The unscientific science award?

British astrophysicist Martin Rees has been awarded the 2011 Templeton Prize along with a cash prize of £1m. Rees was awarded the prize for his work in black hole theory and the implications it holds for humanity.

The announcement has caused controversy in some scientific circles however. While few contest the value of Rees’ scientific contribution, some have questioned whether the Templeton award should be considered a scientific prize at all. Though often awarded to those in the field of science, many have argued that the award’s rooting in spirituality has little to do with research and thus abuses the title of being ‘scientific’.

The prize was created by the John Templeton Foundation in honour of the financial investor and philanthropist with a keen interest in the spiritual and our comprehension of reality and ‘the divine’. As the prize’s website makes clear, “The Templeton Prize honours a living person who has made an exceptional contribution to affirming life’s spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery, or practical works”. Previous winners have included Mother Teresa and Francisco Ayala, a Dominican priest who has made advances in molecular biology.

As a result, academics have argued that tying the prize to the scientific community is an attempt to twist the public’s understanding of science as distinct from religion. In particular, evolutionary biologist Jerry Coyne has been vocal in his criticisms of the organisation: “Templeton plies its enormous wealth with a single aim: to give credibility to religion by blurring its well-demarcated border with science”.

Others too have pointed to the activities of the organisation suggesting alternative motives. This has included Dr Sunny Bains of Imperial College London. In her commentary Questioning the Integrity of the John Templeton Foundation, Bains points to the enormous donations given to religious organisations (some with evangelical motives), awarding of the prize to two-thirds members of its own board and the controversial award for Charles Taylor who “questioned whether freedom of speech should be considered a human right outside of the developed West, especially in countries where religions dominate” as reasons to critique the foundation’s awards.

In the defence of the organisation, the John Templeton Foundation points to its philanthropic donations to a variety of scientific studies, particularly in the area of life sciences and genetics as cause to show it’s scientific merit.

Inevitably, the ambiguity surrounding the Templeton Foundation has redrawn the battle lines between the faith and the non, with heated debates occurring across the internet. As for the prize winner himself, Rees has said that while he attends church it is not for the spiritual aspect – more for the atmosphere and the fact that Cambridge has one of the top rated choirs in the world.