Steven Weinberg Quotes
Professor of Physics, University of Texas at Austin
Winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics.
I am all in favor of a dialogue between science and religion, but not a constructive dialogue. One of the great achievements of science has been, if not to make it impossible for intelligent people to be religious, then at least to make it possible for them not to be religious. We should not retreat from this accomplishment. – Steven Weinberg’s article “A Designer Universe?”
Even a universe that is completely chaotic, without any laws or regularities at all, could be supposed to have been designed by an idiot.
You may tell me that you are thinking of something much more abstract, some cosmic spirit of order and harmony, as Einstein did. You are certainly free to think that way, but then I don’t know why you use words like ‘designer’ or ‘God,’ except perhaps as a form of protective coloration.
Even though their arguments did not invoke religion, I think we all know what’s behind these arguments. They’re trying to protect religious beliefs from contradiction by science. They used to do it by prohibiting teachers from teaching evolution at all; then they wanted to teach intelligent design as an alternative theory; now they want the supposed “weaknesses” in evolution pointed out. But it’s all the same program — it’s all an attempt to let religious ideas determine what is taught in science courses. – discussing the motives of proponents of intelligent design during a September, 2003, State Board of Education hearing, from Michael King, “In Search of Intelligent Life at the SBOE (State Board of Education)” (Austin, [Texas], Chronicle: September 19, 2003), quoted from (and citation notes derived from) The Texas Freedom Network, “TFN Clips” (September 19, 2003)