Maybe...but for me it seems the appropriate word. There are times when science appears to be its own religion. We have (or had, depending on how much one has read of newer physics) "faith" in the atomic theory as the ultimate answer, yet the more we probe, the more things we find, the more we learn. We have faith that science can bring us answers.

I have faith in science's infinite nature because I believe humankind is more or less infinite. And I'm one of those fence-sitters. While I believe in science and firmly believe religions as we know them are crap, pap and pointless except for organizing society, I also think there's a greater force Out There Somewhere. I have faith in knowledge. Faith in learning.

Oh, stop me, I can blather on like this forever. I'd better go outside and worship a maple tree or six.