The tension between science, faith, and scepticism is timeless. It has been at the heart of human thought for ages, from the days of Galileo and the Inquisition to modern arguments about artificial intelligence and consciousness. No matter how much we learn, there is always something just beyond our reach — something we can't quite explain. And that’s where things get interesting.
The TV show Evil captures this conflict in a way few stories do. It throws three characters into the mix, each representing a different perspective. Kristen Bouchard is the scientist, trained to rely on psychology and forensic evidence. David Acosta is the priest in training, someone who believes in forces beyond what we can see. And Ben Shakir is the technology expert—the skeptic who always looks for the logical answer, no matter how bizarre the situation seems. The show constantly pits these viewpoints against each other, but what makes it fascinating is that it never picks a side. Sometimes, Kristen is right, and there’s a perfectly rational explanation. Other times, things happen that science just can’t explain, leaving even the skeptics questioning what they believe.
This type of push and pull isn't just good storytelling; it's a mirror of reality. The conflict between science and faith is pervasive, influencing how we see the world. Consider near-death experiences. Some people come back from the edge with stories of hovering above their body, seeing a bright light, or even seeing long-lost loved ones. Scientists have theories: oxygen deprivation, brain activity shutdown, and hallucinations. However, for those who have experienced it, the emotion is so strong and clear that they frequently return transformed. So who's right? Is it just neurons firing off in a dying brain, or is it proof of something beyond the physical?
That is what makes this debate so compelling. Science does an excellent job of explaining how things work—the mechanics of the universe, the chemistry of emotions, and the physics of reality. However, it struggles to explain why. Why do we have consciousness? Why do some people feel an unbreakable connection to something greater? And why, despite our progress, do we still encounter instances where logic fails us?
Skepticism plays a crucial role here. It’s easy to think of skeptics as the people who just dismiss everything, but real skepticism isn’t about rejection—it’s about questioning everything. The best skeptics don’t just challenge religion or spirituality; they also challenge science when it makes assumptions. Evil does this beautifully with Ben’s character. He’s the guy who looks at everything with a critical eye, always searching for the trick, the rational explanation. But there are moments when even he is shaken, when things happen that don’t fit into his worldview. And that’s what a good skeptic does—they don’t blindly believe, but they also don’t blindly deny. They leave room for the unknown.
In reality, this balance is more important than ever. We live in an age of rapid scientific discovery, but also a period when people are searching for meaning more than ever. Science and faith aren't as different as they appear. Consider quantum physics, where particles behave in ways that don’t make sense, or the placebo effect, in which belief alone can result in real, measurable healing. These are areas where science and spirituality almost seem to overlap, where the lines between them blur.
The truth is, we may never have all the answers. Maybe science will eventually explain everything, or maybe certain mysteries are meant to remain unexplained. But what Evil gets right—and what we can learn from it—is that the conversation is what matters. It is not a matter of proving one side right and the other wrong. It's about stretching the boundaries of our knowledge, remaining open to new ideas, and realizing that the most interesting questions don't always have easy answers.