Why do some people see scientifically-minded folks as closed-minded, when almost every great achievement is based on science, not some woo-woo ideas or beliefs?

I must admit, my first reaction to being asked to answer this question was to pass on it. Why? Because the question is phrased in the very manner in which closed-minded scientists, and trolls, phrase things. Please notice, I said, “closed-minded scientists,” not all scientists. Many scientists are amazing people. And part of what amazes me about these good scientists is that they admit they suffer from biases. As do we all.

My personal bias? That much of what science discovers results more from brute force efforts made by over-worked people using a highly flawed, four hundred year old method than from some clearly stated, well-ordered system. Scientists deserve better. But to address your question, were it possible for you to, with an open mind, explore the personal lives of the greatest scientists of all time, you’d find that many of them attributed their discoveries in part to using “woo-woo” things like inspiration and intuition. Einstein and Bohr. Descartes and Newton. Bacon and Heisenberg and Faraday. Compton and Pascal. Schrödinger and Liebniz. Marconi and Mendel and Maxwell.

I assume you’d agree, each of these men made significant scientific discoveries. Yet somehow, you choose to overlook or omit their acknowledgements about the part their spiritual beliefs played in making these discoveries.

Now rather than engage in what some may see as a dick waving contest, I would ask you to please consider the following.

Perhaps the science you’re referring to here is not so scientific after all.

Real sciences, and real scientists, do not omit data in order to arrive at results.

This includes data they cannot easily explain, or explain away, some of which falls into the woo-woo category. Not all of it. But some of it.