Quote #1
[Pi:] "Religion will save us," I said. Since when I could remember, religions had always been close to my heart.
"Religion?" Mr. Kumar grinned broadly. "I don't believe in religion. Religion is darkness."
Darkness? I was puzzled. I thought, Darkness is the last thing that
religion is. Religion is light." (ch. 7)
How does this quote reveal Pi's feelings about religion? What does he feel about science?
it reveals that he thinks differantly about atheist like choosing doubt as a religion like choosing imobility as a form of transportation.
ReplyDeleteHe now thinks taht anything spoken from another religion was a word of faith.
i quote about the science question "there are no grounds for going beyond a scientific explanation of reality and no sound reason for believing anything but our sense experience.
Pi beleves that religion is a part of life that all people should follow and to not follow it is to beleve only in doubt and darkness. I think that he thinks that everyone should have faith in and beleve in there own religion with there life.
ReplyDeleteAbout the science part I think the science side of things explanes the unansered questions that come up in life and religion explanes life and it's begining for him.
Pi believes that religion is an important part in life and that he is very religious.Because religion is what gives people hope and something to believe in. Also he thinks that religion is everything because of the way he was raised. Also he also thinks that science is also pretty much a religion because science is a type of believe and it gives you hope because it gives you facts and gives you hope on whatever your fact is.
ReplyDeleteI think that he believes that science and religion coexist rather than contradict and that both science and religion are a form of faith. He also believes that religion can solve problems.
ReplyDeleteHow is science a form of faith?
DeleteIt gives people hope and we do not fully understand some parts of science and we just have to put our faith in it until more evidence comes forth.
DeleteAlthough religion and science are often portrayed as opposites in our culture, Pi seems to be able to reconcile them quite well. He has a philosophy about doubt and belief that is both wise and childlike (a childlike faith). In chapter seven we get a direct explanation of this from Pi.
ReplyDelete"To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation."
I think his feelings about religion are a sort of evolved Hinduism. He believes that we need to "get somewhere" and that we must choose a path to get there. When he says "religion is light" he is encouraging us and reminding himself that a path must be chosen.
As Mr. Kumar shows us, science is often "anti-religion". Pi disagrees and throughout the first few chapters tries to use zoos, animals and science as a metaphor for understanding religion. I think he sees both religion and science as systems of belief that bring order and purpose to life.
Many people think that religion and science are unquestionably different. But Pi has found many flaws that can make them similar, for instance, Pi thinks that science is a sense of hope, he thinks the same of religion. Mr. Kumar implies that religion is darkness, if science and religion are the same feeling than isn't Mr Kumar a hypocrite?
ReplyDeletePi shows that he believes in god, and trusts religion. He believes god is hope. He enjoys science, probably even believes it, but he knows behind the facts there is a miracle working by the power of god.
ReplyDeletePi believes that religion is a important part of life. Pi is a very religious person. Pi believes that religion is what makes you be the person you are. Pi believes in God, because God protects you. Science = Religion. There are many questions about religion, that Pi may never mind the truth about, but that's why it religon ='s science.
ReplyDeletePi believes that religion is a big part of someone's life but Mr. Kumar is contradicting that and saying it's not. Mr. Kumar is saying that religion is darkness but Pi disagrees with him. Pi feels that science is a religion because its something someone believes in. This quote makes Pi believe that religion shouldn't be a big part of someone's life.
ReplyDeletereligion is the last thing i would think that is darkness in fact not is believing is darkness because you no savior so what do you have to safe you?
ReplyDeleteI think you are asking "What would you have to save you?" What do you think Pi thinks people need to be saved from?
DeletePi has been introduced to religions that really speak to him, religions that put a smile on his face. For him, to hear Mr.Kumar is not fond of religion really puts him back to reality. Mr.Kumar has doubt. He does not believe in religion. Pi follows a philosophy to not be doubtful. He feels very strong about religion and has a completely different opinion about anti-religion. "Religion is light".
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2 response:
DeletePi also thinks science is another type of "religion". He thinks they both take the same type of faith. He cannot choose between the both because they both lead him to enlightment
Religion is darkness to people who have not seen it's beauty. Religion can save your soul or it can corrupt you. Science can make your life difficult or it can solve all of you problems. Pi thinks that religion is his way, his path that he has chosen. Mr.Kumar has made his decision that science is his path. Other people have other opinions. Krishna is lord to some, Jesus to others, and Ala to more. Your opinion is your opinion and don't let anybody tell you otherwise. Stick with your choice and it will lead you on.
ReplyDeleteReligion and science often contradict because science can prove religion wrong, or science can be seen as a sort of "anti-religion". Pi gives us a chance to see how they are similar. However, when Mr.Kumar tells him that religion is darkness, Pi gets confused which shows us that his take on religion is that religion is not darkness because religion gives us someone or something to believe in and help us escape darkness.
ReplyDeletePi is confused about what Mr.Kumar said because he has grown up religion and does not believe in no-faith.To me religion can be both the dark and the light. There really is no one answer of what religion truly is, and I think Pi is starting to figure that out.
ReplyDeletePi feels that religion is light because religion gives people hope and faith, that is why he does not agree with Mr Kumar when he says that religion is darkness. But Pi also has to respect other religions and what there beliefs are. Pi believes in science you need faith because if you don't have faith you will not have the drive to find what your are looking for.
ReplyDeletePi is a very faithful Hindu, and has grown up believing that religion is in everybodys heart, that it would always be there to help them. What Pi didn't realize was that not all people would agree with him. For example Mr. Kumar who diagrees with Pi, and has faith in science.
ReplyDeleteI think Pi's feelings about religion are kind of based on the fact that he has been raised to believe in those ways (As he says in chapter 16). Which confuses him and gives him mixed feelings. Pi is a strong believer (in Hinduism) and he thinks that you must do good things to get good karma.
Although Pi does not exactly agree with science, he understands that science is like a type of religion. He feels that religion is a very similiar to science. People who believe in science still "believe" and have "faith". Just as "religous" people do. He thinks that they can work together. Pi doesnt belive in science because its like choosing doubt as something to believe in. As he says in chapter 7 when he is talking to Mr. Kumar.
But he does say in chapter two (I think) that academic study (science?) and religion saved his life. Thoughts?
DeleteA lot of people would say that science and religion cant really mix or make sense together but Pi feels that they can. I think Pi sees so fondly of religion because whenever he has gone through tough times religion has always made him see the bright side of situations and made him look forward in life and not doubt. But he see's science as a way to further explain things he doesn't understand and looks to it for knowledge. He combines hope/faith and knowledge together to make his own "philosophy"
ReplyDeleteHope/faith/knowledge...well said.
Delete"To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.
ReplyDeletePi doesn't quite get Mr.Kumar's beliefs. He see's it as if Mr.Kumar doubts life. In this quote Pi is saying that choosing doubt as a way of looking at life is like staying still to get anywhere. Standing still won't transport you anywhere. He thinks you might as well believe in something or choose a path to follow in life. Instead of doubting everything and anything.
"I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion."
Religion is believing, science is knowing. Pi takes intrest in both topics. He loves to learn about the animals at the zoo. In science he likes that you can know the truth, but in religion you can only believe. You will never know if it's true or not. Science and religion can relate in many ways, but they can also contradict. Science is real, and sometimes religion can be wrong... He can see why Mr. Kumar takes intrest in science, and Pi respects him.
Very well put. Thanks for using perfect references from the novel.
DeleteI think Pi is relying on religion to guide his life. And I think Mr. Kumar is a free spirit. He believes what is real. What he can see that is right in front of him. Science. I think Pi is confused on which is which.
ReplyDeletePi is very religious and he believes in his religion,Hinduism, very much. In this part of the book Pi isn't exposed to other religions so he thinks that his religion is the right way to think. He also believes that you have to believe in god.
ReplyDeleteAs you get further into the book Pi meets different people that change his way of thinking about religion. Like he meets Mr.Kumar who is an atheist and believe in science. Then later on in the book he is exposed to Christianity and Islam which change his way of thinking even more. Now Pi has mixed emotions about religion because hes exposed to all these different religions that believe in different things.
Pi thinks that science and religion can coexist and he thinks that religion has you believe in faith but so does science.
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ReplyDeleteAlthough religion and science to many doesn't sound like a good mix, Pi believes religion is like a path in which he follows it guides him to fantastic opportunites that actually give him something to think about and at the end of the path is light which in this case repersents his religions "goal."
ReplyDeletePi sees science through a different perspective I don't think pi would even think about them both being one together so thats whats confusing him about Mr.Kumars beliefs, but because of that statement I think it intruigs pi to learn more.
To me it seems as though Pi looks at science using only reason and the need to have a logical answer for every question. On the other hand religion does not have to have a reason or solid concrete background. One reason why people don't have enough confidence in a religion is because all humans have the insatiable need to know things like an ordinary middle school oozing with gossip and drama. But then there are the ones who have no desire to get every microscopic detail. Those are the ones who possess the ability to have faith in something without actual proof that it exist,or he exists.but instead of immediately slamming the door on this new way of thinking but he pondered, and understands and in a way appreciates his philosohpy. to me it seems that science and religion both find answers but go about it differently.
ReplyDeleteReally good use of the word "insatiable"
DeleteIf any of you are interested...After reading a bunch of responses I wonder what we all think the "light" and "dark" metaphor refers to. What does light mean and what does dark mean?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean to publish that yet...
DeleteI think that when Pi says that religion is light, he means that religion is knowledge, and hope, and an explanation. When Mr. Kumar says religion is darkness, he means that the things that religions teach are false and they distract from the reality, sicence. I think that Pi feels that both science and religion are light, where as Mr. Kumar only thinks that sience is light. I think the reason Pi thinks that both are light is becuse "the truth is one, paths are many."
This quote reveals clearly, that Pi has strong feelings for religion. Religion is the light at the end of the tunnel for Pi. He believes that it is the path to finding/having hope.
ReplyDeletePi feels that science is definitely another one of the many paths hindus believe there are. However instead of leading to hope, science leads to knowledge and the satisfaction of knowing "the truth."
How would Pi define "the truth?"
DeleteThis quote tells us that religion is everything to Pi. This is saying how Pi believes that religion is not darkness he believes that if you believe in religion then your world become brighter. You will see your world in a different way. He thinks that if you believe in religion gives you answer to things that science will never give you the answer to.
ReplyDeleteFor example: Science will never give you the answer to how the first human was made. Science will never give you the answer to how everything came together and made up planet earth. Religion answers these questions. Like for christianity God created man in his image and man named everything God had created. Then man started getting lonely so God created man in a more softer state known as females.
I think Pi thinks science is just an excuse for religion, and strongly disagrees with Mr. Kumar when he said " Religion is darkness." Yes science gives you answers but religion gives you answers to things science doesn't understand. I think in Pi's mind religion brings enlightenment to things science can't that's why he doesn't understand Mr. Kumar's beliefs. Mr. Kumar is doubting religion so technically, Mr. Kumar's religion is doubt.
"To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is lain to choosing immobility as a means of transportation."
I think when Mr.Kumar told Pi he didn't believe in religion Pi was shocked because he never heard of someone not believing in a religion. Then he told Pi he thought it was darkness. That was like the cherry on top. Though I think Mr.Kumar has a point. Religion can lead to darkness, such as, fighting, wars, and being scared. I think Pi's thoughts about science are that it is basically the way to know for sure about something. For example at the zoo he learns a little bit about animals and how to take care of them.
ReplyDeletePi's feelings about religion and what Mr.Kumar said is really shocking to Pi because he came from a really religulous Hindu family. Pi feels really curios about the different religions out there. When Mr. Kumar said "I don't believe in religion. Religion is darkness." Pi got mad and confused .
ReplyDeleteI think that pi thinks that religion is light because religion always leads to a good outcome. Wether or not it takes a life time to reach you light (goal). Religion leads to something good, something that is unexplainable, something ultimate. A thing that is light by doing good things or by rituals and yoga. ReliGion always is something beautiful but the best thing is LOVE. You show love by a lot of ways for example giving your one and only son for a nation of people for generations cleaning there sins even though some didn't deserve it love is a powerful thing. It could turn into darkness by being a bad possessive love but not all love is like that. Religion has "holes in the wall" but they really are just thing that God/gods doesn't state. That's when science is used to fill in the cracks to I've us an answer to our doubts of there being a maker. A maker that doesn't reaveals his secrets.
ReplyDeleteIf you look at it through Pi's perspective, science is a religion. a way you look, or believe in something, a faith. A faith where you depend on a man in a white lab coat in a lab to prove or explain something that doesn't make sense. So to Pi, science is a religion. But Mr. Kumar doesn't see religion in the same way, he thinks it's just worship to a statue, or muttering into the air. A disease ruined God(s) for him. From that one experience. and that is what he said in the novel, he believes that we can only rely on our EXPERIENCES and the things that have been proved.
ReplyDeletePi's statements about religion reflect an optimistic and hopeful view. I think that he feels like everyone should believe in something. To me it sounds like Pi believes in an after life when he says "Religion will save us." Pi feels very strongly about both religion and science. I think that Pi thinks religion is believing and science is knowing. That's why he likes science so much. Pi loves to learn about all the animals in the zoo and feels like he always knows the truth about them and science but with religion I think he feels as if he can never really know the truth. Pi can now see why Mr. Kumar takes interest in science but not religion so he respects him.
ReplyDeletePi thinks Mr.Kumar is wrong he believes in religion he believes this is what created life and that it is light. On the other hand Mr. Kumar believes in science and says religion is wrong and darkness. Although pi believes in religion he also believes in science. To him science isn't all bad and darkness to him it is another way to prove something or something to believe in. Either way you can have a faith in science or religion.
ReplyDeletePi has hope in religion because he states that " religion will save us." So religion is hope to him. It confused him when Mr. Kumar said that, " religion is darkness." He would never say something like that to "hope and love" something that he grew up knowing and following. It made him the person he is now and has stayed strong to his religion.
ReplyDeleteAlthough that doesn't mean that he does not believe in science. He know that other religions exist and understands that what Mr. Kumar believes in is "his" type of religion.
It confuses him that someone could vanish the knowledge that makes you who you are, the source of love, and hope. You can choose weather or not you want to learn science, but Pi believes that religion will always be in your heart. Even Mr. Kumar.
-Noehmi Diaz
Pi sees religion as guidance. It's something he can look to for help. When Pi says religion is light, it's his way of saying it's something that will help you through darkness. That's a reason I think he became confused when Mr. Kumar said religion is darkness. They had two different perspectives on religion. Pi believes religion will save us, but Mr. Kumar doesn't believe so. He's faithful in science, he believes science will always have an answer to his questions.
ReplyDeleteI think Pi's perspective on science will change through the book because I think his science teacher, Mr. Kumar, will influence him. I'm not sure if it will completely change his view on the world, but I think he will question religion from time to time. Maybe Mr. Kumar's faith in science will have an effect on Pi.
~Lilianna
Pi won't let science get in front of his religion, but is otherwise okay with it, I mean, the guy lived in a zoo, he has to believe in it to some extent, because the animals. I back up my I believe in this from this text from the book's chapter 4, paragraph 2:
ReplyDelete'It was a huge zoo, spread over numerous acres. Big enough to require a train to explore it, though it seemed to get smaller as I get older, train included. Now it's so small it fits inside my head.'
I hope I made my point clear enough, though I don't wish to say the child is all about religion or all about animals, but somewhere in between the two. He is smart but has beliefs, his beliefs don't interfere with his smarts, they just give him something to believe in.
I don't think Pi will let science get in the way of his beliefs though. He is surprised by the words his teacher gives him about not believing in god, as the proves in one fluid though on the book's chapter 7, paragraph 7:
'Did he say that? Or am I remembering the lines of later atheists. At any rate, it was something of the sort. I had never heard such words.
Pi thinks religion is light instead of darkness because his own religion tells us that if you go up to god a good pure person, then you'll be reincarnated as what you where, a good person, and will be in a higher class per reincarnation. This is proved by our own notes we've taken in class.
So, in all, I think he believes in science, and respects it, but won't let it disprove him of his beliefs, even if his teacher tells him not to believe in superstitions.
-Kimo Rayn
I think to Pi science is like religion because they have the same beliefes, both of them have study,they both have oder and they always stay true to there beliefes. -Amadi
DeletePi's feelings about religion are that it brings hope and the reason why I think this is because he clearly states that he thinks religion will save us all so what he means by that is no matter what the problem is religion will give us light and faith and will lead us the way. I think Pi hasn't actually followed science as a philosophy, but I do think he understands the purpose of science and how it gives true answers to many of life's questions. I also think Pi uses science to find the reality in things and he uses religion to have faith in other things.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean will lead us the way? The way to what?
DeleteI think that Pi feels religion is another perspective he has on life. A much more sets of believes and propose of creating the universe. Science is kind of similar but we all need something to believe in, that gives us hope and faith. That will answers our questions and that will listen. Something that is way beyond our believing that makes sense.Pi thinks that religion is to love God(s). While Mr. Kumar (I think) believes that religion is sets of doings. For example that in some religions we can't do a certain thing that will make us go to "hell" or something good that will make us go to "heaven" .
ReplyDelete-Alin
I think that Pi thinks that Science is something that you can live with and beliive in. Because both Religion and Science answer different questions. However they both can give different answers to different questions like "How was the world created?" and stuff like that. But Mr. Kumar sees Religion as a Darkness and dosen't belive in any god, But Religion helps people who are desprate.
ReplyDeletePi believes that religion is not darkness, it's a savoir... It takes just as much to believe in Religion as it does to believe in nothing. But.. In a way, Pi thinks that Science is a way of Religion too.
ReplyDelete"I have heard nearly as much nonsense about zoos as I have about God and religion."
In a way, Pi thinks that Science is a way of Religion too. You have to believe and hope it's real. You don't really no for sure. He likes both Religion and Science. He goes to Science when there's no further knowledge about what he knows. He goes to science for answers about the things he dosn't really understand. And he goes to relgion as a savoir, to bring peace to him. To praise something, and to believe in something. He wants to believe in something bigger then life. Bigger then himself. It's what he has, handed out to him. He's going to take it.
But Pi, thinks that Mr.Kumar is wrong about how he explains it. Mr.Kumar is basically saying that there is no religion. Why believe in something you can't see? Why believe in something that probably isn't there? Mr.Kumar chose doubt. He is doubting almost everything. He thinks religion is stupid. It's just another thing that people made up, just like santa claus and the tooth fairy. He believes it's just another fake god, statue or myth that you use up all your precious time to believe in. Mr.Kumar is full of doubt.
"To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation."
Pi believes that he is wrong. Doubt is wrong. Seeing isn't believing. You have to have hope. Hope is the answer to him. Believing in something is having hope..
-Chloe Turbeville.
I think Pi believes that Religion is the light of life. Pi also believes that science is the answer to things that Religion can’t explain. For example, how were animals or people made out of? Religion can say that God made humans but who made Gods and Gods father and so on. Pi believes in both science and Religion, but he has his doubts. Like in one piece of the book he said this…
ReplyDelete“I have heard nearly as much nonsense about Zoos as about good and religion.”
I think that in this book the Zoo represents the science part.
PI Probably has always known religion and that it helps provide hope when you have none and it also provides something to believe in. Pi probably thought science as how it is in his school as a subject but when he heard Mr. Kumar say that he doesn't believe in religion than it opened up Pi to other religions and how other people believe in different things.
ReplyDeleteI think hes completely, utterly clueless, about other religions. I dont blame him for isolating himself in only Hinduism, because that was mostly his parents doing. But I think before becoming truly enlightened we should have a fair understanding of our fellow beings beliefs. Thats all I have to say on the matter (; -Ilona<3 (using my mums account sorry (: )
ReplyDeleteHow does this quote reveal Pi's feelings about religion? What does he feel about science?
ReplyDeletePi feels really connected with his religion because the thoughts and the feeling about what he say in the quote is really touching because he says its really getting him in the religion feeling of how religion works.Pi feels that science is life and nature and other amazing thing like animals and ect.Science is the animals DNA and other thing that make life to science and pi feels like science is a thing that does have to be in life and in religion like how was religion made into now.
I think that Pi feels religion is another perspective he has on life because he belive in god and all that but Pi believes in an after life when he says "Religion will save us and that how he wanteed to get to no more bout Religion
ReplyDeleteIt shows that Mr. Krumar doesn't believe in religion. It also shows that Pi believes in religion and cant comprehend not believing.
ReplyDeleteIt shows that Pi is puzzled when someone doesn't belive in religion. He has grown up around religion all his life, and wonders why someone wouldn't belive in it. This exerpt from the book also shows how Pi feels about religion.
ReplyDelete"religion is light"
That basically summerizes whas he thinks about religion. He thinks that religion is the enlightment of the soul, or something like that.