The natural world seems very different than it did when the world's
major religions developed. How should our developing understanding of
the physical world affect our religious experience? Are the implications
of science in conflict with religious concepts? Are science and religious
experience entirely separate domains of understanding? Is there useful
dialogue between them and perhaps even the possibility of integration?
The popular and semi-scholarly press are full of issues in science seen
to have implications for religion. The human genome project brings issues
of evolutionary design to everyone's attention. Cosmic creation issues
are raised by ever more precise understanding of the cosmic background
microwave radiation. There is increasing interest in "complexity,"
understood as the self-organization of systems according to principles
not predictable solely from the understood properties of their constituents.
Biological and cosmic evolution seem to favor complexity, suggesting
directionality of time and purpose, at least in our region of time and
space. Complexity seems to suggest a "top-down" epistemological
hierarchy, as opposed to the "bottom-up" hierarchy of scientific
materialism (understood as "everything is simply a matter of interacting
particles"). Quantum non-locality suggests that "particles,"
understood as localized entities, do not even exist at the quantum level.
Neuroscience and robotics both raise new issues of "embodiment,"
understood as the inseparability (or not) of mind and nervous system,
"soul" and "body."
We will draw our scientific examples from our current understanding
of quantum indeterminism and non-locality, from cosmology, and from
evolutionary biology. Following William James, we will interpret religious
experience as personal affirmation of the meaning of existence, whether
or not guided by religious institutions. We will explore the relationship
of science to religious experience within the framework of conflict,
separation, dialogue and integration developed by Ian Barbour.
Format: Lectures, demonstrations, multimedia presentations and
discussion. Limited mathematical treatment of scientific concepts. Requirements:
Three short papers, a midterm exam, and a final paper.
Enrollment limited to 30. No course prerequisites except that enrollment
preference will be given to juniors and seniors having some background
in science, religion, psychology or philosophy.
This course satisfies the Division II distribution requirement.
It is recommended for students interested in the implications of science
for other disciplines, but it may not be used to satisfy the division
III distribution requirement or the minimum requirements for the physics
major.
Hour: TF, 1:15 - 2:25 pm
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