Science Versus Superstition

Science Versus Superstition

We all have a choice to make about how we want to live our lives and how we want to think about all the things we will encounter over the years. Do we intend to lean toward the supernatural/paranormal stuff and relax our skepticism or do we want to go with science and keep it as real as possible? It’s not always one or the other, of course. Many people jump back and forth between the two. I would argue, however, that it doesn’t make sense to be science minded one day and superstitious the next. Pick a team. If the scientific method is the best way we have to figure out what is real, and if you agree that being aligned with truth and reality is wise, then why would you ever want to leave that path? I suggest you make up your mind which way will serve you best and then commit to it.

So which way is for you? Science or magic? Astronomy or astrology? Alternative medicine or medical science? Microbes or monsters? Crystals or quarks? Choosing between evidence-based science and faith-based magic shouldn’t be too difficult. Don’t overthink it. Just ask yourself the following: Which one does the best job of paying off in useful ways for you? Which one is more reliable? and Which one has the better record of success? Maybe the simple thought experiments below can help you to decide:

You need to communicate with your grandmother urgently. But she lives two thousand miles away. What do you do? Do you close your eyes and begin chanting Grandma’s name in the hopes of establishing a psychic connection? Or do you simply call her on a piece of technology produced by science known as a phone?

You want to visit Hawaii for summer vacation. Do you attempt to travel there via astral projection or do you board a jet, another product of scientific thinking?

Your best friend accidentally cuts her hand with a knife and is bleeding profusely. Do you rush her to a faith healer so that he can pray for the cut to close? Or do you rush her to a hospital, where doctors and nurses apply medical science to treat injuries?

A young child loves space and dreams of discovering amazing things about the universe one day. For his birthday, you want to give him a gift that will help him toward that goal. Do you give him an astrology book or an astronomy book?

It should be obvious that science works. Even people who hate science and oppose it publicly and politically rely on it every day. I only wish it were obvious to everyone that paranormal and supernatural claims don’t work. Science is reliable. It’s not perfect, of course, but it’s better than anything else we have. The long list of scientific achievements proves it. Just look around, for all the hype and noise, modern civilization certainly is not running on magic. It rests on a foundation of science and it is powered by science.

Please don’t misread my words and think that I am suggesting science is the perfect and always-good counterbalance to irrational beliefs. Science is not a religion. It’s not a moral system. Science can be bad, too, very bad. Science is also wrong much of the time. Scientists can be dumb and dishonest just like anyone else, as well. Try not to think of science as an institution or big organization like Congress or Microsoft. Science is best thought of as a tool. And, like most tools, it can be used to do something constructive or to whack somebody over the head. Science is a great way of thinking and discovering that helps us figure out much about the world and the universe. But as a collection of current facts and wisdom, it’s not perfect—not even close—and to its credit, it doesn’t claim to be. Always keep this in mind. One shouldn’t believe in or revere “Science” in a way that might be described as worship or unwavering loyalty because we know that some significant portion of today’s scientific knowledge is almost certainly wrong and will need to be corrected in the future.

Science is used to do bad things all the time. Science is the reason many of us can live longer and more comfortable lives than our ancestors did, but it’s also the reason some countries have thousands of nuclear weapons and are capable of killing billions of people and destroying civilization in less than an hour. Science gives us a life-saving vaccine one day and a chemical weapon that melts your face the next day. Science can be used for good or bad, it’s for us to decide. One thing can’t be denied, however: It works. What about magical thinking?

How much good has superstition done for the world? The bad is easy to find; the good, not so much. Supernatural and paranormal beliefs have inspired and sanctioned tremendous abuse and exploitation over the centuries. From the horrors of human sacrifice and the routine terror of the Dark Ages to the trillions of dollars fleeced from weak skeptics by con artists today, magical thinking has always come with a huge price. But what about the positives? What good has it brought the world? Not as much as many claim, it turns out. It may be true that many people have found hope and reassurance in the warm embrace of the make-believe. But at what cost? And was this the only source of comfort available? I don’t think so. Could many of those who clung to superstition not have turned to their family and neighbors for love and support instead? In many cases, superstition comes between human relationships. Relying on shamans and gurus who sold them empty air and called it magic might have felt comforting for many people in times of need, but perhaps they could have found as much or more elsewhere if they had tried. Certainly good skeptics have no problem hoping, finding inspiration, and enjoying the embrace of fellow humans during difficult times. It is a lie to say that a world dominated by truth and reality would necessarily be a world without hope and comfort. Many good skeptics live in that world as much as they can right now and are doing just fine.