What do scientists think about religion? (LAT)

[struggle4progress]

Members of the scientific community are often seen as doubting Thomases, but the reality is more complex. Even Charles Darwin may have made room for God.

By David Masci
November 24, 2009

According to a survey of members of the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science, conducted by the Pew Research Center in May and June this year, a majority of scientists (51%) say they believe in God or a higher power, while 41% say they do not ... In 1914 .. psychologist James Leuba .. found the scientific community evenly divided, with 42% saying that they believed in a personal God and the same number saying they did not ... In Pew surveys, 95% of American adults say they believe in some form of deity or higher power ...

Among scientists there are far fewer Protestants (21%) and Catholics (10%) than in the general public, which is 51% Protestant and 24% Catholic. And while evangelical Protestants make up more than a fourth of the general population (28%), they are only a tiny slice (4%) of the scientific community. One notable exception is Jews, who make up a larger proportion of the scientific community (8%) than the general population (2%).

But the Pew poll found that levels of religious faith among scientists vary quite a bit depending on their specialty and age. Chemists, for instance, are more likely to believe in God (41%) than those who work in biology and medicine (32%). And younger scientists (ages 18 to 34) are more likely than older ones to believe in God or a higher power ...

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-masci24-2009nov24,0,7022683.story