Understanding Religion and Science Flashcards

Question

Myths, Models, and Paradigms

Answer 1

By Ian Barbour

Answer 2

Scientific theories, like Newtonian mechanics, once shaped religious thought by reinforcing deistic or mechanistic worldviews Modern science influences religion in less direct ways due to its abstract and often poorly understood theories

Answer 3

Linguistic analysis sees religious language as expressive, moral, and intentional rather than factual

Answer 4

Science and religion could be harmonised if seen as fulfilling different human functions, not competing for truth Science and religion should not be called ‘complementary’, as their models function in distinct epistemological ways

Answer 5

Religious beliefs might be useful fictions Models are symbolic, imaginative frameworks for understanding complex systems, not literal truths

Answer 6

Typologising complex relations, like that between science and religion, can aid understanding by simplifying abstract concepts

Answer 7

Logical positivism, especially A. J. Ayer’s verification principle, dismissed religious language as meaningless Anthony Flew’s Falsification Principle claimed religious statements are unfalsifiable and thus devoid of real content

Answer 8

By John Hedley brooke

Answer 9

The ‘conflict thesis’ is a historical oversimplification that ignores cooperation and mutual influence Historical examples show science was often supported by religious institutions (e.g., medieval astronomy/causation) Religion has contributed to science, e.g., Puritan focus on NL helping drive early modern science The boundaries between science and religion were historically fluid, e.g., Newton linked natural and divine inquiry

Answer 10

Definitions of science and religion are themselves contested and context-dependent

Answer 11

Conflicts like Galileo’s were as much political and cultural as religious or scientific

Answer 12

Religion has inspired scientific exploration even where its doctrinal claims have been falsified (e.g., Noah’s ark and species distribution)

Answer 13

Science has not disproved core religious claims, which may lie outside empirical critique

Answer 14

Conflict often arises more within science or religion themselves than between them (e.g., traditional vs. novel scientific theories)

Answer 15

By Cantor & Kenny

Answer 16

In pre-modern thought, science and religion were often seen as complementary, rather than competing fields. People didn't necessarily see them as distinct domains with conflicting methods or goals. ‘Conflict’ as a term is anachronistic when applied to pre-modern periods - Neither ‘science’ nor ‘religion’ are historically consistent categories

Answer 17

Many famous science–religion debates were driven by other factors (e.g., politics or methodology) Historical narratives that reduce debates to ‘science vs. religion’ are reductive and misleading

Answer 18

Typologies may not reflect actual lived experiences, where personal belief systems are rarely so compartmentalised Studying individual lives offers a more accurate understanding of science–religion interplay (Models like Barbour’s are analytically useful but may misrepresent real-world messiness)

Answer 19

Barbour rejects extreme positions like scientific materialism and biblical literalism

Answer 20

‘The central historiographical problem when talking about ‘science and religion’ is the assumption that the terms have either diachronically or synchronically stable boundaries’ Diachronic boundaries, refer to the boundaries of these categories over time Synchronic boundaries, refer to the boundaries of these categories at a given moment (quote is saying not only is it not historically consistent it is not even consistent now)

Answer 21

By Peter Harrison

Answer 22

‘Science’ and ‘religion’ are modern constructs, shaped by centuries of cultural and political change

Answer 23

Referring to an 'early modern conflict between Egypt and Israel' is misleading, as these are modern terms with modern borders; even saying 'Ancient Egypt' and 'Ancient Israel' risks projecting contemporary biases onto the past

Answer 24

Claims that science always triumphs over religion (e.g., Davies) often ignore religion in figures like Aristotle Religion and science evolved symbiotically, especially in the 17th century (e.g., Newton’s religiously motivated science)

Answer 25

The idea that propositional religion demanded rational justification reinforced the importance of scientific reason propositional religion - claims are true

Answer 26

Aquinas might have viewed science as an intellectual habit and religion as a moral one – not in conflict

Answer 27

Support for the heliocentric model of the universe contradicted the Church's geocentric view, seen as a direct conflict with religious authority Galileo himself did not oppose religion He considered his discoveries about the cosmos as revealing the grandeur of God’s creation, viewing his work as complementary to, rather than in conflict with, faith

Answer 28

Highlights how institutionalised religion clashed with the emerging scientific paradigm, yet his personal beliefs did not equate science with atheism While Galileo’s work challenged the Church’s teaching, it did not challenge religious faith; rather, it questioned the Church’s interpretation of scripture and authority in scientific matters (depends how you define religion) The conflict was not between religion and science per se, but between religious authorities and new scientific evidence (conflict with a religious institution does not equal conflict with religion)

Answer 29

Newton’s scientific work, especially in physics and mathematics, was deeply influenced by his religious beliefs, seeing the universe as a divinely ordered system governed by natural laws His writings on theology and alchemy show that he did not view science and religion as opposing forces but as complementary ways of understanding the divine creation Newton believed that scientific discoveries revealed the mind of God and often sought to reconcile his work with scripture, not seeing a conflict between the two

Answer 30

The conflict between Newton’s theology and some interpretations of scripture, such as the traditional Christian view of the Trinity, shows the tension between scientific inquiry and religious doctrine Newton’s contributions to science were supported by his religious worldview, yet his approach was often dismissed by religious authorities who struggled with his unorthodox theological views