A Thesis published on Nature Nanotechnology1 shown that public acceptance of nanotechnology, and also generally any new technologies, depend not on the knowledgeablility of those technologies but former religious status of the public.
Strength of religious beliefs is negatively related to support for funding of nanotechnology. Religious apprehensions that developed earlier, in response to biotechnology, served as a template for reactions to nanotechnology. People for whom religion was not very important were more supportive of funding for nanotechnology. Once more, knowledge of nanotechnology had little influence.
Originally, science and religion work separately on human’s spiritual world and do not conflict. The reason why they conflict in the real world seems to be that scientists need to get funding from the public, where science and religion must interact. So scientific research is not a purely personal hobby today, it depends on the taxpayers and therefore is part of the governmental motivation. So why does a government need science? Because nations in the modern time have realized the importance of science and technology to the economical, military and political power, right? That’s why science exist.
But I never hear that religion, or the religious loyalty of its people, plays a role in a nation’s power. Religion still exists only because we humans are born to be religious. Religion exists as long as human beings exist.
So how about science?
Einstein had the following paragraph in his letters:
The development of Western science has been based on two great achievements，the invention of the formal logical system (in Euclidean geometry) by the Greek philosophers，and the discovery of the possibility of finding out causal relationships by systematic experiment (at the Renaissance). In my opinion one need not be astonished that the Chinese sages did not make these steps. The astonishing thing is that these discoveries were made at all.
So, as I agree with, at least Chinese sages did not make these steps. So we are not born to have these two capabilities science bases on. So science does not exists as long as human beings exist.
What do you think?
1 
Chris Toumey (2009). Hearts and minds and nanotechnology Nature Nanotechnology, 4 (3), 136-137 DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2009.16
Andrew – that’s an interesting conundrum. You are suggesting that religion is inherent in humans, but science is a construction of our minds?
Good point, Frank! —The construction of human minds.
We think this way, even on religous topics.
“But I never hear that religion, or the religious loyalty of its people, plays a role in a nation’s power.”
Have you, like, ever read any history?
Yes, military history, though not much, and particularly Chinese.
I think Science and Religion are equally important …