Spirituality and Science

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleDuhovnost i nauka
3. Language term Serbian
4. lemma author Stevanovic, Aleksandra
5. lemma category Key thinkers - Orthodox Anthropology
6. Publication date 30-11-2017
7. lemma work Vidovic, Zarko [Author]. Spirituality and Science
8. lemma manifestations YouTube
9. Keywords
   1. Vidovic, Zarko
10. Keywords Orthodox spirituality
11. Url 30/11/2017
12. Lemma body

    1. One of the most prominent Serbian Christian thinkers, Professor Žarko Vidović in his lecture “Spirituality and Science” argues that science about man is not possible. Science about body is possible, it is a medicine, but it goes no further than being the science of nerves. Whenever it has been attempted to discuss soul scientifically, it has turned into ideology.

       The question raised during the lecture which dealt with how science and religion shape human thought. The professor also acknowledged the importance of freedom that is connected to selfhood as the entrance to spirituality. He further stated that the civilization is but a world of technique. That is a crucial point of his lecture explaining that even spirituality, along with freedom, is endangered in the present world. It is reflected on spirituality in a way that technique decides on all, even in the sphere of culture.

       According to professor Vidović, the feeling of freedom is the entrance to spirituality, so that a man would approach spirituality, he has to feel freedom as his dignity.

       At the beginning, the professor mentioned an important chapter in human history since which the power of an individual became clear. The individual was at one point in ability to throw bombs on Japanese Hiroshima and Nagasaki even though it was declared prohibited. That is another impact of the decisive position of technique in the world.

       The lecture continues by pointing out that science is cognition which we do not have knowledge of. Our entire knowledge are sense impressions, and scientific knowlegde is but an experiment. The only subject of thinking are our experiences, according to Vidović. Such experiences, when they undergo experiment, may become theories, but there are unexplicatory experiences as well. Science leans on possibility of experiment and evidence; however, there are conditions for which we  do not have any explanations or proofs. Those are feelings.

       The moderator of the lecture, nuclear physicist Vladimir Ajdacic added to the discussion by saying that physicist Jacobi said that the aim of science is to sublime, heighten, and complete the statement with the thought that the ascended human spirit is close to feelings.

       Generally, the lecture by professor Vidović adds demarcation to the realization of science and spirituality by stating what their interests are and providing space for both of them. In that sense, it is evident that dissent science and religion is not justified since there are aspects that only science can discuss, and points only religion can refer to.