...Faith and Science Ther are several principle Albl uses as guidelines for believers use of religion and science. All his principles appear to provide an appropriate balance between religion and science. These principles allow us to use religion and science with an outlook somewhere between fideism and nonoverlapping magisterium (NOMA). Religion should not be too rigid or close-minded and science alone cannot explain the transcedent. Of all Albl’s priciples, I believe that dialogue between religion and science allows each to influence the other is the most relevant (95). This principle directly relates to the work of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and Jay Goulds NOMA concept (Albl 88). Science operates in the empirical realm whereas religion operates in the spiritual realm. Science provides explanations for why the universe is the way it is. Religion on the other hand provides explanations for what transcendent entity created the universe. Yet if it were not for religion perhaps most of the scientific theories we believe today would not exist. The spiritual connection with the transcendent provides the motivation for scientists to explore and answer the unanswered. This includes scientists who are non-believers as well. Scientists who are non-believers seek to answer questions, which will provide substantial theories for transcendence. This why religion and science having a dialogue between them is crucial to there existence and evolution. It is ideal when scientists develop theories...
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...Religion and Science REL 212 October 11, 2013 Professor Richardson Religion and Science When viewing Chapter 1’s podcast titled “Scholar Says Religion and Science Can Co-exist”, I agree with the notion that both can coexist. As mentioned by Michel Martin from the Faith Matters show, “religion is about the why. Science may be about the how” (NPR News, 2010). In my opinion, this makes perfect sense. I feel that when a child is born, they are automatically placed in a religion in which their parents believe. At that time, no one could tell the child anything different because that is all they know. As the child experience life as an adolescent, their fate and belief, will be tested giving room for questions to be asked and applied to science. Guest speaker Professor Francisco Ayala mentioned that, “the world is one and the same but what we see through those windows is different” (NPR News, 2010). In the early stages in life, what a person is groomed to believe is what they will continue to believe. Through experiences, a person is given a chance to determine if they will continue to believe what has been instilled in them or take another view in life and see what can be proven through science. People who are open-minded can see many different spectrums of the world. Closed-minded people are not willing to accept the fact that there may be more to what they have been told to believe. When viewing the Chapter 2’s podcast titled “Living Vodou”, I again,...
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...Evolutionary creation is the logical explanation for how the earth was created. Nature clearly shows that someone of intelligence created the earth and the universe and the Bible is a book of salvation, not a book of science, which can cause confusion among different religions and beliefs. All around us is evidence that a divine and caring God created the heavens and the earth. The world is too complex to be made up from nothing, or the earth to make itself. Our human brain is so complex, it is hard to imagine that something could spontaneously create something so intricate. Our cerebrum has well over 100 trillions of synaptic connections and millions of nerve endings that sense all forms of light, pressure, temperature, and so much more all...
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...founder of mondern genetic theory, his life alone should be proof that God and Darwin can coexist. Mendel was interested in heredity and did major work in the development of the study of the genetics of plants before the science was even beginning to be developed. Historically issues of faith and science have collided and I would think that both theology and science have its place in the world as the search for knowledge continues. Religious Fundamentalism which requires a literal interpretation of the Bible as a substitute for science is bad theology and bad for science, and mistakenly puts the science and theology at war assuming that there is only one truth and it exists in one place and is not subject to any further interpretation. Simil arly mean spirited materialistic science which negates or belittles theology is similarly wrong headed and denies much of the basis from which it came. Historically I believe that both science and theology have their place in explaining man's and or women's place in the universe and their relation to other living beings. For much of history churches and religious orders have done much to support what has come to be known as a scientific study of the universe. Galileo explained that the Earth and the other planets revolved around the sun and that has come to be accepted. Earlier church teaching were eventually discarded as mistaken and both science and theology have moved forward. Good...
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...being and should be thought of in that way. Furthermore complicating the relationship between religion and politics. Most pragmatists would argue that both religion and politics cannot coexist with conflict, they simply exist for opposing reason. However, Hobbes argues that there could be a coexistence between the two. Although the laws of Gods and man are very different, according to Hobbes, they rarely contradict each other. I have a very hard time understanding this because it is very apparent in my life that the laws of God and man contradict each other on a very regular basis. It’s quite simple actually, being raised Catholic, I learned that there are certain things the law of man will allow for you to do that would be considered offensive towards God, or sinful. It became apparent to me quite quickly while reading Dumouchel, that he agreed. The sincerity of Hobbes should most certainly be questioned. For someone who bases the entirety of their theories around being rational and rooted in concrete science. His teachings on religion come off to me in a slightly mocking tone. However, I more strongly feel that he was simply writing in such a way to stay in the good graces of those in power, who would not support a strictly rationalized theory that did not involve God. Furthermore, Hobbes had to dance around the subject and teach that there was a need for both politics and religion, but in each in separate sense than the other. Yet he does so in such a convincing manner...
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...Meghan Gilkey Professor Pryor November 12, 2013 Theology and Science Reflection The simple quote by Joey Lawsin, “The Duality of One is the Unity of two” says many things. There are many different ways we could relate this quote throughout our lives; but today I am choosing to relate it to science and religion. With this, Paul Davies is able to open up a dialogue of religion and science through his theoretical beliefs. Ian Barbour proposes four different positions throughout his typology. The first perspective he talks about is conflict. Those who fall under the conflict category are those who try to prove religion with science. Many people who fall under this category are atheists, biblical literalists, and the media. The next position he discusses is independence. Independence separates science and religion, but says they can coexist if they keep a safe distance from the other. The third position is dialogue, which compares science and religion. It shows similarities and differences. The fourth and final position is integration. Integration consists of all the outside perspectives. Paul Davies is a theoretical physicist, astrobiologist, cosmologist, and a best-selling author. Currently, he is the “Principle Investigator for the Convergence of Physical Science and Cancer Biology, all at Arizona State University.” ("ASU") Before this, Davies held academic appointments at many universities, such as Cambridge, London, and Newcastle Tyne located in the UK. In 1990...
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...Science is all about the facts, and in most instances that is all you need to believe in the results that you are being given. With this ease in compatibility with others upon results, naturally friendships are made between scientists. Yet there are just about as many natural arguments between scholars in science as their are friendships. This argument or friendship can skip generations for those in the same study, scientists often being compatible with those who worked before them and brought inspiration. This basic concept is seen in the compatibility and differences between Charles Dawkins and Richard Dawkins. These two scientists both have a long recorded history of progress in terms of evolution, but there are details and specifics in...
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...For the longest time, religion has played a big role in society. Religion’s main role today is to guide the followers through life influencing their world views, but there is some problems when it comes to religion and politics. The problem has carried on through the ages. Should they coexist or should they each stand individually in society today. When defining religion, people think of traditions and rituals that had impressed beyond them by their family and their older generations. Politics isn’t something that an individual is taught or learned, its experience that they have got through either having hands on issues or through experiences they have encountered. People tend to lean towards the form of government that best suites them or benefits their life style in which they are living or want to live. If an individual lived a life of poverty, that individual may lean more towards a society of equality and shared wealth where class lines are more consolidated to the people in need. A staggering 82 percent of the American population identifies with one religion or another. A religious sentiment is so ingrained in society that its effects cannot help but be seen in the political arena. A religious belief is either worn as a proud demarcation of their personal moral standing and virtuous character. Due to the American party system of election, certain polarities of religious and moral tendencies between democrats and republicans have risen out of the people’s...
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...Issues paper#1 Anthropocentrism vs. Biocentrism 1/26/2012 The Historical Roots of our ecologic crisis is an article written by Lynn T. White, Jr. published in the journal Science in 1966. White was a medieval scholar and in this article he blames technology, Christianity, and anthropocentrism as the “Roots” of our ecologic crisis. He states, “All forms of life modify their contexts,” but believes that this modification should be for the good of the earth like the coral polyp. He states Man must coexist with nature. Man had always been a dynamic element in harmony with the earth. This all changed sometime around the 1850 when the “Baconian Creed” of scientific knowledge started influencing the people. As a result man began to exploit the earth through new advents in technology. White cites the invention of the eight-oxen plow as the beginning of man’s “ruthlessness” towards nature. White continues to argue that Christian Axioms fueled this newfound exploitive attitude towards earth. To White, Christianity’s story of creation and notion that “no item in the physical creation had any purpose save to serve man’s purpose (White).” only served to justify these actions and put Christianity as “the most anthropocentric religion the world has seen.” White continues to argue that simply applying more science and more technology to our ecologic crisis is not going to solve the problem. To him the issue is essentially religious. White suggests a Franciscan model towards earth and all...
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...Assess the view that science has replaced religion as the main ideological influence in society today. Many argue that the radical social changes brought about by industrialisation have led to religion being undermined by scientific rational thought. For instance, many phenomena, such as earthquakes and diseases, are explained in terms of science rather than through religion. On the other hand, religious thoughts are still dominant in some aspects of life- for instance; many still reject the theory of evolution, or see evolution as guided or initiated by some divine force. Whether or not science has replaced religion as the main ideological influence in modern society is a question that requires answering in two elements. Are science and religion ideological? Although there are many who argue that religion is an ideology or contains ideological aspects, whether or not science is remains a controversial subject which requires criticisms of the objectivity. If science is not an ideology then the view given by the essay question is falsified. If both are ideological then we may proceed to assess the whether science has supplanted religion in this sense. The term “ideology” is difficult to define. Roughly, an ideology is a belief system or framework of ideas which present a partial or distorted view of reality. In this assessment, I wish to apply Manheim’s definitions of two types of ideology- an ideology which justifies current social order, and an ideology which presents...
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...Scientology is probably one of the most difficult religions to believe in contrast to Judaism. These two religions are very strict in their beliefs and if failure to abide you may be punished severely. Judaism in particular is structured with limited gender roles and constrained human emotions. Judaism has the mindset that if you ever stray from their providence belief, you must be tortured and executed in order to save your internal soul. Scientology is completely different from this. Scientologists believe that they can be like deities themselves and that wealth and knowledge are idols that require worshiping as well. There beliefs are particularly different from the other Western mainstream beliefs, mainly because of the bold worship of money as a physical idol to themselves. Besides the underlining fact that Judaism not only demands that you worship their creator, they insist that their neighbors and kin follow in suit. This of course is a conflict with the existence of Scientology. Not only is Scientology completely denying the Judaism creator, but they are also worshiping themselves as Deities. Another conflicting ideology between the two religions, is the creation of our universe. Scientologists believe that many gods, that are on the same level as the average person, decided to make the world together. Judaism believes that there is a single God that made the world; as do their cousin faiths believe. Scientologists do not worship their creators because they perceive...
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...Science vs. Religion Are Science and Religion in Conflict? PHI103: Informal Logic (GSK1124I) For as long as anyone can remember in human history there have been many explanations for events that seem out of human control. In recent civilized history, religious and scientific views have often clashed with one another. Religious ideas are usually presented first and then enough scientific evidence accumulates to dare religious beliefs. These findings of science are met with skepticism and most are considered a heresy. Science and religion exist in a kind of push and pull relationship: just as the yen does not exist without the yang. Science strives to replace religious beliefs with proven scientific theories and religion challenges the scientific theories with the strength and positive effects of a belief. Since the middle ages until the 18th century, religious ideology was the most accepted way of explaining the unexplained. During the next couple hundred years, many members of academia (a school of philosophy), using science to back them up, came up with new ways of dealing with the unanswerable questions. Humans have striven to explain the many mysteries of the universe, and to justify our existence in it. Throughout this journey of self-understanding, numerous standpoints on human existence have evolved and merged into a complex, abstract manifestation called religion. However, as the human race has grown and advanced itself, many ideas expressed...
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...diversion is actually part of an ancient science called astrology that has had a powerful effect on many cultures dating back to centuries before Christ. That is not to say that astrology is a dead art today. It is easy to find astrology advocates in every town, advertising in the newspaper and on television trying to convince us that they can tell our fortune, our future and help cure our ills by exploring the mysteries of astrology. When you are a lover of astronomy, the confusion between astronomy and astrology by those who donít really understand the differences can get pretty aggravating. And in early civilizations, the two disciplines were not separate. Astrology was just the religious side of the science of astronomy. So what changed? The most significant shift that set in motion the separation of the two lines of thought began in the first century when Ptolemy wrote the very first book on astronomy called the Tetrabiblos. In it, he began to suggest that astronomy should be considered a separate science from astrology. It was quite a revolutionary book because it also was the first scientific document to suggest that the earth was not the center of the universe and that astronomy should be focused strictly on the observation and recording of events in the cosmos. Over the next 2000 years, we have come a long way. Not only has science and religion completely gone their separate ways since Ptolemy but the science of astronomy makes tremendous strides every...
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...Philosophy and Religion PHI 200 Angela Lohr Ashford University Abstract Philosophy and Religion have always been a source of contention between people. In the following pages we ask ourselves and discuss if humans need to prove the existence of god and if it is necessary? What the strongest argument for the existence of God is and what are the foundations of the universe. These are all important questions that we need to ask ourselves. In the end, no matter what your beliefs are, as long as you are happy with your life that is all that matters. God affects the lives of people differently and has certainly been a contentious subject for hundreds of years. Despite the antiquity of this question, new aspects of this debate have arisen recently, partly because of developments in science and philosophy. Big Bang cosmology is the best-known example, but each year brings new results of research into the origins of life and of our universe. Craig, W. Lane, Sinnott A. Walter (2004). Some people go through their entire lives and fully believe that there is a greater all powerful being somehow surrounding them and watching them. Others believe that there is nothing out there and that when you die that there is nothing in the universe that is going to judge you and condemn you to a life of pain and suffering, you just return to the earth and that’s it. So back to the question, is proof for the existence of god necessary. Clearly the answer to this question is...
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...disciplines has been whether or not the two can coexist together or if the two disciplines should never merge. Epistemology, cosmology, and philosophical anthropology lays down the foundation for integration. Both disciplines seek to understand human behavior and both seek to fix what appears to be broken within humanity. Both disciplines seek for truth. Psychology seeks for truth through science and what has been observed, whereas the source for truth for Christianity is found in God through His Words and His Works. The two may not contradict. There are several models of integration and they look to explain what the relationship between psychology and Christianity ought to be. The Allies model, which is discussed in more depth, holds the view that truth is found in God’s Words and Works and that God is sovereign over all things. Integration Paper The integration of psychology and Christianity has been a topic of discussion for many years and will be for many more years to come. It is important that this discussion is not put aside but rather be openly discussed among members from both disciplines. There are many models within integration and they all offer their own perspectives on the relationship between psychology and Christianity. One is not necessarily better than the other because they all present their own advantages and limitations. It is up for an individual to decide which model they will adhere to. Both psychology and theology can only accomplish so much on their own...
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