COMMENT ON STARK'S ON THE INCOMPATIBILITY OF RELIGION AND SCIENCE: A SURVEY OF AMERICAN GRADUATE STUDENTS.

In the article, the author presents a critical analysis of Rodney Stark's article "On The Incompatibility of Religion and Science: A Survey of American Graduate Students." The author pointed out some of the handicaps of Stark's article. According to the author, Stark does not explain how the Ellis-O'Dea-Kane-Knapp theory of Catholic anti-intellectualism can be reconciled with the fact that one-fourth of his arts and science graduate students are Catholics; the same proportion in which Catholics are found in the general population. He does not seriously consider the possibility that the lower levels of religious practice among scientists may result from the fact that many young people Who have rejected the traditional religions are attracted to science as a functional substitute for religion. Stark definition that those who go to Church regularly will score high on the "index of religious involvement," looks very definational to a great extent, as Catholics go to Catholic schools and church regularly. Therefore a considerable number of those who by definition are low on one index will by definition be high on the other. This proves nothing more than that Stark's definitions are consistent.