Where did God come from?

[Boojatta]

Given that, in many threads in this forum, the topic of science is introduced as though it were automatically relevant to any discussion aimed at determining the truth about God's existence or non-existence, we might begin with this topic: science.

Think about what is most important for surviving in the wilderness. One answer might be: food. However, surely in the long run we would need to pay special attention to seeds. Seeds will allow us to grow food.

Were there some threat to science, maybe our best choice wouldn't be to preserve all of the most advanced science that exists today. Consider an analogy: if we have a large stockpile of food, we might be able to afford to lose some food to over-ripeness or rot, but we wouldn't survive the loss of our seeds. Analogously, we should be careful to preserve the seeds of science.

This train of thought brings us to a question:
where did science come from?

Did it come from science? In other words, has science always existed?

Alternatively, did it come from some particular kind of non-science? If it came from non-science, then perhaps after a future collapse of civilization it will be possible to reconstruct science provided that enough of the right kind of non-science is preserved. What is the right kind of non-science, and how much would be enough?

[LAGC]

1. So long as we have senses and are able to conduct experiments with falsifiable hypotheses...

We (and any future intelligent species on this planet) will always be able to re-invent science.

It's as natural as... well... nature.

[Boojatta]

2. Consider, for example, the most valuable ideas of Galileo in physics

Why is there no evidence that ideas along those lines were developed, written up, and published in any of the following places?

Ancient Egypt
Ancient China
Ancient India
Ancient Greece
Ancient Rome
Medieval Europe

Alternatively, do you believe that Galileo didn't do original thinking, but was merely another scholastic who knew ancient languages, but who was lucky enough to find an ancient manuscript that formulated the ideas that are today (falsely) attributed to Galileo?

[LAGC]

9. It was only a matter of time before someone "thought outside the box."

Part of the cool thing about nature is how diverse it is. Those minute genetic changes that occur every so often that make one person so radically different from everyone else.

Natural born rebels, you could say.

Galileo had the gall to rebel against the Church and even many scientists of his time, to try new and different things and see where they may lead.

Keep in mind, he didn't invent the telescope insomuch as he improved on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telescope#History

In the end, the truth of his discoveries won out, via repeated empirical observation.

[Deep13]

3. Science was slowly developed over centuries.

It began in ancient times as natural philosophy. The two concepts that seem to be unique to it are that it relies on objective evidence and it is something that one does--that is it is an active process and not a mental exercise.

[Angry Dragon]

4. I do not see what this post has to do with religion

[tama]

5. If the cause

of the future collapse was the seed of objectification of nature and technological control over it that is inherent in today's science "as is", would we want to plant it again?

[MineralMan]

6. Both gods and sciences come from the mind

of mankind. Both attempt to explain what is seemingly unexplainable.

[cleanhippie]

7. From the imaginations of men.

[grantcart]

8. There probably was an evolutionary reason for it

homo sapiens that could satisfy metaphysical angst with a defined set of a world view would have more concensus in groups, and establish morality that would make the group more effective, like prohibition of murder, etc.

If true such a development wouldn't necessarily mean that there wasn't an independent creative force but simply that was locked into the dna.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/faithbased/2006/03/the_belief_trap.html

[ZombieHorde]

10. I think science is organized observation.

I think God comes from our imagination, just like beauty and value.

[edhopper]

11. What a piss poor analogy

Science is a way to organize thought and observation. It is a method people use. It did not "come from" anywhere, as in come into existence.
Believes say God is an entity who predates the Universe. Where God came from seems a logical question. Where Science comes from in this context is inane.