Everyone knows the that the planets revolve around the sun, but 500 years ago, that belief would have earned you the title of heretic because everyone had been taught that the earth was the center of the universe. This dogmatic belief inhibited scientific progress until the heliocentric model was finally accepted.
“If a belief becomes dogmatic, the problem lies not with the belief itself, but with the holder of the belief,” said Dr. John Lamb at the Summerhays Lecture on September 18.
Lamb, who recently retired from the BYU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, spoke on the dangers of falling into the “dogma trap” and how both scientists and religionists can avoid it by staying open to fresh ideas.
Lamb defined “dogma” as a belief so well established that it may not be questioned even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Having strong beliefs is not inherently bad, he said, but it can become a problem when we let these beliefs inhibit us from being open to new ideas.
Both science and religion are susceptible to dogma, Lamb explained, because both are built upon “articles of faith,” both recognized and subliminal, that believers adhere to.
“It is often at the confluence of the two that dogma is unveiled,” he said.
Just as religious people must have faith in God and the testimonies of others, so too must scientists have faith in the principles upon which they base their understandings of the natural world. Furthermore, “The only way science can advance is if each successive generation has faith in the claims of careful observations, analyses, and recordings of its predecessors,” Lamb said.
Science and religion sometimes seem to contradict each other, but both disciplines can be reliable sources of truth if we are willing to open our minds to what the Lord wants to teach us. In fact, Lamb feels his study of religion has made him a better scientist because it helps him view the natural world with a more eternal perspective.
“Keeping an open mind is the best path to seeking truth and making progress. Dogmatic thinking is a trap,” he said. “Let us be open and creative in our thinking, amenable to what the Lord has to offer us, avoiding unyielding dogma. As Brother Joseph stated, ‘If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, we seek after these things.’”