Science doesn’t care what you believe… or does it?

In the quiet halls of academia — and not-so-quiet halls of social media — a war of ideas rages. On one side stands science — empirical, rigorous, and objective. On the other, belief systems that have shaped human history, culture, and identity for millennia.

It all started with a coffee cup. Particularly this one:

The phrase “science doesn’t care what you believe” is often a retort in response to decidedly modern statements like “I don’t believe in climate change” or “I don’t believe in vaccines.” It is also a popular atheist trope that’s been used as a gotcha in religious debates for decades.

Consider this immensely popular argument from celebrity atheist Ricky Gervais:

Is Gervais right? Let’s see.

Imagine a cosmic simulation…