Reader comments
Grandson tells story of famous LDS scientist

54 comments   |   Read story

Timj | 7:48 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Awesome. Definitely look forward to reading it.
I also recommend the book "Reflections of a Scientist." Hard to find, but excellent book by the scientist himself.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
teg | 8:39 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Most wouldn't recognize the high correlation between science and religion. Both are born of faith. Dr. Eyring knew the paths could be and were one in the same. You receive a measure of the Spirit by accepting 2+2=4.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Rob | 8:57 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
That is going to be a wonderful book to read. I just like to look at President Eyrings face. It is so full of love, kindness and joy.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
tfuller | 9:41 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
great to hear this biography has been written. i will buy it and read it. Henry Eyring was a great and good man. i had two of his sons as instructors or professors at the U in the 60's.

many stories abound, and it will be good to have many of them available in one volume
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Cato | 9:46 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
This book is a joke. It shows what a hack of a scientist Eyring really was. He allowed his religious faith to bias his work, and it is evident.

Mormons don't make very good scientists. Oh, they are alright for dotting the i and crossing the t on the work of others, but they lack the independent thought necessary to really contribute to science.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Rick Shelton | 9:53 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
This article could have included a mention of what made this scientist "famous". I believe he was a chemist, but it's lazy reporting not to at least include which field of chemistry. Also, the statement "would have been nominated for a Nobel Prize [if only]" is a little presumptuous.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
wjgram | 10:31 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
I am pleased to read this article, and to know there is a book written about Pres. Henry B. Eyring's father. A long time ago I read his book "The Three Degrees of Glory". He had a way of explaining spiritual things with his scientific knowledge. I gave my book away, so I hope to see some of the text from that book in this new book. Either way, it will be a great book, and I look forward to reading it.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Dr. Eyring | 10:33 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Henry Eyring was a brilliant chemist and a man of strong faith. This is a wonderful example of the compatibility of religion and science. He realized that truth is truth regardless of the institution. I think every LDS member should read his book, "Reflections of a Scientist" since the general membership seems to perceive science as a godless pursuit. I remember hearing an institute teacher tell a class that "the Telestial kingdom would be full of murderers, liars and scientists." Such ignorance is inexcusable.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Hooray, for perseverance | 10:42 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
I am so thrilled to know this book is going to be published and I can buy it for my own personal library. My most favorite kinds of books to read are NON-Fiction. Biographies and autobiographies are also up at the top of the list. All my adult life, I have been a member of the Church. I read every book I could get my hands on, via the public library--of the biographies and teachings of our latter-day prophets. As a young mother, it assisted me to teach my own children to become better people through the only examples I had from reading about the general authorities lives. So, Thank you sir, for you diligence and follow through at the admonition of an apostle, you listened, heard the meaning and what a great connection you have now to your grandfather and namesake. I am certain he oversaw through the veil what you were doing and prompted you to write what you did. I look forward to a feast reading your book. You are to be commended, Henry J Eyring! Anna McIntire, convert of 40 yrs in March. :)
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Jake | 10:59 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
YOU ARE THE JOKE !!!
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
re: cato | 10:58 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Your characterization of mormon scientists shows how bigotry can cloud the mind to make an educated person sound uneducated. What does it mean to be a "free thinker"? As a general rule, most scientists (mormon and non-mormon alike) are so afraid of their peers that if an opinion is written in a book by someone with an ounce of ivy-legue background, they accept it as fact without the least bit of scrutiny. It becomes fact ever more, never to be questioned again. Seriously, try to talk "out of the box" with any science professor and see what kind of "free-thinkers" the secular world is full of.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
re: cato | 11:08 a.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Show me a scientist with "independent thinking" and I'll show you a scientist that has lost his credibility within academic circles. Secular scientist hold onto "theories" as being facts no differently than evangelicals angrily defending Jesus. It becomes no different than just another religion.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Tom | 12:02 p.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Considering the considerable lack of world-class LDS scientists, I think this work is long overdue.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Lack of world class scientist | 12:36 p.m. Feb. 10, 2008
World class scientists are a small bunch. The LDS have contributed as much as any other religion. Science has long since been an important part of the religion. Just read some of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young and you see that science has long since interested the church leadership. I think Talmage and Widtsoe were no slouches amongst international scientific elite circles....I don't know if you'd call them world class but they were well known in the scientific world during their lives and contributed to its knowledge. Clinical and agricultural scientist whom are LDS are plentiful!
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Jaybee | 1:17 p.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Don't forget to write about Dr. Eyring's annual footrace with students at the U. of U.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
NASA alumna | 2:09 p.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Don't forget about Dr. James C. Fletcher, the scientist that headed NASA twice. I was priviledged to work for him when he headed NASA for the second time. He was called upon to lead the "return to flight" effort following the Challenger accident.

Every person I met at NASA had a great respect for Dr. Fletcher and his scientific and administrative capabilities.

Members of the LDS church can be proud of both Dr. Eyring and Dr. Fletcher.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
DeLaval Milker | 2:41 p.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Shouldn't mormons produce scientists, ballerinas, beauty pageant winners or politicians at roughly the same percentage as the general population? If so, why is it news...and if not maybe ask why. I think this is trying too hard to attach mormon to someone who did something; another grab at mainstream or normalcy for its' own sake. Romney association, we could call it.
A great scientist is a great as a scientist. I don't give a Rat's if they're mormon. Don't matter.
Although, I do wonder how a mormon archaeologist or geneticist rationalises some church stuff with science.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
tfuller | 2:49 p.m. Feb. 10, 2008
continuation of tribute to Henry Eyring.

i appreciate the mention of Dr. James C. Fletcher, along with Dr. Eyring. I can see his (Fletcher's) signature on my framed U of U BA degree (Physics '66), on the wall, from where i sit writing this; it is a source of some pride to have his signatue on the degree, as well as a feeling of accomplishment for having stuck with the program (quite a few years ago).

when NASA was down and all but out, they called in Dr. Fletcher.

Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Shelama | 3:50 p.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Eyring (the "hack" as per 'Cato') won the very prestigious Priestly Medal (1975), the Linus Pauling Medal (1969), multiple other prestigious prizes, was considered for the Nobel prize for his work on absolute reaction rates, authored more than 500 of papers, and authored, co-authored or edited close to two dozen authoritative and well reviewed professional books. And gave some of the most wonderful, well received, educational and entertaining seminars for undergraduates in the physical sciences (including quantum mechanics) at the University of Utah after it lured him away from Princeton's Graduate School. His seminars were among the high points of my undergraduate work at the UoU in the late 60's. Cato, I am sure, will be only to pleased to now provide for us his C.V. and bibliography so we can see what a "real" scientist does, and what justifies his assessment of Eyring as a "hack." Which we will gladly accept with a vote of thanks.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
Alan of Orem | 3:57 p.m. Feb. 10, 2008
Since someone asked, from Wikipedia:

Henry Eyring (February 20, 1901 � December 26, 1981) was a Mexican�American theoretical chemist whose primary contribution was in the study of chemical reaction rates and intermediates. A prolific writer, he authored more than 600 scientific articles, ten scientific books, and a few books on the subject of science and religion. He was also a recipient of the National Medal of Science in 1966 for developing the Absolute Rate Theory of chemical reactions. He was also elected president of the American Chemical Society in 1963 and the Association for the Advancement of Science in 1965.

A few more LDS scientists approaching Eyring's stature could be mentioned, certainly a number at least in porportiontion with LDS population. And merely "competent" scientists about in the Church. Like Dr. Erying, they generally tend to be of the more liberal and open, less "doctrinaire" variety of LDS with regard to their faith, but as a whole no less devoted and faithful to God and willing to serve their Church.

We even have some decent geneticists and archaeologists running around.
Recommend
Recommendations: 0
In Entertainment Across Site