Kreeft, 2002. Chapter 5, “Are Miracles Unscientific?”

Chapter 5, “Are Miracles Unscientific?” (Loc. 586)

We find Socrates and his friend Thomas Keptic leaving a lecture of Science and Religion. Socrates is disappointed because he would like to have asked the professor some questions. Specifically, he would like to know about the truth claims of the developments he heard about. This is certainly more important than the time of the statements.

Socrates speaks with Professor Flatland, asking him whether miracles happen and how we can know. The professor shows that belief in miracles is typical in prescientific ages but disappears in more scientific ages. Socrates wants to know why lack of belief in miracles indicates that they do not happen. The professor says that science itself has disproved miracles so its opinion is authoritative. Socrates does not see it as impossible, for instance, that demons would use germs to attack people.

The professor asserts that since science has shown how many things can operate without need of miracles it will eventually show how everything is non-miraculous. Socrates demonstrates that this is more of a religious idea  than a scientific one. The professor next tries to define all amazing things as miracles, which Socrates will not accept because it is so nonspecific.

Socrates demonstrates then that miracles do make logical sense. They go beyond normal events but are not logically impossible.