Thread: God particle discovery is a win for science over superstition

Originally Posted by rstones199

God particle discovery is a win for science over superstition



Someday, religion will be relegated to the fringe of society, not to be taken seriously by the masses. That day is fast approaching. The more science discovers, the more myths fall.

The Higgs boson partcile, A.K.A. 'The God particle' is just the latest example oh humans finding out the real truth behind the universe.

Oh by the way: Why has the Higgs-boson mass?

http://youtu.be/I8oXsI7XH90

I just love atheists who think there MUST be a conflict between religion and science. As if it is impossible to be religious and have a scientific mind. Nothing could be further from the truth. Perhaps some of them forget or did not know that the big bang theory was introduced by a priest/scientist. Science only becomes a stumbling block for those who take the Bible or whatever religeous book they read to be literal in every aspect. From that we get the young earth believers and many other problems. But there are many Christians who love science and embrace it fully with a scientific mind and attitude regarding it! I am a Christian and not only accept the big bang but also evolution. I also hang at physicsforums.com. Love it! Go figure lol.

Originally Posted by Durandal

Someday, religion will be relegated to the fringe of society, not to be taken seriously by the masses.

While I don't have so much hope for us, knowing how ignorant, emotional and plain pig-headed people can be, I do have some measure of hope.

As do others:

So you are thinking people believing in god are "ignorant, emotional and plain pig-headed people". Question: How do you combine the words "emotional" and "ignorant" in the same person? Isn't this a contradiction?



http://youtu.be/uI-Z8hDkZB0

Originally Posted by Anobsitar

So you are thinking people believing in god are "ignorant, emotional and plain pig-headed people". Question: How do you combine the words "emotional" and "ignorant" in the same person? Isn't this a contradiction?



http://youtu.be/uI-Z8hDkZB0

No, "emotional" and "ignorant" are not contradictory and, in fact, often go well together.

I have a problem with the Higgs field...

... if Higgs is the glue that holds atoms together...

... then why aren't all atoms the same?...

... Or rather, there would have to be varying degrees of the Higgs field...

... in order for there to be differing atoms of elements...

... for example, the Higgs field would have to be weaker in elements lower on the periodic table...

... and becoming stronger for elements of higher mass in the upper registers of the periodic table...

... otherwise there would only be one element which we know is not true...

... it seems unreasonable to say that the Higgs force is like a one size fits all scheme.

Let me see since scientists don't yet know everything and likely never will this disproves God precisely how? I see simply proof that God created an orderly universe.

Science will hardly disprove god in general, but it will, and already has to some degree, disprove the naive idea of a less competent god who has to personally create everything like a child in a sandbox.

Eventually, all that will remain is the idea of a god who set some basic physical laws before the first instant of existence, and then let the universe evolve to its present state without outside intervention. And that is a feat much more worthy of a god than what those crazy creationists believe.

Originally Posted by garyd

Let me see since scientists don't yet know everything and likely never will this disproves God precisely how? I see simply proof that God created an orderly universe.

It does not disprove God. That is not the goal or task of science. It really should not even be called the "God particle" because that has lead to a lot of confusion. This will help science understand the make up of the universe, how matter came to be, even perhaps one day how the big bang started and why. There is a lot we still do not know. We don't know if the universe is infinite or if it is how to define infinite. All we are sure about is the visible (observable) part of the universe and we know it is expanding.

No one will ever be able to prove or disprove that God is responsible for every thing. That is not what science is about. Science is about explaining the universe, physics, which will in turn hopefully advance our civilization in other areas.

You and I may agree that God is the Cause. But that is not what science is about. Man will never be able to detect or prove God. And of course that works the other way, man will never be able to disprove God. There really is no conflict here except for those that want to create a conflict.

Originally Posted by waltky

I have a problem with the Higgs field...

... if Higgs is the glue that holds atoms together...

... then why aren't all atoms the same?...

... Or rather, there would have to be varying degrees of the Higgs field...

... in order for there to be differing atoms of elements...

... for example, the Higgs field would have to be weaker in elements lower on the periodic table...

... and becoming stronger for elements of higher mass in the upper registers of the periodic table...

... otherwise there would only be one element which we know is not true...

... it seems unreasonable to say that the Higgs force is like a one size fits all scheme.

Neither the Higgs particle nor the Higgs field holds atoms together. That would be the strong force.

The strong force has a limited range, which explains why it can be seen as weaker in larger atoms, all the forces simply don't reach all the particles. Edit: Not that that would matter, the strong force both keeps nucleons in and keeps external nucleons out, unless you bombard it with high energy nucleons, which would be what we do in nuclear reactors.

The Higgs mechanism gives mass to some particles, but this is all still on a quantum level, the protons and neutrons don't really act like billiard balls.

It does not disprove God. That is not the goal or task of science. It really should not even be called the "God particle" because that has lead to a lot of confusion. This will help science understand the make up of the universe, how matter came to be, even perhaps one day how the big bang started and why. There is a lot we still do not know. We don't know if the universe is infinite or if it is how to define infinite. All we are sure about is the visible (observable) part of the universe and we know it is expanding.

And that sir is precisely the point of my question. By the way Additional knowlege bereft of additional wisdom is like owning a Farrari but having no access to gasoline. Humans today have more access to more knowlege than any other generation in history. I have yet to see the slightest bit of evidence that we are in any measure better for it. And in certain respects we may well be the worse for it. Certainly in terms of excessive hubris.