As for your comment about no theologians or clerics etc. never contributing to scientific advancement, you may be shocked to learn that many of the "great minds" of science were devoutly religious men.
Ahh, but you miss the point. Certainly there were quite a few very religious men who provided extraordinary insights into the natural world. Newton (who spent many more years writing terrible exegesis on the Book of Daniel than he ever spent on
Principia), Grigor Mendel, the "father" of genetics (who was an Augustinian monk who discovered the principles of heredity while puttering about in the monestary gardens - more or less), etc. However, where you are completely missing the boat is that NONE (that's right, not one single solitary individual) EVER used metaphysics or theology as the methodology for their discoveries. From one point of view, it could be said that they made their contributions to the understanding of our world
in spite of their religious beliefs, not because of them.
Those who weren't usually made their big breakthroughs in a "Eureka" moment of instant revelation. A method of gaining insight that makes a mockery of the processes of logic and rational thought.
Name one of the "greats" who made a discovery in this fashion. Galileo studied the stars for decades, Mendel experimented on 28,000 pea plants over the course of seven years. Outside the possibly apocryphal story of Newton's apple, I can't think of one scientist who has ever shifted a major paradigm through a "eureka" moment. The most momentous statement in science isn't "Eureka!", it's "Hmmm,
that's odd..."
This will be my last post on this subject. The Topic Police are likely to catch us up. However, I challenge you to present this argument in a PNT.
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