This discussion covers an important area of the humanities, the history of science and technology. Being that our chapter addresses the Enlightenment and the new scientific learning that emerges in this period, we are going to tackle this topic to help broaden our understanding of intellectual history. Intellectual history is a vital part of documenting the human experience. As humans evolved, and grew, socially, culturally, and economically, the quest for scientific knowledge rapidly increased. One interesting aspect of the study of the history of science, is its intersection with religion. Interestingly, some of the most profound thinkers from the early modern, to modern, period were theologically trained. The trend seems to be that the most educated people in society were often training to be clerics. There are several reasons for this, primarily being that the Church controlled education, so if a person went to university, they were going to be attending a religious institution, regardless of their primary field of study.
It would not be until the more recent years that we would begin to see a stark division between science and religion. Although, there are roughly 7% theists in the Academy of Science to this day, that percentage is significantly smaller compared to 300 years ago. Therefore, for this discussion we are going to look at some important scientific figures, and their place within the religious landscape of their day. Below you will find a series of lectures, readings, and a film on the life of Darwin…yes, even Darwin had a fascinating relationship to the Christian culture of his day. In fact, Darwin was buried with full Christian honours at Westminster Abbey, in London, not far from Sir Isaac Newton.
The following materials will guide our study (links below), and they are:
*Lecture from your instructor: Scientists
*Presentation: The relationship between science and religion
*Conversation with a leading scholar in the field of science and religion
*Full length film, Creation (The life of Charles Darwin)
*Read: John Haught’s Introduction & Ch. 1 to Science and Religion: From Conflict to Conversation
John Haught: Science And Religion Excerpt download
(https://collin.instructure.com/courses/877347/files/68006591?wrap=1)
*James Moore’s chapter from Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion, “MYTH: That Evolution Destroyed Darwin’s Faith in Christianity–Until He Reconverted on His Deathbed”
James Moore, “Darwin” from Galileo Goes to Jail
(https://collin.instructure.com/courses/877347/files/68006592?wrap=1)
download
Must Watch the following 3 vidoes to include on the paper
Do your best to answer all of the questions below, and likewise formulate a thoughtful response to your classmates as they answer these questions. Be civil, be kind, but use critical thought. If you are going to defend your position, do so with sound reasoning.
(1) Do people generally believe that science-religion conflict exists, and if so, is it inevitable?
(2) Does history bear witness to a repeated pattern of science-religion conflict?
(3) Should there be conflict between science and religion?
(4) Can a person be religious and accept the theories of evolution?
(5)
