On October 29, 2023, Director of the Vatican Observatory Brother Guy Consolmagno spoke to students about the history of scientific error and the relationship between science and religion. Br. Consolmagno emphasized science’s historical shortcomings by discussing previous misunderstandings regarding the universe, especially those based in medieval Catholic theology and classical philosophy. He also discussed how misconceptions about science still impact us today, bringing up examples of “flat earthers” and Covid-19 vaccine misinformation.
Br. Consolmagno was born in 1952 in Detroit, Michigan. He received his Bachelor of Science in 1974 and Master of Science in 1975 in both Earth and Planetary Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1978, Br. Consolmagno obtained his Ph.D in Planetary Science from the University of Arizona and continued his studies as a postdoctoral fellow at MIT until 1983. Following his career in academia, Br. Consolmagno joined the United States Peace Corps, teaching physics and astronomy in Kenya. After two years in the Peace Corps, Br. Consolmagno joined the Jesuit Order in 1989, and explained his motivations for doing so, saying, “I really enjoyed what I was doing, but I wanted to do it for more than just my own career.”
The Jesuit Order gave Br. Consolmagno the freedom to research areas he found relevant and interesting. Teaching as a Jesuit, Br. Consolmagno was able to share the ways that science and religion work together, rather than in opposition. During his presentation, he explained that believing there is a conflict between religion and science is “very misguided and really arose out of nineteenth century politics,” he said.
Philosophy Club president Eric Li ’24, who is also a Staff Writer for the Scroll, said that Br. Consolmagno’s presentation “embodied the spirit of a true philosopher, as the only thing you can know for sure is that you cannot know for sure.”
Li added that he especially enjoyed Br. Consolmagno’s point on the interaction between science, religion, and world views, saying, “He told us that you can never get the correct world view. Nowadays, we see a lot of people thinking that their world view is the correct one, such as with the recent Israel-Palestine Conflict.”
Lillian Regal ’24 also commented on Br. Consolmagno’s recognition of limited knowledge. “I didn’t really know what to expect going into it,” they said. “His perspective on acknowledging you don’t know all the facts but still being committed to continuing to learn and continuing to study something, I think, is really fascinating.”
Br. Consolmagno ultimately argued that scientists still have the ability to be wrong, even in modern times—and in order to succeed, failure is required. Li commented that this very notion encapsulates what it means to be a Deerfield student, saying, “we should strive for truth but keep in mind whatever we learn is only part of the truth.”
