Dare to know!: The existential costs of a faith in science

Over the past century many people have left religion in favor of science, but it is unclear how this change affects how people make sense of their own existence. We sought to explore the differing dimensions of science beliefs and how they relate to existential benefits such as a sense of meaning in life and feelings of significance. Across two studies involving American adults and American STEM workers (N = 1001), we found that scientism and scientific reductionism are negatively associated with existential benefits that are typically linked to religious beliefs. In contrast, optimism towards science was positively associated with existential benefits. Our findings suggest that a dogmatic view of science does not serve as a substitute for the meaning and significance that religion often provides. The results also highlight the importance of treating faith in science as a multi-dimensional construct.