Can God be Described as A Scientist

[Dale (evolutionary providentialist)]

@glipsnort

…rather than science.

So you disagree with our friendly local chatbot, above?

[Dale (evolutionary providentialist)]

@glipsnort

theoretical physicists do research

In theory only.

[mitchellmckain (Scientist and Christian)]

@Dale

There are theoretical physicists and there are research physicists.

Incorrect.

There are theoretical physicists and there are experimental physicists. Both do research.

@Dale

the theoretical physicists are not scientists because they don’t do research.

Incorrect.

Not only do theoretical physicists do research but this is like saying a surgeon isn’t a doctor if he doesn’t diagnose the patients. It is not correct and you can make similar observation in almost every field of work.

@Dale

Also, academic scientists, scientific educators, do real science in laboratory classes when they do demonstrations – chemists, physicists, biologists, medicine, even cosmology

No. Most do not consider that the work of a scientist. That is a work of an educator and kindergarten school teachers can do such things.

@Dale

In theory only.

Incorrect.

They do theoretical research rather than experimental research.

You have confused the word “research” with “experimental.”

[Dale (evolutionary providentialist)]

Is an unemployed or underemployed scientist no longer a scientist because they’re not doing research?

[T_aquaticus]

@Dale

Is an unemployed or underemployed scientist no longer a scientist because they’re not doing research?

Is an artist no longer an artist if they don’t make art? Is a baker no longer a baker if they no longer bake? Is a car mechanic no longer a car mechanic if they don’t fix cars? Would an actor no longer be an actor if they don’t wait tables?

The same question would apply to any profession.

[Dale (evolutionary providentialist)]

Exactly. But according to most accounts here, it seems that scientists must do research, otherwise they are not scientists. I’ll stick with ChatGPT.

God is like a post-postdoc theoretical physicist – he already knows all the equations.

[Dale (evolutionary providentialist)]

@T_aquaticus

Would an actor no longer be an actor if they don’t wait tables?

Ha. Chuckle, chuckle. I didn’t pick up on that when I hurriedly looked at your post the first time.

[Vinnie]

@beaglelady

A scientist seeks natural explanations for natural phenomena.

I don’t believe God has to seek natural explanations for natural phenomena. By that criteria, no.

But did God experiment in creating humans? Did he change his mind, regret His actions and adapt Himself to a free creation? I guess it might depend on whether or not we are classical or open-view theists.

Vinnie

[beaglelady]

@Vinnie

I don’t believe God has to seek natural explanations for natural phenomena. By that criteria, no.

You want to change the definition of science/scientists?

[glipsnort (Steve Schaffner)]

@Dale

So you disagree with our friendly local chatbot, above?

Scientists can do lots of things that aren’t science. Whether someone who has been educated as a scientist but does only science education or science journalism or whatnot should be called a scientist is a matter of taste. I tend to use ‘scientist’ as a job label, so that someone who is doing science is a scientist and someone who isn’t, isn’t (in both cases, regardless of education). Which is why I call myself an ex-physicist, not a physicist. But boundaries are blurry, tastes differ, and none of this matters very much.

[Dale (evolutionary providentialist)]

And God is still like a scientist in many ways excluding research, and in some ways like research scientists exclusively? For instance, he knows all the equations theoretical physicists are applying and trying to find and apply. Wouldn’t that be pretty much exclusive to theoretical physicists, theoretical research physicists? Research scientists also know things before other scientists. How is God not like that.

I’m not uptight about using ‘scientist’ as a metaphor for God when doxologizing him as we have already seen some Christian scientists* doing, and maybe no other Christians should be either?

 

*To whom it may concern: I believe when we are writing about those in the nonchristian sect of Christian Science, we should always capitalize Science or Scientists?