Outline:

1. Thesis of the paper, supporting the association of science and religion

a. The historic contradiction about the relation of science and religion

b. General perception of individuals about the religion and science

2. Introduction of the novel and main characters.

a. The characters of religion and science present in the leading role

b. Significance of religion in science

c. Brief overview of plot

3. Are the proofs given in the novel are co-incidence? Or they have some relation with religion?

a. Signals from planet Vega

b. The concept of (pie) and its relation with the limitations of human mind.

c. The hypothetical reasoning suggested by author

4. How religious scholars responded on the return of team from mission SETI?

a. Were the arguments from religious scholars’ depicted link between religion and science?

b. Why some called the extra-terrestrial Satan?

c. Why some called the extra-terrestrial God?

5. Does religion assist science or vice-versa?

6. Are religion and science really same thing on the basis of novel?

7. Conclusion

Contact Novel, book report

 Abstract

Science and religion both remained in some kind of debate throughout the historical times. Some think
both are in a relation while others contradict and negate the possibility of their association. However,
this question is still un-answered and literary persons pose different suggestions and arguments either in
favor or against the relation of science and religion. In every religion there is a concept of more powerful
and flawless power called God with little or no differences. However, when we talk about the scientific
mysteries, we ignore the facts just by saying that answers to these questions are kept hidden by the
creator. Even by saying so we are accepting a relation between religion and science. On the other hand,
still there are thousands of controversies.
 The novel Contact, written by Carl Sagan in the year of 1985, is a fictional novel, throwing light
on the relation of science and religion. The story revolves around an astronomer named Eleanor
Arroway who has specialized in radio telescope engineering. The story mainly talks about hypothesis
and the possibilities. From the very first start, the leading character Eleanor is presented as a thinker
engaged between the fields of religion and astronomy. These both fields are different but Eleanor has
strong grip on both subjects. Depicting these subjects collectively as a characteristic of Eleanor entails
the importance of a believer in the field of science. This can be considered as the foremost milestone in
the direction of determining a relation between science and religion. By astronomy and radio telescope
engineering the author has tried to portrait the complex scientific approach and by religious knowledge,
the author has tried to present the religious knowledge.

There are several coincidences present in the novel which support the presence of some super
natural power. It is not possible that these co-incidences happen again and again. For instance, the
author incidentally caught the signal from planet Vega, coincidently interpreted all the signals, by
chances cheated the time span and coincidently interpreted the logic behind the (pie). All these are
symbolic representation that there are worlds present. It is another thing we haven’t accessed them till
yet. Moreover, it is religion and belief which able us to interact with both religion and science.

Human nature is limited. It cannot think beyond the limits assigned by God. All we can do is to
make an attempt to use maximum intellect assigned to us by God. Same is the central theme of the
novel. Nobody believed mission SETI and the interaction of extra-terrestrials and humans. However, this
indicates our lack of belief. We know that two plus two equals four. However, we are not ready to state
that the creator of all can make it four, five or six. Everything we see, we believe. The novel suggests
that everything we see may or may not be true. There are standards and checks for determining either
what we believe is true or not. We haven’t seen God but we believe. However, we limit these evaluation
criteria only to God. We do not apply this rule on things around us. In the novel, there are several
examples for it. When the team comes back and tries to convince the individuals about the events which
occurred in the space, nobody believes them because nobody saw. Moreover, the individuals tried their
best to penalize them for promoting doubts in the political and social systems.

Somebody, rightly said, we are scholars till the time we know. When there is something beyond
our knowledge we became enemy of the unknown knowledge. On the return of the team from project
SETI, religious scholars denied the possibility of any other form of life except earth. Moreover, some
called this extraterrestrial source God and some named it Satan. From both point of views, religious
scholars were of the view that they should have been taken into consideration before the mission as
they know science as a sub-set of religion. Science is not more than religion rather it is just a little
fraction of religion. The controversies regarding the association of religion and science are present all
over the novel. Somewhere they are in the form of symbols and at places in the form of questions which
cannot be answered. However, one thing can be exemplified from the novel that humans are born with
limited thinking.
 Initially we observe mission SETI as a failed system, a research having no potential.
Subsequently, after the first signals of prime numbers, people start believing but the second symbol
with the speech of Adolf Hitler politicized this issue and it was kept secret. However, when the regions
authorities came to know about the issue, this issue no more remain a confidential issue. Moreover, it
turned into a global concern. The basic reason for this project turning into a global concern was the
association of issue with religion. No matter, the individuals were linking the mission with God or Satan,
in both cases religion’s association with science is proved.

On returning back from the mission and interaction with the extra terrestrials, the recording
indicated time span of twenty seconds. However, the team members were of the view that this trip
lasted for eighteen to twenty hours. There lies a major point of believe. The public believed the camera
recording and didn’t consider the view points of the team. This indicates that in the contemporary world
we are more concerned with material proofs not believes and trusts. Same is the condition of the
religion in present day world. We have placed religion and science aside. Even knowing that both are
one and same things.

Conclusively, this novel titles “contact”. It evidently appears that the name is depicting the
contact between humans and extra terrestrials. However, from themes, symbols and scientific
approaches which were negated on the base of belief, it can be stated that this novel is depicting
contact between science and religion. Both religion and science are based on proofs, both assist us in
our lives, both are based on unseen beliefs and both made us better humans. Therefore, in my view,
both religion and science are deeply associated with each other. Moreover, it is not wrong to say that
religion and science is one same thing.