Science, Religion and Culture: New Beginnings
Science, Religion and Culture
Science, Religion and Culture: New Beginnings
Gregg D. Caruso
ABSTRACT
The relationship between science, religion, and culture has been a subject of profound interest for philosophers, scientists, theologians, and cultural historians for centuries. In fact, as far back as the ancient Greeks, when Thales of Miletus and other pre-Socratic philosophers began to offer scientific explanations of the natural world, questions about the relationship between science and religion began to emerge. Given that science and religion are two great manifestations of human culture, and that the scientific and religious worldviews dominate our understanding of the cosmos and our place in it, it is no surprise that these issues are of profound importance to many of us. It is vital, therefore, that we ask ourselves: Are science and religion compatible when it comes to understanding cosmology (the nature and origin of the universe), biology (the origin of life and of the human species), ethics, and the human mind (minds, brains, souls, and free will)? Do science and religion occupy non-overlapping magisteria? How do science and religion support, oppose, and/or inform each other? What is the relationship between religion and modern culture? What is the relationship between science and modern culture? How do the various faith traditions view the relationship between science and religion? What, if any, are the limits of scientific explanation? And what are the most important open questions, problems, or challenges confronting the relationship between science, religion, and culture, and what are the prospects for progress?
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