science & creation

Question 1

polkinghorne’s main premise

Answer 1

• science & creation: the search for understanding is one of his most important book
• main premise is that the world in intelligible (we can understand it by science) when it may not have been so

Question 2

religious implications

Answer 2

• in paley’s view the arena for interaction between religion & science is natural theology which he defines as ‘search for knowledge of god by exercise of reason & inspection of world’
• when inspect world by science we’re able to understand it to amazing extent
• what makes science possible is we understand the world

Question 3

what do we need to inquire

Answer 3

• why the cosmological constants are so fine-tuned they’ve produced beings like ourselves who are capable of understanding the universe
• fact we’re here suggests there’s an ‘anthropic principle’ behind the universe meaning the cosmological constants are fine-tuned to produce humans
• multiverse theory seeks to trivalise this principle by suggesting given enough universes some must be ordered by chance but if there’s others they’re completely unobservable so to base any science on their possible existence is pointless

Question 4

what does natural theology use insights of science for

Answer 4

• to reach a clearer understanding of the world
• works alongside revelation from scripture and religious experience to give humans a unified world view that comprehends science & religion
• need to use scientific data to understand ultimate questions

Question 5

what does polkinghorne conclude

Answer 5

• the rationality of universe is reflection of the rationality of the creator