Research Paper on "Which One Science or Religion"

Research Paper 4 pages (1397 words) Sources: 7

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Religion has been on the losing side of a prolonged conflict with the secular world for the past two centuries. However, since the September 11 attacks by Muslim terrorists at the World Trade Center, religious terrorism has been regarded as the most dangerous threat to the Western world since the Soviet Union. Countless political leaders, scholars, and journalists criticized the aggressive Islamic fundamentalist doctrines which guided these Jihadist warriors into their suicide missions.

Many intellectuals drew parallels between the purification mission of Islamic fundamentalists and the apocalyptic obsessions of the U.S.'s own fundamentalist evangelicals, some of which were in important government office. Indeed, it appeared that religious fundamentalists from Christianity, Islam, and Judaism had hijacked important government offices, possibly bringing about the decline of Western Civilization into another Dark Age and reversing the tremendous gains made by the intellectuals and scientists of the Western World.

Review of Sources

The essays below all involve a science-religion dispute of some sort but focus on different aspects of it. Ruse, Demere/Walsh and Glynn all address the most controversial recent debate in the science-religion conflict: the validity and value of Creationism as a scientific theory. Begley addresses a much more abstract issue which is the convergence of science and religion in the nature of their inquiries. Finally, Zindler addresses the effect of Evangelical Christian doctrine on its adherents' decisions by analyzing the many follies of former President George W. Bush.

a. Michael Ruse -- Evolution and Creati

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onism Both Contribute to Human Understanding

Ruse argues that science and religion, through constructive dialogue, could moderate the excesses of each other. Religion can moderate the hubris of scientific ambition and science can explain the technical workings of the universe. His most compelling piece of support in favor of Religion is Augustine's theory of creation, the metaphor of God planting seeds which were to grow living beings and populate the Earth. Evolutionism and Creationism are possibly compatible as he suggested with his reference to Augustine's "seed" metaphor.

b. Sharon Begley -- Both Religion and Science Can Reveal Life

Begley argues that science has reached the point where it is starting to ask the same questions that religion has been asking for millennia. Some areas of science have encountered phenomena for which they do not have the tools to explain, such as Einstein's discovery of the "spooky" processes of particles in the field of Quantum Mechanics. These discoveries alarm scientists because they defy, or at least complicate, many fundamental laws of the universe long considered absolute by the scientific community. Conversely, unexpected discoveries in the fields of astronomy and cosmology are helping us to make sense of our existence in the universe, providing valuable "solace and support" in an increasingly threatening universe.

c. Frank R. Zindler -- Religion Harms America

Zindler argues that Religion is harming America through the hand of George Bush, who is the epitome of the Evangelical Christian and who just happens to be President of the United States of America. Williams credits Evangelical Christianity as the source of George Bush's ignorance of science, which leads him to make decisions that damage the environment and stifle potentially groundbreaking medical research. She also credits the apocalyptic worldview expounded by Evangelical Christianity for his aggressive, destructive foreign policies. Unlike many other critics of George Bush, Zindler attributes George Bush's mistakes not to ill will or corruption, but to the ignorance of science instilled in him by the cocksure doctrines of Evangelical Christianity.

d. Patrick Glynn -- Creationism Should Be Taught Alongside Evolution

Patrick Glynn argues that removing Creationism from the school curriculum would stifle critical thinking. Glynn observes that dogmatic Evolution proponents make up the bulk of the anti-Creationism movement, who have repeatedly summoned the Constitution's separation of Church and State in order to keep Creationism out of public schools. He characterizes their legal wrangling as somewhat cowardly and evasive of the genuine scientific issues at hand. To prove these scientific disputes, Glynn cites observations from the field of Astrophysicists that the make-up of the cosmos is so perfectly suited to the sustenance of life that it almost has to have been designed. He also cites an insight gained from the application of Information Theory to… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Which One Science or Religion" Assignment:

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DEBATE AND RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

While classic Greek philosophy of Plato and ***** stood apart from the religious systems of the time, beginning with the time of the Apostle Paul philosophy stood next to religious beliefs. Paul had studied Greek philosophy and found in the beliefs of Christianity compatibility with the philosophical teachings of the Greek tradition. Later in the Medieval period of history, Thomas Aquinas wrote extensively following his study of *****s texts and showed the compatibility and inter-relationships between faith and reason.

With the rise and advance of science in the nineteenth and twentieth century a major change occurred. We now find debates between science and religion that provide widespread disagreement about the compatibility of the two. The disagreements not only center on the existence of God but also the role of religious belief in determining complex moral issues in today*****s society.

For this assignment we engage in the current debates about religion and science using one of the Library Online Databases for our source material.

Your assignment is to read seven sources and to write a 4 page essay that includes the key points made in AT LEAST five essays and then also write a conclusion that expresses your conclusions ï¿½ï¿½*****" which side do you take? Which position would you be prepared to defend? How do you look at the tensions between religion and science? Can they work side by side?

The following essays from the Gale database are provided:

1. Evolution and Creationism Both Contribute to Human Understanding ï¿½ï¿½*****" by Michael Ruse

2.Both Religion and Science Can Reveal Life*****s Meaning? By Sharon Begley.

3.Religion Harms America. By Frank R. Zindler.

4. Creationism Should be Taught in Public Schools by Patrick Glynn

5. Creationism should not be Taught in Public Schools

Then select two more essays on topics that you might find interesting and that give you pro and con arguments. Following two essays are as follows:

1. Society Needs Religion

2. Intelligent Design is a Scientific Theory

WRITING YOUR ESSAY

For the five essays that you are going to write about, list the key points with brief descriptions since we are familiar with these articles. Then be sure to write your evaluation, agreement/disagreement with the points expressed. Your critical evaluation of these essays is important.

FINALLY, write a CONCLUSION that provides your overall reaction and conclusions about the debates between science and religion, their impact and potential, and position in our culture today. Is the 20th Century divide between the two impossible to bridge or can religion and science again have dialogue with each other?

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