Has God got a face? Is there someone who has seen the face of God? I am told that scientists, especially physicists, are very sure that they would be able to get the final answer to all their queries about matter and energy with their latest hypothesis, which they hope would solve all problems for all times to come, about everything in this world. They have nicknamed that hypothesis as Face of God. Papers even write that an Indian physicist is the leading authority in this field.



It was in the year 1603 AD that the Academy of Lynxes (l’ Academia den Lincei) was started by a young man, Federico Cesi, the Duke of Aquasparta. This is the first academy of modern science in the world. It just had four members to begin with, all of them in their twenties, to inquire into the various mysteries in Nature. The name Lynx, of an animal, was chosen because of its sharp eyes and wily ways. The Academy was so unpopular that these members had to live in cognitio to avoid harassment. Even Cesi's own father was against the Academy! Galileo Galilei joined this Academy as the sixth member in 1611 AD. His membership gave the Academy some respect, but that was only short lived. The members were persecuted even after that. Modern science was thus born with the idea of having a sharp eye and to have wily ways to look at things. This spirit of inquiry is the basis of all scientific evidence; the latter being not the absolute truth, but a relative truth to be verified by the test of time and further methods of evaluation. Nothing much is known about what the members achieved in their pursuit.



If science is to get the final answer, as is being claimed with the `Face of God' hypothesis, then science would die a natural death, since there is no more curiosity left to investigate. Science is change, and if an idea does not change it is unscientific, anyway. Albert Einstein, supposed to be a very arrogant scientist, was absolutely certain that his theory of relativity should be the last word about matter and energy. He was, of course, wrong! He refused to believe that this world is a wonder. The truth, however, is that the only worthwhile thing in this world is the wonder that this world is; one who does not appreciate it does not live a happy life at all. Eventually before his death Einstein did admit that: "this world is not a wonder, but a wonderful wonder."



Hypothesis is derived from its Latin root, hypo that is under or deficient; thesis in Greek is placement. Therefore hypothesis is a supposition "placed under" an idea as its foundation; the latter may or may not be sound. Supposition also means the same. Latin sub: means under and positus is placement. All science starts with a hypothesis and most of the time scientists find ways and means of proving their hypothesis right; many times they get it right. Science, therefore, should really be an intensely critical way of investigation to get irrefutable evidence, which could then be interpreted using logic.



Fact or truth is something, which is proved beyond all doubt and can not be challenged. "Atoms could be split" is a fact or truth. God's face could not be a truth. It could, at best, be a hypothesis.

Belief is an opinion not based on sound data. God does exist is a belief. Similarly God does not exist is also a belief. Belief is not the truth, but many times in retrospect belief could be proved to be true; in that case belief becomes scientific belief. On the same analogy, many of the hypotheses, which are accepted as science, in retrospect, get proved wrong! "Nothing travels faster than light" was Einstein's hypothesis, which he showed to be true, and it became a scientific truth only to be proved wrong as time passed. That has now become only a belief.



One would very soon realize how impotent man is when you go deep into these matters. It makes one humbler every day. That kind of humility is called education or wisdom. Unfortunately, humility is not a good word for scientists. It was the father of modern science, Sir Francis Bacon, who gave the world the motto: "knowledge is power" and we have that motto in all our educational institutions. Sir Francis was a trained barrister; consequently knew the power of his legal knowledge. The latter, in an adversarial system of justice that obtained in his time in England gave him the power to send anyone to the gallows! That is what drives many of our half-baked scientists and rationalists to be very proud of their achievements. It was a very wise scientist that remarked: “passion makes some of the best observations; but, at times, draws wretched conclusions." How true! One example would suffice. Roses do certainly smell much better than cabbages. That does not mean that roses make better soup than cabbages! This kind of logic leads to utter confusion in the field of science and makes man sink into the valley of moral nihilism. Science must have a human face to it.



The scientific theories have made life that much easier to man on this planet. Today he has electricity to be enlightened, junk food ready made on the shop shelves to eat making it foolish to exercise, modern hi-tech medicine to keep him here for ever, money to spend and be miserable with, shrinking the world into a global village making travel and communication easy, information at the flick of a button on the internet and, superficially, making life look like euthopia. Man has become very busy and hard pressed for time to enjoy the bounties of Nature. He has landed on the Moon and hopes to live on the Mars.



Scientific materialism has resulted in man losing his peace of mind. He needs a stimulant in the morning to wake up fully and a sedative in the evening to go to sleep. Crime has increased exponentially and terrorism, with the use of scientific methods is threatening even the world's policeman, the United States of America. It is only a question of time that the hard core terrorist gets hold of an atom bomb or the anthrax bomb! Monetary economy has made the rich richer and the poor poorer.



In the developed countries the health problems for the rich are because of the fear of the poor and for the poor it is due to the stress of not knowing where their next meal comes from. Poverty is not only the womb of all diseases; it is a double-edged weapon cutting both ways. Whereas the poor get more diseases, the latter keeps the poor man away from his work making him and his dependents starve!



The gift horse has made genuine discoveries a rarity. Fake in scientific publications is commonplace. Negative data are being continually swept under the carpet. Positive data, suitable to the industry, are being projected beyond the wildest imaginations. Patenting is the key to scientific discovery, altruism having been thrown to the winds. Even merit awards and prizes are subject to the wishes of the powers-that-be. Environmental pollution of all sorts has been the direct fall out of this kind of enthusiasm. Arms race has been intensified lately. Humanitarian aid from the rich to the poor nations, since the Second World War, has been predominantly by way of arms and ammunition.



In the name of scientific temper society's moral standards are being eroded. One could always argue that morality is not absolute and has never been the same in all societies and at all times. But the truth still stares us in the face. “Mankind seems to have lost the sense of direction in this century; not seen in the centuries gone by. I am afraid, I must confess, that this may be due to the so called scientific temper," wrote an eminent Nobel Laureate, who was once the President of the Royal Society. To be a good and humble scientist one “must be like a promontory of the sea, against which, though the waves beat continually, yet it both itself stands, and about it are those swelling waves stilled and quieted." This was a great thought emanating from Marcus Aurelius. Sir William Osler calls this kind of attitude to life aequanimitas.



I am not, for a minute, arguing that we should have any other attitude towards life and living other than having the curiosity to find out the truth. We should in no uncertain terms condemn anything that is superstition that adversely affects man's life on this planet. But before we condemn anything let us apply the same scientific yardstick to the so-called beliefs as we do scientific hypothesis. That would be healthier for society and the individual. Charlatans are there in every field.



Just as there are scientists who fake their data to get benefit, there are quacks in society that thrive on falsehood and mystery. Aristotle was right when he said: "Truth could only influence half a score of men in society at any given time or century; falsehood and mystery will drag millions by the nose." Absolute truth is hard to come by. Would all the scientists and their agents apply the same Lynx attitude towards their own work before criticizing others? Scientific dishonesty is as dangerous, if not more, to society as all the superstitions put together. In the name of science if something were sold it would be bought by both rationalists and irrationalists in society, while only irrationalists buy superstition. It is very important that we do not make tall claims in science to mislead the public.



Quantum physics is slowly going towards our ancient wisdom of the human consciousness. Everything, scientific or otherwise, is in the eyes of the beholder. The latter has his own consciousness vis-à-vis the Universal consciousness. Man lives and thrives with the help of both Nature and nurture. Man could not be independent; he has to be, per force, interdependent not only on other men but on everything on this planet. Neil Armstrong was right when he said: “This is one step for man; but a giant leap for mankind." as he landed on the Moon. If all of us could step into our neighbour's house with a smile and have a cup of tea it would certainly be a quantum jump for the Universe! Science and logic should help man land in his neighbour's house.



" I say: Fear not! Life still

Leaves human effort scope.

But since life teems with ill,

Nurse no extravagant hope;

Because thou must not dream,

Thou need'st not then despair! "



Matthew Arnold.

Empedocles on Etna.