systems come about only by an intelligent designer I would challenge him to show me even one example in nature or in the laboratory where a complex functioning system came about by random processes. (Even S.E.T.I. would consider a mere simple sentence received by radio signal from a distant galaxy as evidence of intelligent alien life!)

An atheistic materialistic scientist, if he persists in atheistic materialism, would challenge the third part of the syllogism which is the conclusion that an intelligent designer assembled the first living single celled organism. This challenge of the third part of the syllogism is what I call the scientific leap of faith!

This is where atheistic materialistic scientists abandon reason and say — against all odds — that the immeasurable complexity of “simple” life forms came about by random collisions of atoms. They have no scientific proof that such complexity could come from randomness yet they persist in believing it and that is a leap of faith!!!

Atheistic materialism, because it involves a leap of faith is therefore a religion. Secular Humanism, which is roughly synonymous with atheistic materialism is recognized by the US government as a religion deserving tax exempt status.

Many scientists are no longer inclined to take this leap of faith and have therefore abandoned atheistic materialism. Many such scientists have become part of the Intelligent Design Movement. Some formerly atheistic scientists have turned to God through Christ to receive forgiveness of their sins.
 

(C) 2016 William P. Nugent, permission granted to email or republish for Christian outreach.