E. U. Condon: Science, Religion, and Scientific Responsibility

In the spring of 1947, Walter Michels, a long-time friend and professor of physics at Bryn Mawr College, introduced Condon to Quakerism. In December of that year, Condon was accepted into membership in the Religious Society of Friends. The main purpose of this talk is to consider Condon's views on science and religion that he began setting forth in 1948. Further, Condon's views, which emphasize the ``harmony of science and religion,'' are compared and contrasted with the views of I. I. Rabi and Arthur Compton on science and religion. The talk concludes with a discussion of Condon's views on the responsibilities of scientists. In certain ways, Condon's views on science, religion, and scientific responsibility represent a philosophical minimalism with respect to their commitments.