Science at Fault | AdventAI

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Nov 28, 1878

Science at Fault.

The late president of the American Association for the advancement of science went far out of his way in asserting that “science leaves no room or ground for the influence of a will upon the sequence of mundane events.” How does Prof. Newcomb know that? Is there not mental as well as physical science, and does not one take cognizance of phenomena, quite as much as the other? and will the physical scientist prescribe the limits of mental science?

“Science,” said the great scientist, Prof. Henry, “is the knowledge of the laws of phenomena, whether they relate to mind or matter.” Prof. Newcomb would do well to revise his utterances, for how does he or how does science know what is and what may be back of law? Did passionless matter create itself, or did it never have creation? How came it to be what it is, then? Do its laws exist ex necessitate rei? Whence came consciousness and will and design? To attempt to solve these problems by a stroke of the pen is to turn back the current of Niagara by an edict. The sacred writer finds a knowledge that is too vast for him, and he adds, “I cannot attain to it.” There is knowledge beyond the apprehension of scientists and theologians; we all stand confronted by mystery, and all that the most enlightened can do is to wait in silence and be humble.—Christian at Work.