It is important then that we recognize that science, like all intellectual activity, takes place in a certain framework. The curriculum in science at university is largely facts. theories and skills, but it also includes attitudes. Rarely do we think about this aspect of a subject, especially the presuppositions involved. A presupposition is an expectation assumed or taken for granted, often because of prior conditioning. It turns out there are many non-Christian presuppositions in secular academic life, and physical science is no exception.

ABOUT PEOPLE	CHRISTIAN/BIBLICAL
a) Autonomous & independent	Accountable
b) Natural & biological only	Spiritual
c) Progressively 'improving'	Fallen and sinful
ABOUT THE UNIVERSE
d) Physical & mechanistic	Purposeful
e) Complete & final	Part of reality contained in eternity
ABOUT KNOWLEDGE
f) Objective only	Objective & subjective
g) An END in itself	Leading to wisdom & worship

This problem of presuppositions has its practical effects. Some scientist would never examine the evidence for events like the resurrection of Christ, because they presuppose (that is, take for granted) that something like that can't happen.

Presuppositions are rather different from individual prejudices, which are generally taken care of by the procedure of professional publication in research journals, reviewed by referees. Of course many imaginative new ideas are often initially rejected through prejudice, but things that go against the general presuppositions of science usually never even get to first base!

There are often ideas which have enormous public appeal, but which don't fit into the scientific establishment, because they are idiosyncratic and do not show the primary requirements of good experimental evidence and using theories about which there is a consensus. For example, the writings of Emmanuel Velokovsky attracted an enormous popular and almost cult-like following, but offered no serious challenge to science and where never part of the consensus of main stream science. Although it is important for science that no good ideas or significant phenomena are ignored, there should be no hidden agenda or motive other than the search for truth. For example science generally neglects work in say E.S.P. and it is not supported as other fields of research. One of the reasons for this may be that work in this area is often motivated by more than the search for truth, so that special attention is given to observations which defy the general experience of everyday reality.

One of the key elements of the development of knowledge in science is maintaining objectivity. But it is not always maintained! Much of what we might call 'folk science' has its roots in the human capacity for credulity and self deception. Unfortunately we see something like in Christian circles too, when we find people being selective about the data in order to substantiate a presupposition or prove a point - about the young age of the earth for example.

Although some in scientific creationism have done a real service in challenging establishment thought, it is still important that Christians deal with reliable evidence, around which a consensus can be built, based on consistent and sound arguments, reliable data, and good experiments.

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