Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

"Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy" by John Andreas Widtsoe is an academic book from the early 1900s that looks at how science and Mormon beliefs can fit together, focusing on the ideas of Joseph Smith. It argues that science and religion don't have to be enemies; instead, they can agree, and Joseph Smith's teachings even predicted some scientific discoveries. The book starts by acknowledging that many smart people have trouble balancing their faith with what science tells them. Widtsoe suggests that Mormonism sees all knowledge, spiritual and scientific, as connected. The book aims to show that Mormonism agrees with scientific principles, like the idea that matter and energy can't be destroyed. This introduction prepares the reader for a deeper study of how science and Mormon ideas relate to each other.