2008 Woodie Awards
Our knowledge of the world
Issue date: 5/1/08
Johns Hopkins, as the first modern research university, was envisioned as a distinctly secular institution. Rather than a divinity school, we would have labs. That is why it is surprising to learn that many students at this university believe in creationism. This is particularly surprising considering the University's reputation as a bastion of the hard sciences.
Consequently, the University is put in a position where they must negotiate their commitment to science with upholding students' rights to hold and express their own faiths beyond the classroom. The University is obligated to be uncompromising in its scientific pursuits, but it must also provide space for students to express their own beliefs.
Dean Falk is right to insist that students at Hopkins uphold the principles upon which the University was founded, those of the scientific method in the classroom.
The study of science is a constant discovery. Professors make no claims of having a holistic understanding of the universe. They do try, however, to convey the best information available at hand. The evidence suggests that creationism in terms of a theory to explain phenomena in biology is not workable in the scientific method of reasoning, which is why efforts to test the theory scientifically have not been attempted. Conversely, the theory of evolution has been subjugated to the scientific method and is constantly under scrutiny and debate.
Nonetheless, the scientific approach to understanding life does not always provide insight into our existence. As several professors point out, religious faith often provides a framework for understanding the reasons why phenomena characterized by science occur. Thus, the University must allow students to cultivate their religious beliefs even if they conflict with what is presented in the classroom. At the same time, by studying at this university, we have agreed to abide by certain academic conventions. This ethos of mutual respect between professors and students is what all of us at Hopkins should strive towards.
Consequently, the University is put in a position where they must negotiate their commitment to science with upholding students' rights to hold and express their own faiths beyond the classroom. The University is obligated to be uncompromising in its scientific pursuits, but it must also provide space for students to express their own beliefs.
Dean Falk is right to insist that students at Hopkins uphold the principles upon which the University was founded, those of the scientific method in the classroom.
The study of science is a constant discovery. Professors make no claims of having a holistic understanding of the universe. They do try, however, to convey the best information available at hand. The evidence suggests that creationism in terms of a theory to explain phenomena in biology is not workable in the scientific method of reasoning, which is why efforts to test the theory scientifically have not been attempted. Conversely, the theory of evolution has been subjugated to the scientific method and is constantly under scrutiny and debate.
Nonetheless, the scientific approach to understanding life does not always provide insight into our existence. As several professors point out, religious faith often provides a framework for understanding the reasons why phenomena characterized by science occur. Thus, the University must allow students to cultivate their religious beliefs even if they conflict with what is presented in the classroom. At the same time, by studying at this university, we have agreed to abide by certain academic conventions. This ethos of mutual respect between professors and students is what all of us at Hopkins should strive towards.
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