Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversation"Has science made religion intellectually implausible? Does it rule out the existence of a personal God? In an age of science can we really believe that the universe has a "purpose"? And, finally, doesn't religion hold much of the blame for the present ecological crisis?" "These questions form the nucleus of today's debate between science and religion. This book is a guide for that debate, identifying the questions, isolating the issues and pointing to ways the questions can be resolved." "There are four possible ways, says John F. Haught, that we can view the relationship between religion and science. First, they can stand in complete opposition - the conflict position. Or, we can believe they are so different that conflict is impossible - the contrast position. A third approach holds that while science and religion are distinct, each has important implications for the other. A fourth way views them as different but mutually supportive."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
Contents
9 | |
Does Science Rule Out a Personal God? | 27 |
Does Evolution Rule Out Gods Existence? | 47 |
Is Life Reducible to Chemistry? | 72 |
Was the Universe Created? | 100 |
Do We Belong Here? | 120 |
Why Is There Complexity in Nature? | 142 |
Does the Universe Have a Purpose? | 162 |
Is Religion Responsible for the Ecological Crisis? | 183 |
Toward Conversation in Science and Religion | 202 |
Notes | 204 |
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allow anthropic principle argue belief system biblical big bang cosmology big bang physics big bang theory biology chaos and complexity chaos theory chemical chemistry confirmation conflation conflict consciousness contrast approach cosmic pessimism cosmic purpose cosmos creation theology creative Darwin divine E. O. Wilson Einstein emergent ence Eschatology eternal eventually evolution example explain fact final finite fundamental future gious God-religions God's existence human impersonal infinite inherently initial conditions intellectual kind least living logically look materialist matter meaning Michael Polanyi mind modern science mystery natural selection natural theology natural world notion patterning philosophers physicists possible promise purely question reality reductionism reductionist reli religious faith science and religion scientific ideas scientific materialism scientific skeptics scientists seems self-organizing sense simply specific Stephen Jay Gould Steven Weinberg teleological theism theistic theologians theology things tion transcendent trust ultimate understanding universe verse Weinberg York
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Page 2 - When we consider what religion is for mankind, and what science is, it is no exaggeration to say that the future course of history depends upon the decision of this generation as to the relations between them.