Is Science the answer? A Comparison of Atheism and Islam ( Q & A Session - 3 of 4 )

Does Science support Atheism or the belief in God?

Is there a conflict between Islam and science?

Why are we here?

What is life all about?

These questions are as old as the human race.

So how are we to answer them? Can they be answered at all? Might God be part of the answer?

Representing the Muslim perspective was Shabir ally: Shabir Ally holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, with a specialization in Biblical Literature, and an M.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Quranic Exegesis.

He is now in his third year of PhD studies in Quranic Exegesis at the University of Toronto.

Shabir is the founder of the Islamic Information and Da'wah Centre in Toronto, Canada.

Representing the Atheist side was Dr. Peter William Atkins: Dr. Atkins is an English chemist and a fellow and professor of chemistry at Lincoln College at the University of Oxford.

He is a prolific writer of popular chemistry textbooks, including Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry and Molecular Quantum Mechanics, three of the world's most popular chemistry textbooks.

Atkins' Physical Chemistry which he now co-writes with Julio de Paula of Haverford College, is in its 8th edition. In addition, Atkins' Molecular Quantum Mechanics is in its 4th.

Atkins is also the author of a number of popular science works, including Atkins' Molecules and Galileo's Finger: The Ten Great Ideas of Science.

The Topic of Debate: Is Science the answer?

A Comparison of Atheism and Islam

Shabir Ally (www.Shabirally.com)

vs.

Dr. Peter Atkins (www.infidels.org)

(Imperial College, London, UK 11th October 1999)

For further information on upcoming or previous debates click here

http://www.shabirally.com/debates.asp

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Islam
• Debate
• َQur'an
• Bible
• Atheist
• Muslim
• Science
• God
• Allah
• answers
• Muhammad
• Atheism
• Evolution
• Peter
• Atkins
• Shabir
• Ally

[sajakram1]

the odds of universe creating itself is 10 to power 123 . there is NO example in nature to give an example of this number. every ATOM in the universe total is 10to 78.

[itzahazylife]

that's a bad question..it's too vague..is science the answer to what?..is it the answer to knowing how nature functions?..of course it is. is it the key to happiness?..well, that's sure as hell debatable.

and god is supernatural..science can ONLY apply to the physical world, because the physical world is all we KNOW exists..invoking god in science, is inherently non-scientific.

[JollSSteR]

@kandousha Pigs are closely related yes, but according to DNA and the fossil record we are more closely related to monkeys.

its awesome that we have the internet where you can actually do these sort of researches by yourself, DNA is basically the script to how the cells should build up a body, which animal do you think assembles human more?

Pigs or Monkeys?

in biological creatures these are the sort of things you can see on appearence.

But checking DNA is always a good idea to

[JollSSteR]

@kandousha ive heard alot of the Qurans scientific facts, however just like shapes in the clowds you need someone to point out that they are there, you could do the same thing with ANY book, try it out, take up any book and youll find scientific miracles i promise you..

There are alot of miracles in a cook book i have ^^

but i would have to point them out to you just like you have to point out the verses in Quran.

Have a nice time reading my PM :D

[kandousha]

@JollSSteR I just want to thank you for not blowing up in my face like some ppl do when I try to ask I just want to know what you think thats all

[kandousha]

@JollSSteR There are Scientific facts in the Quran that are being discovered today...If you want i could give you a few verses

[kandousha]

@JollSSteR How did the first organism, the so-called ancestor of all species according to Darwin, come into existence? Could natural processes give life to something which was originally inanimate? He then talks about spontaneous generation which is later refuted by Louis Pasteur...Darwin based all his theories on a few birds he saw in the Galapagos Islands...There is no DNA proof linking apes to humans...in fact pigs are closer to us

[JollSSteR]

@kandousha ive actually done this research because im interested in evolution, if you were to i guess you wouldve also known those answers, but they are to long for a comment so ill send u a PM,,

Remember, the fossil record is cool but the theory of evolution makes a 100% solid case without them..

They are a bonus.

( researching about the Quran gives you insight of how trivial and ignorant people were at the time, the funny thing about time is that we learn more as it goes by )

[kandousha]

@JollSSteR Why would reading the quran make u an atheist? and yes Darwin did say all living things evolved from one ancestor that is scientifically refuted by the discovery of fossils.. How could natural selection explain complex organs, such as eyes, ears or wings? How can it be advocated that these organs evolved gradually, bearing in mind that they would fail to function if they had even a single part missing?

[JollSSteR]

@Logia1978 You have problem understanding how complex beings like us couldve come to existence?

Well to say that an infinitely more complex being popped into existence and created us is not a solution