Sean Carroll: <Some people have as their primary goal advocating for some sort of cause, whereas others are simply devoted to the truth. But an organization advocating for science needs to take both into consideration.>
I agree with this, in principle.
However, we need to be very clear about what one means by Truth.
There is <theoretical truth> and there is experiential truth.> It is the latter that Gandhi had in mind when he wrote about his <Experiments with Truth.>
People advocating a cause often have a certain type of truth in mind.
Science itself is an enterprise that is working for a cause: the quest for truths about the phenomenal world.
It seems to me that it would be in the best interest of science if scientists qua scientists keep silent on religious truths. But as thinking people and as citizens they have every right and obligation to speak on such issues.
But it could be inappropriate for scientific organizations to take a position on religious matters, exactly as (in enlightened frameworks) governments and governmental leaders refrain from advocating one religion or another.
January 20, 2010
Spurts of Thought 