As the title itself says. What would the world be like if the world had advanced in religion (Meaning more people went to church ) or had it advanced in science (People strayed from religion and stuck with tech/machines and what not) Now i know someone is bound to say ''But if the world advanced in science/religion then our viewpoints would be accustomed to the subject (referring to science or religion) and we wouldn't think anything of it'' But that's not what i'm asking. What if by some random event you happened to end up somewhere (Earth) but people had chosen to advance more with religion/science. What would your thoughts be on it? How would you deal with it? Good or bad? [Edited!]

So your saying there's either a choice of a world with nothing to believe in and or to turn to when in need of help or a world where dumbfucks live?

You do also realize that without science, we'd still be cave men.

EDIT: Now while its not completely true that if we didn't have religion, we wouldn't have someone to turn to. Its just that God is prayed and believed in because people believe that he can cause miracles to help them and give them a reason to fight for something. :/

Quote from devi

So your saying there's either a choice of a world with nothing to believe in and or to turn to when in need of help or a world where dumbfucks live?

You do also realize that without science, we'd still be cave men.

Exactly!.. Well not exactly... I guess when i said no science or religion, i should've said less science and religion... lemme change that up a bit! [Edited!]

Perhaps it's just me, but this doesn't seem like a debate. Just a theoretical discussion topic.

Quote from devi

So your saying there's either a choice of a world with nothing to believe in and or to turn to when in need of help or a world where dumbfucks live?

You do also realize that without science, we'd still be cave men.

EDIT: Now while its not completely true that if we didn't have religion, we wouldn't have someone to turn to. Its just that God is prayed and believed in because people believe that he can cause miracles to help them and give them a reason to fight for something. :/

But what's to say that the same things would happen in these situations? Would people really react the same way?
Edit: (In response to Azure Kite) I guess it can be seen both ways, as from my view it's a debatable topic.

Apart from the progress that could have been made during periods in history where religions actively suppressed science (which is quite significant), I don't think science would have changed all that much if religion weren't ever really a thing. We'd be years ahead in technology, but today I think those who have the capacity for getting involved with science are already getting involved with science, regardless of whether religion exists.

The opposite direction is a bit more difficult to imagine. If science was seen as largely unimportant and not focused on at all while religion flourished, we would be a lot further behind technologically. Other than that, the big thing to consider is exactly what kind of religion is being focused on. Is it a religion being used as a system of control, or is it a religion that is genuinely interested in helping individuals reach their maximum potential for happiness? Depending on which of the two is most prevalent, I imagine that we'd be likely to see either some 1984 brainwashing shit going on, or just a bunch of happy and peaceful old-timey villages.

I want a more defined question from the OP.
Religion such as Buddhism and 'religious' philosophy can cause growth in theoretical concepts even if not actually prove them one way or another. Organised Religion like the Westbro Baptish 'Church' obviously impacts growth in various social areas quite differently from, say, Liberal Christianity where the group may be doing a lot for charity. By Religion do you refer more to Faith than any other aspect of it?

Science also leaves me a little uncertain on what you mean, do you mean applying the scientific method (with experiment)?

It's just whether or not people got more involved with science (the scientific method as you say) or religion (Any kinds including buddhism)

In that case the outcome would vary so wildly as to the weighting of different aspects of different Religion that I cannot give you any expectations. Religion of Faith in the scientific method? Religion obsessed with physics? So many ways 'Religion' could, in theory, end up at 'science' that it's impossible to say without narrowing down Religion further.

Many religions stifled the progress of science because it directly was in conflict with their Gods word. Scientists were murdered, studies destroyed and speaking of sharing information was punishable by death as it wasn't God's word.

Until like, ya know, the rest of the world got on board and realized many things that did conflict were actually proven to be facts. Then it was all chill and no longer against God's word lol.

I think the further back you go, if there was no religion people would be forced to turn to logic and reason when facing their issues isntead of just presuming a higher power had the answer for them. To solve their issues they would look to others to help share and finding this logic and reason which is the basis for science. The lack of religion almost induces the need for science.

Just as it is now, there is a lot less religion in the world ( if you compare the last 100 years anyways ) and our scientific and technological advances are on the steepest incline in exponential growth in history.

Quote from Stone

I think the further back you go, if there was no religion people would be forced to turn to logic and reason when facing their issues isntead of just presuming a higher power had the answer for them. To solve their issues they would look to others to help share and finding this logic and reason which is the basis for science. The lack of religion almost induces the need for science.

Except if you go far back enough, religion essentially becomes the science of those times. It attempted to explain phenomena that was well beyond their capacity to study empirically. Even in the early centuries of scientific progress, science was seen by many as a way to understand God and the bible more accurately, and a lot of the earliest scientific revolutionaries were religious in various capacities.

I don't think it's as easy as "without religion, people would just turn to science". Without scientific instruments or the scientific method, their "science" would look a lot like a religion either way.

I agree with that, yet you could also argue that people use ( insert any religion here ) as an answer to questions that challenge the mind or life. Not ALL people do this, nor all religions but it does seem common that 'If I cannot answer this question in life, or I do not understand it it doesn't matter because God has the answer and I need not think to challenge or figure it out myself. He will support me and this is part of his vision ( whatever it may be )'

Instead of rather daring to figure it out, find the root of why something is the way it is rather that purely accepting it as you see it.

I will note I'm not part of any religion even being brought up in a semi-religious family. I am also not what I see as considered 'atheist' which I feel should be important to state in such a debate.

Sure, but if we're talking about the origins of religion I don't think people could have just chosen to use logic and reason to explain their world any differently. It's not like tribesmen would've come up with a natural explanation for lightning if they were told "no, it's not the work of god, figure it out". Religion and spirituality basically was the science of the time, they had no way to use logic and reason to come to any different conclusions.

Quote from Lamitrov

It's just whether or not people got more involved with science (the scientific method as you say) or religion (Any kinds including buddhism)

in that case there would probably have been a lot more wars. religions that claim to be about the only true god(s) can only tolerate each other for so long