The problem of interaction between science and religion

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleПроблема взаимоотношений науки и религии
3. Language term Russian
4. lemma author Asliturk, Miriam
5. lemma category Ethics - Culture and national identities - Education, Science and Orthodoxy - Conflict - Scientific theories and disciplines > Psychology-Psychoanalysis
6. Publication date 2009
7. lemma work Гончаров, Владимир Петрович [Author]. Проблема взаимоотношений науки и религии
8. lemma manifestations Философия и общество
9. Keywords Religious education - psychology - Russian government - Russian Orthodox Church - Secular education - scientific knowledge - Scientific research
10. Url Click Here
11. Citations
    1. <p>Гончаров, Владимир Петрович (2009). Проблема взаимоотношений науки и религии. <em>Философия и общество.</em> Retrieved from: <a href="http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/problema-vzaimootnosheniy-nauki-i-religii">http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/problema-vzaimootnosheniy-nauki-i-religii</a> </p>
12. Lemma body

    1. The author argues that currently Russian authorities use religion to hide the fact that there is no clear ideology in the country. Naturally, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) uses this situation of ideological vacuum to reinforce its power over Russian society. Many Russian scientists who had previously claimed to be atheists have now embraced religion. The ROC influences the press, educational institutions, even the army. At the same time we witness the obvious degradation of science in Russia. Hundreds of thousands of scientists have left Russia since the 1990s, and many research centres and high tech industries ceased to exist. Many schools have been closed, particularly in rural areas. Russian authorities and a large part of the intelligentsia currently support the teaching of religious subjects such as the Basis of Orthodox Christian Culture in secondary schools.

       According to the author, teaching modern ethics and aesthetics would be much more beneficial than teaching religion to children. Goncharov thinks that morals and ethics were not developed uniquely by the Christian Church but were worked out throughout the centuries by society as a whole. The Church monopolizes only a fraction of ethics developed by humanity and therefore it is not fair to recognize it as the sole source of wisdom. The author believes that engaging priests into the educational process will bring more harm than benefits. Firstly, because priests are not able to give useful education, they are not teachers or educators. Secondly, there will be a conflict between Russian Orthodoxy and other religions at school. According to the author, religion can be taught only by secular teachers in the framework of courses on the history of world religions. If Russia wants to be competitive in the world it needs modernization through the support of science and scientific progress. At the same time it should stop helping religion, which represents an outdated instrument of social control.

       Goncharov points out that currently humanity faces a crisis of shortage of resources and it is only science that can help overcome this crisis. In this context, the author wonders if humanity needs religion at all. On the one hand, the Church does provide psychological aid to those who can be satisfied by it. On the other hand, religious consciousness produces fanatics that can even become terrorists.

       The author concludes that the Russian State must put clear limits on religion, stop affiliating itself with the Church, and support a secular worldview among the younger generations. As well, the Russian State should put strict measures against supporters of so-called alternative medicine, support free critical speech against religion, propagate secularism, and finally support genuine non-religious education, science, and culture.