Indian Secularism and Scientific Opinion: Data from the Worldviews and Opinions of Scientists — India 2007-8 Summary Report (1,100 Ph.D. scientists) Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar ISSSC, Trinity College, Hartford, CTBM Cremer eC Secularism has a unique meaning in India, We can classify the first two responses as describing “public secularism.” The vast majority of the scientists perecives this term as tolerance and a large majority recognizes it as it appears in the Indian constitution as religion-government separation. When it comes to “private secularism” or seculaity, a majority regards it as meaning the absence of religious affiiat Only a minority of scientists conceives of secularity as meaning atheism. Tolerance for various religions and philosophies Separation of religion trom state/government No identification or affiliation with any religious tradition Absence of supernatural or religious beliefs a Ls | 9 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Percent responding “Yes” to each itemCarer rd The scientists are most likely vo When it comes to your outlook, do you regard yourself as...? their personal outlook as “secular” or “somewhat secular” (75%). Note that in India, secularism means tolerance (see II-M). 59% Secular 16% Somewhat secular 15% Somewhat religious 7% Religious 3% Don't knowTo what extent do you think that India today is fulfilling its remper” refers to free inquiry, constitutional duty “to develop the scientific temper, the application of logic and humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform?” (Article 51h) the avoidance of bias and preconceived notions. (On a scale from 1 to 7) - 100 Overall, the majority of 2 90 responses to this question on the constitutional duty 80 to develop “scientific temper” #0 are negative and critical. ~ 60 3 50 = 40 30 20 10 4 \ ° = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Not at all <> Very muchAOC A plurality of the scientists (449%) is willing to criticize and confront religions where they think they contradict accepted scientific theories but a sizeable minority (23%) is opposed. Do you think that scientific organizations should confront religious practices if they contradict accepted scientific theories? 44% Yes 33% Sometimes: ! 23% Noea ‘The majority of the Indian scientists are Hindus and 10% sel identify as atheists or having no religion. Small minorities of the scientists are ns or Muslims or profess What Is your current religion, if any? Hindu Christian ‘Muslim Sikh, Buddhist & Other Atheist/ No religion/ Seoular Did not report their religion 400 3% 4% 10% 14% 100%Beliefs about Gor One-fourth of the scientists take an atheist or agnostic position about belief in the divine while another fourth are firm believers. What do you believe about God? I don't believe in God 12% | don’t know whether there is a God and | don't 13% believe there is any way to find out don’t believe in a personal God but | do believe in a higher power 30% | find myself believing in God some of the time but not at others While | have doubts, | fee! that | do believe in God I know God really exists and | have no doubts about it No answer n= 1,100 6% 9% 26% 4% 100%Meaning of the Term Spiritual What do they mean by the term “spiritual”? Among five different conceptions of spirituality, ewo-thirds opted ‘What does “spiritual” mean? Commitment to higher human ideals, such as peace, at eieacn harmony, or welkbeing 34% for either “commitment to remommonwelmeme CS gu ibaa. eave A higher level of human consciousness or awareness 34% as peace, harmony, or well- Sensitivity to 2 force that connects all (living) things 16% being” (34%), or “a higher eT JevalloPasinian conaeinuaieae Contact with forces or entities that exist beyond nature 10% or awareness” (31%). A purely emotional or psychological sense of connection with others and/or nature % n= 1,100 100%PIC eae mre melt arg The Indian scientific community is split on the issue of seeking a religious endorsement of a space research project, which occurred in 2005. Approval of this ritual has the support of 41% of the scientists while 469 disapprove However, the level of disapproval is mote intense with a plurality (33%) “disapproving strongly.” In 2005 space scientists went to Tirupati to seek the blessing of Lord Venkateswara before launching the rocket and satellite. Do you approve or disapprove of the action? 14% Approve strongly 27% Approve somewhat 13% Unsure A 13% Disapprove somewhat 33% Disapprove stronglyboy F TMU omar WNL Coty The scientists are by far more Do you approve or disapprove of degree courses in likely to approve of university Vedic Astrology? degree courses in Ayurvedic medicine (90% “strongly” Do you approve or disapprove of university degree or “somewhat”) than degree courses in Ayurvedic medicine? courses in Vedic Astrology (44%). 100 90 80 70 2 60 8 50 & 40 Disapprove Disapprove Unsure Approve Approve strongly somewhat somewhat stronglyOpinions Regarding Evolution ‘The vast majority of the scientists endorse the theory of evolution (88% “definitely” or “probably”) bur there is a slight tendency cowards “human exceptionalism” with a lower degree of definite commitment to the concept that “human beings developed from earlier species of animals.” percent 100 is a fact? Do you think that human beings, as we know them, j Do you think that the process of biological evolution a developed from earlier species of animals? 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 ° Definitely not Probably not Unsure Probably DefinitelyeT Et Overall, the majority of scientists Do you believe in... rejects all these traditional beliefs. — = Ltmweves, the level bfieiection Karma (sins and =) varies over a considerable range. ‘deedsipl pestis) More chan a quarter believe in Lite after death the doccrine of Karma but only a very small minority endorses paRearaanen the caste system. A relationship between comets and human events Ghosts/Spirits Caste system iG] | © 10 20 30 40 80 60 70 80 90 100 Percent responding “Yes” to each itemEfficacy of Traditional Therapies and Technologies Asti na Ss Do you think that there Is any efficacy in the following? curative and diagnostic techniques, : ‘owo clearly stand out. About half Homeopathy ofthese sciencst think homeopathy (G0r%) and prayer 49%) are efficacious. Prayer Less than 20% endorse faith healing, Fain Healing Vaastu and astrology. The last fivored Vaastu therapies, endorsed by only a few scientists, are amulets and dowsing. Astrology Magnetic Therapy Pranic Therapy Predictions Based on Horoscopes Electrotherapy Retlexology Palmistry Predictions Based on Panchangam eit (8) Utine Merapy 4 Gem and Stone Therapy Numerology a Power ot musts [3 Dowsing [2 © 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 8 90 100 Percent responding “Yes” to each item