First Rule of MWS

Modern Western Science (MWS) is a game, a game that when played well, results in useful, practical knowledge that can be used to explicate, control, and predict events in the empirically observable and quantifiable universe of matter and energy. The track record of MWS in helping the human species live longer and healthier lives is non-debatable. (Whether MWS has helped humanity live more moral lives, well, you can debate that if you choose. Morals isn't quantifiable.)

And the game of MWS has rules. The first rule of Fight Club...uh, I mean, the first rule of Modern Western Science is (1) you do not invoke what is not empirically observable and quantifiable in order to explain what is empirically observable and quantifiable. The second rule of MWS is (2) you DO NOT INVOKE what is not empirically observable and quantifiable in order to explain what IS empirically observable and quantifiable. The third rule of MWS is (3) if you do invoke what is not empirically observable and quantifiable in order to explain what is empirically observable and quantifiable, then you are no longer playing the game of MWS. At which point, you are playing SOME OTHER game -- perhaps philosophy, perhaps aesthetics, perhaps theology, but you are no longer playing the game of MWS.

It's OK to not play the game of MWS.

It's totally fine to not play the game of MWS.

You are not a bad person if you are not playing the game of MWS.

The game of MWS is not superior or inferior (necessarily) to any other particular game.

The game of MWS will not (in itself) make you happy.

The game of MWS will not (in itself) lead to nirvana.

The game of MWS will not (in itself) open the door to salvation.

But the game of MWS has rules, those rules make the game work, and if you're not playing by the rules, you are simply not doing MWS.