Faith and Figures: Why Many Great Mathematicians and Scientists Have Believed in God

By Naseer Ahmed, New Age Islam 26 October 2024 In the worlds of mathematics and science, we often think that rigorous rationalism leaves little room for faith. Figures like Bertrand Russell and Richard Dawkins—vocal critics of religion—might suggest that the pursuit of knowledge and belief in God are incompatible. However, history tells a more nuanced story, particularly in the fields of mathematics and philosophy, where many of the discipline’s greatest minds found room for faith in something beyond the material world. The Statistical Approach to Belief and Doubt Statistics, at its core, is about weighing evidence, balancing confidence levels, and testing hypotheses. This methodology doesn’t easily lend itself to absolute conclusions, especially on metaphysical matters like the existence of God. Statisticians and mathematicians are well-versed in assessing uncertainty, realizing that while we may not have absolute proof, we can still draw meaningful insights from probability and inference. This open-ended approach is reflected in the beliefs of many mathematicians and logicians. Hypothetically, a statistical mindset that values probability over certainty may make outright atheism—a firm denial of the divine—a less likely stance among those trained in mathematical thinking. Some of the greatest mathematical minds have found themselves accepting a belief in God, or adopting a cautiously agnostic view. Faithful Mathematicians and Their Contributions Isaac Newton Isaac Newton, one of history’s most influential scientists, was a devout believer who saw the hand of God in the harmony of the universe. His ground-breaking work in physics, mathematics, and optics was, in his view, a means to understand divine order. Newton’s belief was not incidental but central to his worldview; he saw the laws of motion and universal gravitation as part of a God-ordained structure. Georg Cantor and John Wallis Georg Cantor, the mathematician who first developed a theory of infinity, was a devout Christian who believed that his mathematical discoveries were divinely inspired. He saw his work as a way to glimpse the mind of God. John Wallis, another mathematician known for his work on infinity and calculus, was a theologian as well as a mathematician, dedicated to merging his understanding of the infinite with his Christian faith. Srinivasa Ramanujan Ramanujan, the Indian mathematician who contributed to number theory and mathematical analysis, was a devout Hindu who often credited his work to divine inspiration. He believed that his mathematical insights were not his own but were revealed to him by his goddess, Namagiri. Ramanujan’s case highlights how belief in God or a divine source of inspiration can coexist with pioneering mathematical work. Kurt Gödel Kurt Gödel, a towering figure in the realm of mathematical logic, held a strong belief in God. Gödel went so far as to devise a mathematical proof of God’s existence based on the ontological argument. He also rejected the idea that life could arise randomly from particles and field laws, stating that “the complexity of living things has to be present within the material from which they are derived, or in the laws governing their formation.” For Gödel, belief in God was an essential part of making sense of existence. Blaise Pascal French mathematician Blaise Pascal, known for his contributions to probability theory, had a deeply religious side. His famous “Pascal’s Wager” is a probabilistic argument for belief in God, positing that the potential gains of belief far outweigh the risks of disbelief. Pascal’s work has remained influential not only in mathematics but in theological debates, bridging the gap between reason and faith. René Descartes René Descartes, often considered the father of modern philosophy, was also a believer in God. His philosophical framework made room for both reason and faith, and he used logic to argue for the existence of God. Descartes famously noted, “Science declared that if you couldn’t measure it, it didn’t exist. But God is not a thing.” For Descartes, belief in a divine being was not only compatible with rational inquiry but essential to it. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Leibniz, a philosopher and mathematician who co-developed calculus, saw God as the ultimate creator and harmonizer of the universe. He stated, “God, possessing supreme and infinite wisdom, acts in the most perfect manner.” His view suggested that a deep understanding of the universe, achieved through mathematics and science, was an exploration of divine work. Nassim Nicholas Taleb Nassim Nicholas Taleb, statistician, mathematician, and author of The Black Swan and Antifragile, embraces uncertainty as a vital element in human life. Though not religious in the traditional sense, Taleb has been outspoken in his critique of those who dismiss religion while putting undue faith in financial markets, social sciences, and “expert” forecasts. He notes that “even priests don’t go to bishops when they feel ill; their first stop is the doctor’s. But we stop by the offices of many pseudoscientists and ‘experts’ without alternative.” Taleb’s skepticism of secular institutions and his respect for traditional wisdom suggests a complex relationship with belief, advocating humility in the face of the unknown and critiquing overconfidence in human constructs. Albert Einstein Although not traditionally religious, Einstein saw a divine order in the universe, famously stating, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” He believed that a profound harmony existed within the laws of nature, viewing the universe as a system of higher intelligence, though not necessarily tied to organized religion. Why Do So Many Mathematicians Believe in God? Mathematics, often seen as the pursuit of eternal truths, has historically inspired thinkers to contemplate the existence of a higher power. The timeless nature of mathematical truths—the idea that certain truths are unchanging and universal—leads many to view mathematics as a language of the divine. For those who believe, mathematics reveals an order and structure to the universe that suggests purpose and design. Furthermore, mathematics teaches humility in the face of uncertainty. Where empirical science deals in material proofs, mathematics and logic remind us that not everything about the universe can be fully known. This respect for the unknown may explain why many statisticians and mathematicians remain open to the possibility of God, finding certainty in their faith rather than in absolutes. The Middle Path: Agnosticism and Openness If there is a trend among statisticians, mathematicians, and logicians, it may be one of cautious openness rather than firm disbelief. Figures like Carl Friedrich Gauss, while not devout in a traditional sense, acknowledged the possibility of a higher order. This respect for the unknown may explain why outright atheism is rare among these thinkers, as they view both science and faith as potentially interconnected ways of understanding a profoundly complex universe. In sum, history suggests that while atheistic mathematicians and scientists do exist, they are in the minority among those who pursue knowledge through mathematics and logic. More often, mathematics seems to inspire a reverence for the unknown, a respect for the complexity of existence, and, for many, an openness to the possibility of a higher intelligence orchestrating the universe. Perhaps, then, it is not the certainty of belief but the acceptance of uncertainty that makes faith in God compatible with the mathematical mind. ----- A frequent contributor to NewAgeIslam.com, Naseer Ahmed is an Engineering graduate from IIT Kanpur and is an independent IT consultant after having served in both the Public and Private sector in responsible positions for over three decades. He has spent years studying Quran in-depth and made seminal contributions to its interpretation. 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