Science vs. Relgion In the Health World

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

As nurses we are taught to care for the whole person: physically, psychologically and spirtually. To attempt to separate religion and science is to split the wholeness of mankind. We need both. To me each validates the existance of the other. If nothing else consider that without religion on what would we base morals and ethics? Without ethics what constrains science to be applied to mankind in a moral sense?

fergus51 · Jan 28, 2005

Maybe I don't understand the question, but I don't think the fact that health care workers have to deal with religion means that science and religion go hand in hand. We all have to deal with many things unrelated to the science of our work (administration, certain hospital policies, visitors, etc). I don't think religion and science have to be linked in healthcare in any particular way. You can be a nurse or patient and an atheist without compromising your beliefs. Same goes for the religious.

I will say I have seen a lot of ineffective coping related to religious faith. There are families convinced God will grant them a miracle and when science turns out to be right (as it has in about 99% of the cases I've witnessed like this), the families are unable to deal with it. Ask any NICU nurse how some parents get into denial when it is clear their baby can not recover! I would encourage you to consider this as well when writing your paper, since pros and cons are important to acknowledge.

henry-106 · Jan 28, 2005

I do agree as well- that there is alot of unfullfilled or ineffective coping in terms of religion and the medical world. I am using a quote from a book when I am addressing this issue. The issue- why some believe in faith along with or rather then medicine/science- and yet death is still the outcome. In the book I am refferring to I am using the quote: science and religion are flawed because man is flawed. To me this is true. How can science be perfect or religion perfect when man is not perfect? I do believe in a higher being then us humans-God. And He is perfect, and He is the creator of the human mind that discovers science. And in a sense religion. But does that answer the question of why some are cured and why some are not? But can you blame that on science or religion? Or God?

Just some thoughts. I think this paper is going to be bigger then what I orginally intended. But I have enjoyed doing the research and such.

Thanks for you views everyone! It has brought another aspect!

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

You probably don't have time to read the entire book, but you ought to reference the first chapter of "Science: A History". Author is John Giland (I THINK). Anyway, he effectively describes how science and religion started out being on the same track then split when science seemed to explain things religion did not. VERY interesting reading.

allnurses Guide · Jan 28, 2005

You probably don't have time to read the entire book, but you ought to reference the first chapter of "Science: A History". Author is John Giland (I THINK). Anyway, he effectively describes how science and religion started out being on the same track then split when science seemed to explain things religion did not. VERY interesting reading.

Science and religion have been mingling for a long long time. Good book.

steph

Compton · Jan 28, 2005

Science and religion have been mingling for a long long time. Good book.
steph

Wow. This is a really great topic. I have really enjoyed reading all of the responses. I agree with all who says that you can't have religion without science. not that they are dependant on one another though, more becuase I think they cover different areas of life and well-being. To me, science is the pursuit of the physical. Religion is the pursuit of the spiritual or unknown (in a way). To me, science helps me to understand how things work in the world, cause and effect. With religion, it helps me understand why there is anything to begin with. All those intangibles, all those things you can't grab still have meaning nad I think that religion is useful to udnerstand and cope with that.

Now, about the doctors praying with their patients. That is quite a curious topic. It is comforting I am sure to the patient. But is a doctor actually responsible for the mental well-being of a patient within those terms? I mean would you as a patient be upset if your doctor refused? I am not so certain I would be, but I am sure there are those that would...