The End of Science is Theology?

Chen Chen did not know when he had fallen asleep. He only remembered gathering all kinds of information online to prepare for the challenges that might arise in the future.

The development of the internet had brought about the so-called "information explosion," allowing people to easily obtain countless pieces of knowledge online.

Yet few people were able to turn that information into true wealth.

This was not a matter of perseverance, but a limitation of logical thinking and judgment.

The information on the internet was as vast and deep as an abyss, yet this ocean of information was filled with all kinds of junk and false news. People needed astonishing judgment to distinguish them.

However, when someone with extraordinary judgment absorbed this knowledge, the internet would no longer be an obstacle.

On the contrary, its convenience could be exploited to the fullest.

Chen Chen browsed through various academic websites and forums in precisely such a state.

During that time, he even taught himself some hacking techniques, allowing him to bypass the restrictions and screening those forums imposed on irrelevant users.

Chen Chen did not know when he had fallen asleep.

It seemed to have been after two in the morning. As the effects of the medicine faded, drowsiness swept over him like a tide.

Chen Chen did not even have time to turn off his computer before collapsing backward and falling into a deep sleep.

But Chen Chen did not sleep peacefully. The lingering effects of the medicine left his brain abnormally stimulated, and he had nightmares all night.

"Damn it, we overslept! Old Wang's class is this morning!"

Through the haze, Wang Wei's anxious voice came from beside his bed. Chen Chen reflexively opened his eyes, only to discover that it was already the next morning.

Chen Chen sat up, but a wave of dizziness slammed into his brain, and his head felt as though it were splitting apart.

He could not tell exactly what was wrong. It felt like he had come down with a severe cold—his whole body was weak, and his stomach churned violently.

Before he could say anything, Chen Chen's expression suddenly changed. He hurriedly covered his mouth, jumped out of bed, and rushed for the bathroom.

"Bleurgh!"

Wave after wave of retching came from the bathroom. Wang Wei, Li Bo, and Zhou Jie exchanged glances.

"He didn't seem like this when we got back yesterday. Why is Chen Zi reacting even worse than Brother Kong?"

Wang Wei looked at the hungover Zhou Jie in confusion.

"Did Chen Zi get dumped too?" Zhou Jie scratched at his messy bird's-nest hair, looking utterly dejected.

"That explains it. No wonder he's so broke he's living off buns."

Li Bo shook his head and sighed. "He must've spent it all on some goddess. I told you before—simps get no house."

Luckily, Chen Chen was too busy vomiting to hear their conversation. Otherwise, he would have been furious enough to twist his nose crooked.

After vomiting for a while, his stomach finally felt somewhat better.

Chen Chen straightened up. Without caring about the temperature, he turned on the tap and splashed water over his face.

The icy coldness struck him to the bone. Chen Chen shuddered, and his listless spirits immediately perked up.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Wang Wei knocked on the door from outside. "Chen Zi, can you manage? Want me to get you leave?"

Chen Chen opened the door, dripping wet, and said weakly, "I'm fine. I might just have the flu."

"So you took cephalosporin?" Zhou Jie asked.

"..."

So this joke really wasn't going to die, huh?

Chen Chen could not be bothered to argue. After washing up, he left the bathroom and started putting on his shoes and socks.

Wang Wei urged them along like a mother hen. Once all four had hurriedly gotten ready, they went downstairs together and rushed toward the cafeteria.

"Chen Zi, don't try to tough it out if you're out of money. I've got some left over this month. I can lend you some."

Once they reached the cafeteria, Wang Wei remembered Chen Chen gnawing on buns yesterday and patted him on the shoulder.

"I have enough for now. I'll come to you when I don't."

Chen Chen waved him off, swiped his card for a cup of soy milk and two buns, then headed toward the teaching building while eating.

After downing a steaming cup of soy milk, Chen Chen finally felt alive again. He let out a deep breath, exhaling a large cloud of white mist.

The winter solstice was almost here...

The four entered the classroom right on time. By then, the seats in front had already been taken, so they had no choice but to find seats together in the back.

"Alright, prepare for class."

Seeing that nearly everyone had arrived, Professor Wang Xi began the lecture.

"Before this lesson, let us first discuss the relationship between theology and science."

Professor Wang Xi was unlike other professors. He rarely followed the textbook word for word, preferring to discuss off-topic subjects to spark the students' interest.

For example, speculations about the origin of life, or discussions of immortality.

At that moment, the elderly professor paced back and forth with a chuckle. "First of all, has anyone heard the saying, 'The end of science is theology'?"

The people below the stage were stunned. They looked at one another, then, in the end, most of them hesitantly raised their hands.

"Mm, very good. That shows everyone pays quite a bit of attention to science."

"Since that's the case, let's sort out who exactly said, 'The end of science is theology,' and what reasoning lies behind it."

Professor Wang Xi changed the subject, his expression gradually turning serious.

"First of all, at first glance, this statement does seem quite reasonable. For example, people online often mention that many scientists turn to studying theology in their later years."

"And among the representative figures are Newton, hailed as the 'father of modern physics,' and Einstein, the 'father of contemporary physics.'"

"As the founder of Newtonian mechanics, Newton single-handedly advanced scientific progress across the world, while Einstein was even called the greatest scientist of the twentieth century. But why would these two scientific giants study theology?"

Professor Wang Xi put on a mysterious expression and lowered his voice. "Could it be that they truly discovered some secret hidden behind science?"

At that, many people exchanged glances, unable to understand what Professor Wang Xi was trying to say.

"Only later, after looking up information for an entire night, did I finally come up with the answer to this question."

Professor Wang Xi deliberately looked as though he had breathed a sigh of relief, then continued.

"Everyone knows that Newton was born in 1643. In that era, all of Western society was ruled by divine authority. The education Newton received from birth was theological education—in other words, from the moment he was born, he was a Catholic believer."

"Not only that, if you look into Newton's life, you'll find that he spent most of it searching for the code God used to create the universe. In his later years, he studied theology with even greater intensity, hoping to prove God's existence."

"Eighty percent of Newton's lifetime writings were theological books, totaling more than 1.4 million words."

"And all of this was inseparable from the environment of his era. In an age when religious forces spread across the country and those who did not believe would be persecuted, it was understandable for a physicist to be brainwashed by 'God.'"

A few chuckles immediately rose from below the stage.

"So, this was actually a matter of priorities. It wasn't that Newton only began studying theology in his later years. He had always been a theologian first, and only secondly a scientist."