Challenges from science Flashcards
In short, what do the McGraths say about religion and science?
Their Christian faith is compatible with science and science and religion need each other as there are questions that science simply cannot answer.
Quote from Dawkins about limits of understanding.
“I am thrilled to be alive at a time when humanity is pushing the limits of understanding.”
What did Dawkins say about William Paley’s design argument?
When faced with something that is incredibly complex, humans just tend to turn to a religious answer - the idea that an ‘eye or a wing’ could come about by chance seems impossible.
How does Dawkins use a contemporary example to show the ridiculousness of the design argument by Paley?
Consider a tornado in a scrap yard, it would be absurd to argue that it could randomly throw together a Boeing 747.
What is the God hypothesis?
We don’t understand so it must be God’s doing - God is an interventionist.
What did Dawkins say were the problems with the God hypothesis?
- We are not faced with a choice between chance and God. Natural selection explains how there can be the appearance of complex things.
- God must be at least as complex as the things he designed.
According to Dawkins, what can natural selection not explain?
Why there is life in the universe and how it came to be on Earth.
What should natural selection inspire us to do?
To find an explanation which makes sense of the improbable existence of life.
What is the Anthropic principle?
The universe must contain the properties that allow the observer to exist.
What would an atheist use to explain the anthropic principle?
Multiverse theory
What is multiverse principle?
There are an endless number of universes each with different variations, ours happens to be the one with the variation to support life.
According to Dawkins, religion is a by- product of which 2 qualities?
- The human tendency to obey orders
- The biologically programmed tendency to assign meaning to animals and objects.
What is a meme according to Dawkins?
An element of culture that is passed from on to another by imitation or non genetic means.
What does Dawkins say about scientists who are also Christians?
They aren’t really Christians - they are afraid of sharing their true beliefs or they are confusing Christianity with cultural values about beauty and goodness.
What does Dawkins accuse many scientists of doing?
Accepting awards from religiously based bodies by passing themselves off as religious believers.
According to Mcgrath’s, why can’t Dawkins accuse scientists of being ‘fake’ Christians?
A study in the 1900s showed that 40% of scientists were Christians, this would mean that Dawkins is claiming that half of the scientific community is mentally deficient.
Give a criticism of Dawkins by the Mcgraths.
If religion is really a ‘virus of the mind’ then surely there would be some scientific evidence - there is not.
What suggests to the Mcgraths that Dawkins book is polemic?
His lack of evidence
What does polemic mean?
An aggressive or verbal attack.
Quote by Mcgraths showing that Dawkins book is polemic.
“more designed to reassure atheists whose faith is faltering than to engage … with religious believers”
What does non overlapping magisteria (NOMA) mean?
science and religion are two different areas of enquiry by Stephen Jay Gould.
What does astrophysicist Martian Rees say?
There are ultimate questions that lie beyond science but there is not enough evidence to prove the answers to these questions.
According to Sir Peter Medawar, what three questions can science not answer?
- How did everything begin?
- What are we here for?
- What is the point of living?
What do the Mcgraths prefer to NOMA?
POMA - partially overlapping magisteria
According to Dawkins, what are the 4 gaps that can be filled by science which were thought to be only filled by religion?
- explanation
- exhortation
- consolation
- inspiration
How is the ‘gap’ of explanation solved by science?
By understanding natural selection and other scientific ideas.
How is the ‘gap’ of exhortation solved by science?
You can live a good and moral life without God - Dawkins argued that religion leads to violence and hatred linking to the hate mail he has received from Christians.
How is the ‘gap’ of consolation solved by science?
One can find atheists who are consoled by trying new ways of thinking.
How is the ‘gap’ of inspiration solved by science?
Looking at the world around us is amazing and inspirational.
Why do Mcgraths reject the ‘God of the gaps’ theory?
They say that this only represents a small number of Christians and the majority believe that God is actively involved in all life.
What does Richard Swinburne argue about intelligibility?
The best explanation for the intelligibility of the universe is that it has been created by an intelligent being.
What does Einstein say about religion?
“Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.”
Quote from McGraths about Dawkins disregard for evidence.
“an apparent disregard for evidence that was not favourable to his case?”
Give 3 facts about religion that Dawkins ignores, according to the McGraths.
- The danger of an absence of religion
- The capacity of a religion to transform human conflicts
- The fact that religion is more than a belief
What do studies show about the influence of religion on the 911 terror attacks?
Religion alone would not have been enough to cause this, other factors such as social oppression, psychological factors and material factors.
How can the assertions of ‘badness’ in religion be proven to be non scientific in nature?
There has been studies that show that religious commitment and belief has had a positive effect on human well being and longevity.
Why do the McGraths accuse Dawkins of confusing science and scientism?
The lack of evidence to support his claims in the God Delusion and his mischaracterisation of religion and violent.
How does Dawkins defend himself against the claim that he confuses science and scientism?
He is committed to evidence no matter where it leads and there is no reason to declare that science has limits just because it doesn’t have the answers yet.
What is scientism?
Belief in the universal applicability of scientific knowledge and techniques.
