Tillett 1
Carrie Tillett
Dr. Simmons
LBST 110-14
10 November 2009
Word Count 1084
A Disentanglement of Puzzle Pieces that Cannot Occur
Many societies inadvertently make use of science and religion or philosophy as one in the
same, while trying to keep control and order. This combination seems bonded and hard to
disentangle especially when focusing on truths. One difference comes while discussing truth.
Science truths are focused on data, experiments, and evaluations. Although this seems exactly
like religion or philosophy, the difference occurs in the framework of each word. Science is
narrow and only reveals scientific truth. In order to understand or recognize complete truth, one
must view life through a religious point of view as well as a scientific one. If a society were to
attempt to view happenings as solely scientific, one would have to completely dissolve the idea
of thoughts, religion, and opinions. This would result in restricted societies without much truth.
This is the opposite case if one were only looking at religion working alone in a society. These
trials would weaken truths and make them confined. Using religion and scientific ideas or
thoughts strengthens all truths and overall makes the society stronger. Although science and
philosophy both start and end with wonder many differences keep them separated as well as help
them to fulfill communities and make them well rounded in a sense. Science offers a more data
driven way of life as was the case for Charles Darwin while Islam and Augustine's Confessions
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focus on pleasing a God through a religious and philosophical aspect. Each of these offerings
work together like puzzle pieces to create a society where the individual pieces are confusing and
weak until placed together in the puzzle life.
The scientific method plays a large, underlying piece in how a society functions. This
method allows for a main question or hypothesis to arise and experimentation to occur which
provides data and results. Much like an experimental project, people run through their busy lives
focusing and portraying this exact method. In Charles Darwin's Origin of Species, the
philosophy aspect slides to the back only revealing solid data that can be interpreted by the
reader. Science provides a more systematic, data driven way of life. It affects the way people
interact and communicate and can make a person think they are an individual element, acting
alone. However, that is not the case even though people characterize science as a process of
seeking truth which is similar to philosophy and religion.
Darwin references a creator, "having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few
forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of
gravity" (Schmidt 122), shows that science and religion have to work together and cannot be
completely separated from one another. Religion solves the moral problem that science cannot
answer since science focuses solely on facts. Together they solve a problem and work towards
truth seeking, using morals and ethics as a platform to further engage oneself or society. Many
people think science and religion are polar opposites; however, it can be noted that they must
work together to achieve a fulfilled society. Life cannot function without complete knowledge
of each branch whether science, religion, or philosophy. Science and religion can work together
to explain two different aspects of the same event. For example, the second before the Big Bang
Theory relies on religion to explain everything. On the other hand, the second after is explained
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using science because there is physical proof and data in a scientific form. With every life event
this is true. Working together, science and religion show different aspects which must be looked
at in order to truly understand a life happening.
A purely religious society would have the capability of answering only part of the
question mentioned earlier. Religion can be viewed as a single puzzle piece which can attempt
to gain control or focus over a society. From an Islamic viewpoint, the Qur'an guides a person
through the procedures which one should follow in order to portray a fulfilled life. "The answer
to this question lies in the totality of meaning bestowed by Islam as a religion on life in general"
(Schmidt 74). This shows that religion is the basis of everything Muslims do. They live life
purely for God and according to God's satisfaction. Science is not innately combined in their
work of living, or at least it does not seem part of the piece. Similar to the Qur'an's point of
listen and recite, Augustine makes a point of take and read. Augustine's Confessions focus on
religion and philosophy working independently in a society as well. For Augustine, God is more
personal and present. He/she is intimately part of each person's life in a society causing religion
to truly take over and become the sole viewpoint of the people. God alone is what a person can
desire infinitely which allows him/her to rest with him. Religion supports a society as well as it
can as a single puzzle piece, yet missing the other part of the picture.
In a well ordered and functional society, every puzzle piece must come together to form a
complete picture or community. Science, religion, and philosophy cannot ever be disentangled
and sorted into single entities. Separating these interdependent domains would cause failure and
result in controversy of a higher extent. As noted above, science and religion cannot act
individually in a well functioning society and can never create a fulfilled person. Although
philosophy and science are two different domains of human inquiry, they must work together in
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order to achieve a more complete community and set of life answers. Though each different
realm: science, philosophy, and religion, contain data they all define the term somewhat
differently while still containing evidence from their domain.
A society without all three would collapse and would not lead to a fulfilled person.
Using Darwin, Augustine's Confessions, and Islamic views, a society can be created which
utilizes every puzzle piece and; therefore, it creates a complete picture and a thriving society.
Also, truth recognizes each aspect or puzzle piece and utilizes them to define events or topics
which occur. Understanding makes use of each aspect and without the partnership, a stable
society will crumble and break to pieces. History has shown that without all the puzzle pieces a
society cannot thrive and grow.
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Works Cited
Schmidt, Lawrence K., ed. Journeys: Selected Readings. Acton: Copley Custom Textbooks,
2009. Print.