Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Dennis Prager's radio show isn't available in my area (though I've recently discovered there's an app for that!) and I've never heard him. But I had the pleasure of hearing him speak at the annual David Horowitz Freedom Center West Coast Retreat and, really, a wittier, more thoughtful and entertaining speaker would be hard to find. He was discussing the challenging topic of religion and it occurred to me while I was listening to him that smart people who discuss human affairs in terms of God, good and evil are smarter and more insightful than smart people who discuss those affairs in terms of psychology, evolution, game theory or anything else. The latter's explanations of past human behavior sound smarter, I know, by which I mean they sound more recognizably modern, more educated in the standard sense and more "scientific," even when, like much psychology and evolutionary biology, they have no basis in science whatsoever... but I would be willing to bet that in predicting future human behavior and its consequences (which is a workable definition of wisdom) the religious approach would be more successful.
Someone should be able to test that theory, no? Couldn't there be a test of whose predictions of human events are more accurate over time, a psychologist, an evolutionary biologist, a game theorist or a wise rabbi or priest? If I'm right, such a test would be far better evidence of God's existence than Jesus's face on a piece of toast... although that would taste better with strawberry jam.
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Nov '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."
- C.S. Lewis
Your hypothesis leads me to think there may be even more wisdom and profundity in Mr. Lewis' statement than I might have realized.
BTW, Mr. Klavan.. big fan.. loved the PJTV Klavan on the Culture "History of Western Civilization in 2 1/2 minutes". Brilliant!
May '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Andrew, I just read the Imprimis featuring Bill McGurn that just came out and I think you two are very much on the same page. He gets to the crux of his argument when he quotes Gary Becker:
Gary Becker put it this way: “I am struck by the similarity between the church’s view of the relationship between the family and the economy and the view of economists—arrived at by totally independent means. Economic science and spiritual concerns appear to point in the same direction.”
I see this too as something that points toward the truth that can be found in religion.
Also brings to mind Rene Girard's interpretation of Christianity as an anthropological event - the end of myth and the revelation of the truth of human nature. I'm in my early 30s and I of course was brought up to think of religion and the rest of life as two separate entities thanks to the left controlling our educational culture, but I think this separation has done us a great deal of harm.
May '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
And if you'll allow me a quick story - I'm responsible for, as they say in our biz, "onboarding" new hires into our organization. The other day a guy asked me if he'd get in trouble for writing a Bible verse on his cube whiteboard. I said "I'd certainly hope not." People looked away from me as though I'd just said something terribly embarrassing. The funny thing is, I live in very conservative (and religious) North Dakota. I'd bet money that over half of the people that looked away attend church more often than not. The left has succeeded in ripping religion out of public life even among the religious.
Jan '11
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Well, why does it have to be one or the other?
You're not going to get an argument from me about the importance of religion. I'm in that choir you're preaching to. But that shouldn't limit us to any one frame of reference, or any one vocabulary, in addressing our lives. Use every tool in the box, I say.
I like your point that if you eliminate religion from your perspective, you artificially remove a key ingredient to living a whole life. But the opposite is also true. If you think that modern psychology is wrong to suppress religion, I'd say you'd be equally wrong to suppress psychology. My God isn't only in church; he's in the lab, in the boardroom, and on the street. You can find him in any of those places.
So I say, don't dismiss any of them. Let them all contribute to a fuller understanding. When it comes to good and evil, sure, religion has the most effective vocabulary. But there's no need to ignore what the other studies could tell you.
Jun '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Human nature hasn't changed much over the last few thousand years of our own monotheistic religion. Rabbis, and their equivalents in other traditions, have a profound interest in human nature, and obviously have a long head start on the scientists. The test conditions were less complicated a few thousand years ago too. The other advantage (for a rabbi) is, they're allowed to recognize the influences of good and evil in the World, which to me is as real as saltwater in the ocean.
Jan '11
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Frankly, I think the best way to prove that God exists is to look at cultures who have known Him and then have turned their backs upon Him to the direction of scientific and social Darwinism. You know, that just never seems to end well. When God is evicted, humanity seems to follow directly behind Him.
Who was it that said, "If God didn't exist, Man would have to invent Him?"
Sep '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Whether their prophecies ended up being right or wrong is thought to have been a primary criteria in determining the canonical writings to be included in the section of the Hebrew Bible known as The Prophets. It is not inaccurate to say, I don't think, that the inclusion of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the rest is a pretty good indication that their contemporary predictions ended up being correct, at least in the minds of those formalizing the texts a few centuries later. Of course, there were no psychologists or game theorists around at the time, but it's kind of a test, no?
Oct '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
I am a member of the “Popperazi”—I entirely accept Karl Popper's criterion of “falsification” when it comes to predictive theories, however founded. A theory or belief which does not make predictions which can be falsified by subsequent observations (even if not technologically possible at present) is not science, but rather dogma.
No theory can ever be proved correct: it can only be judged “not yet falsified”, which is profoundly different. There is a huge gap between “innocent” and “not guilty” which is similar in concept, yet only dimly perceived by many.
I'd expect that almost all of the people cited by Mr. Klavan would make better predictions than the innumerate academics, public intellectuals, and agenda-driven advocates quoted in the legacy media who inform the public discourse.
Edited on Apr 5, 2011 at 5:35pmMay '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
I come at this from a distinctly and unapologetic Christian perspective. If there is a God who is the Creator behind the creation, then an attempt to understand anything without including Him in the calculus is doomed to result in a less than full appreciation of the answer. This is true, I believe, in the hard sciences. (I'm currently reading Richard Feynman's 'Six Easy Pieces' -- physics lectures from Cal Tech -- and find God's fingerprints all over the theoretical physics principles discussed.) But it is most abundantly true in anything in which Man is a part of the equation. And for a very good reason. If mankind was, as the Bible says, "created in the image of God," then to attempt to understand man without first understanding God is folly.
And KC is right on: the fact that I am a Christian doesn't preclude me from using any tool that academic disciplines may offer. "All truth is God's truth."
Apr '11
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Is the purpose of such a test to serve as an argument for religion, or for the judgment of those informed by religion?
In general, I think we are at a point where conservatives should show some confidence in our beliefs and be willing to go on the record with clear predictions more often. Yes, conservatives write columns with clear warnings and make statements, etc. But I'd like to see us go on record. When Obamacare passed conservative lawmakers and economists could have crafted a blunt, easy to understand, point by point list of what to expect from this new government role in healthcare. Such an outline should also include specific economic variables that may alter these results. Also, a short statement of the philosophical and moral case against expansive government would be nice. Perhaps this could be accompanied by a fair account of Obama's predictions. Published it as a full page ad in every major newspaper with a challenge for voters to simply cut it out, save it and promise to review before heading to the polls on election day.
Continued....
Apr '11
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Thanks Copperfield. I knew Mr. Klavan's name was familiar, I just didn't connect it to those excellent Pajamas videos!
Mr. Klavan, FYI you can subscribe (for a fee) to the podcast of Dennis Prager's show? Also, check out his "Prager University" videos on Youtube.
Prager is fantastic. I wonder if he knows about Ricochet?
Nov '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
The problem with scientifically minded folks thinking they're more intelligent than the conventionally religious is this: There is no scientific notion of good. It's an inherently unscientific term. Science cannot justify itself scientifically, nor does it intend to do so. It does not answer the basic political question, what is the best thing to do? The positivistic methodologies of science are fine, insofar as they confer man with power and the ability to predict. However, the methodologies have nothing to say about good and bad, etc.
Insofar as science is chosen because it confers power and prediction, then it should be recognized that the choice for science is a political choice, not scientific. However, if one just asserts that the technology that is created (among numerous other consequences of science, material and otherwise) is necessarily good, then one must admit that one's choice for science is not political, but akin to faith. In a nutshell, this is why the Dawkins/creationist debate is so intractable, since both have faith as the basis of their politics.
One must acknowledge that science cannot guide political life. One needs a non-scientific account of one's choice for science.
Edited on Apr 5, 2011 at 7:40pmMay '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
It would be easy to test. Find a "wise" man of the cloth, then read him the abstract and experimental set up of a previously conducted psychological experiment. Then ask him for his hypothesis. Compare his hypothesis to the experimental conclusion, and see whether his or the scientists' hypothesis was more accurate.
This wouldn't provide evidence for or against God's existence. You're rigging the results. You're pitting clerics (men and women who, since they are leaders of an community, have spent their lives examining and applying human behavior, what you might call human nature, on a personal and spiritual level and in a very practical sense) against scientists (people who go out of their way to avoid introducing their own personal opinions and biases into their results).
Edit: There is no shortage of completely wacky religious leaders whose predictions bear no resemblance to reality whatsoever. Would you consider that evidence against God's existence?
Edited on Apr 5, 2011 at 7:57pmMar '11
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
If there is a god, he is an atheist.
I admire much of what I have heard from Andrew Klavan, but this non sequitur argument is bizarre. At root it seems based on a grand ad hominem argument.
This is positively medieval. And the straw man that morality can only come from religion is a tiresome argument as well.
Nov '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
I was at a lecture this past Saturday at SJSU given by Dr. John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at Oxford. He has 3 earned doctorates and is a polyglot as well as a polymath. His lecture was a rebuttal to Stephen Hawking's latest book The Grand Design with particular attention to the logical fallacies in the book.
Professor Lennox is an unassuming man who has a tremendous grasp of his craft. He attributes all that he is to his faith in Christ as his Savior and Creator.
Andrew, I believe that Lennox is a good example of what you suggest.
Nov '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Johnny LaRue:
This is positively medieval. And the straw man that morality can only come from religion is a tiresome argument as well. · Apr 5 at 8:50pm
Okay, take a whack at the scare crow; from where might morality alternatively come?
Mar '11
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Robert Promm
Johnny LaRue:
This is positively medieval. And the straw man that morality can only come from religion is a tiresome argument as well. · Apr 5 at 8:50pm
Okay, take a whack at the scare crow; from where might morality alternatively come? · Apr 5 at 8:58pm
Oh dear. Are you suggesting that morality can only come from a belief in god? Is that necessary or sufficient? By what mechanism would that come about? Morality as a guide to behavior can be determined by our rational minds. Are we really such ignorant little monkeys that we cannot figure things out on our own?
Religion and morality are independent variables. I have no problem with religion or religious people as long as they respect my right to live free - I have the same view of socialists and other statists. Morality comes from an analysis of the necessary conditions for humans to live and thrive. Please read Ayn Rand if you wish to really know more about how one can come up with a moral system without the need for a supernatural basis.
Jun '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Oh, where to begin.
Andrew - Your test that smart people who discuss human affairs in terms of God, good and evil are smarter then - to just abbreviate your description - secularists; does this apply to Ahmadinejad, the Iranian mullahs, the leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas and the fundamentalist imams throughout the world of Islam? They apply their understanding of human affairs through the prism of their belief in God and their understanding of good and evil. Or is it just Christians and Jews that you're referencing who are smarter than secularists?
Jun '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Andrew - Can you point out specifically what aspects of psychology and evolutionary biology has no basis in science?
I will grant that much of Freud's early work was based on his own interpretation of his patients' dreams and didn't adhere to scientific method (even Carl Jung disputed a good deal of Freud's work) but psychiatry as practiced today is rooted in medicine and observable aberrant human behavior caused by abnormalities or chemical influences in the brain or by other external and explainable factors. All psychiatrists must have a degree in medicine in order to practice. If you're only referring to psychology - or in particular pop psychology, I would have to agree that this is a less scientific field of practice...and I, for one, don't typically look to pop psychologists to explain human behavior in any deep or substantive way.
Jun '10
Re: Does God Make Smart People Smarter?
Andrew - You're making the presumption that the wise rabbi or priest would obviously score high on the test and therefore prove God's existence. But what if the evolutionary biologist or a physicist or any kind of scientist or secularist is more accurate? Does this somehow prove the converse? That God doesn't exist? Really? Sounds like specious reasoning to me.
And what's your definition of accuracy? It's quite obvious, for example, that appeasement to radical Islam will result in a spreading of Islamic fundamentalism and the beginnings of global caliphate if not challenged. Does one have to be a wise rabbi or a priest to come to that conclusion? Or can one be a secularist and discern the same thing?