Understanding Religion and Science: Introducing the Debate

ISBN-13: 9781441182005 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 314 str.

Michael Horace Barnes (University of Dayton)

Opis

Most texts on religion and science rightly focus on the effect of modern cosmology and biology on views about God and on the place of humankind in the universe. Many analyze current disputes about Intelligent Design. Some add useful material about notions the soul and inner freedom. A few offer thoughts about miracles. Others devote time to differences in methods in religion and science. Understanding Religion and Science covers all those topics well and clearly. This textbook also reviews relevant historical and philosophical background, showing, for example, that some ancient Christians speculated on how God might give order to history without having to intervene, or that the very earliest Christians did not believe in a naturally immortal soul.
Finally, the text asks why people differ in their basic commitments, some giving priority to a religiously meaningful life, others willing to face even the most uncomfortable conclusions. The author suggests this may be a divide not easily bridged.. This book will appeal to students of Religion and of Science and Religion Studies.

Spis treści

Introduction

Section One - Methods in Religion: Relations Between Faith and Reason
1. Faith and Reason in Religion: Some Basics
2. Modern Theologies about Faith

Section Two - The Method of Science: How Does It Arrive at Its Conclusions?
3. The Method of Science
4. The Limits of Science
5. Criticisms of Science

Section Three - God and Atheism
6. The Reality and Nature of God in Western Religion
7. Science-Based Atheism and Some Religious Responses

Section Four - Miracles: Does God Intervene in Natural Processes?
8. Belief in Miracles Today
9. A Brief History of Christian Thought on Miracles
10. Skepticism and Modern Theologies about Miracles

Section Five - Cosmic Evolution: How Did We Get Here?
11. Varieties of Universes
12.. Cosmic Order
13. Religious Interpretations of the Cosmos

Section Six - Biological Evolution: How Did We Get Here?
14. Basic Theories of Evolution
15. Evolution and Christianity
16. The New Creationism: Intelligent Design

Section Seven - Human Nature: Who Are We?
17. The Soul Tradition
18. Science on the Mind
19. The Freedom of a Material Soul

Epilogue
20. Religion and Science: Conflicting Commitments

Bibliography

Index