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Comparing Science with Religion

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Science and religion are two major outcomes of mental activies of human being. Both have historical backgrounds and both have their own dynamics which shape structure of societies. In early times, religion was rather going along with philosophy although they strictly differ in many aspects. Science emerged within philosophy and gained emphasis with the age of enlightenment. Observing physical world with scientific method and reaching findings about certain phenomena formed the basis of science, and through time it developed cumulatively as a separate branch. To begin with, we need to explain their main differences or similarities.Their major separation point is that science is about our relation with physical world while religion is about spiritual world. Making assumptions is the starting point of both science and religion. However, science tries to clarify these postulates with its scientific and consistent methods. Religion generates itself according to perception of faith and it is based on an association that provided by this common ground. In that sense, religion is considered to be dogmatic whereas science legitimize itself with testable hypothesis, making observations and experiments. They are also different from each other in terms of purpose and social impact. Main role of religion is to maintain moral codes in societies in order to protect the order of the society. Each religion has its own moral codes and under the favour of religious creeds, social norms are formed. That is why religion shapes culture and organizes social relations. Beside effecting culture it can also support social systems such as capitalism. In reference to Weber, there is a happy coincidence which brings religion and capitalism together. According to him, Protestant ethic share same character with capitalist system that both are in favour of maximization of interests. Moreover, Marx claims that religion is a tool for the legitimation of the contradic

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