Reforming science : beyond belief / Brian Ridley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ridley, Brian, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Religion and science.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (192 p.)

Edition:

2nd ed.

Place of Publication:

Exeter, UK : Imprint Academic, [2010]

Summary:

In the 17th century Sir Francis Bacon advocated the patient study of Nature for the benefit of mankind. Most of science today, in its study of medicine, genetics, electronics etc., continues that pragmatic Baconian tradition without fuss. Over the years, however, as its investigation of Nature probed ever deeper into regions far removed from common experience, science has increasingly exhibited traits more usually associated with fundamentalist religion that with dispassionate study. Articulate voices from biology preach the belief in 18th century materialism in the study of evolution; those from physics promulgate a kind of mathematical theology in its study of elementary particles and cosmology; both inveigh against heresy. But science should be beyond that sort of belief. It should not see its undoubted success in manipulating matter as justifying any sort of religious status, as offering a spiritual foundation alternative to religion. As a scientist himself, Brian Ridley is app.

Contents:

Cover ; Contents ; Front Matter ; Title Page ; Publisher Information ; Introduction ; Reforming Science; The Soul, No Matter, Never Mind ; A Short History of Animism; A Magical World; The New Science; For the Good of Humanity; The New Philosophy; Panpsychism; The Mind-Body Interaction; A Strange New Science; Towards a Mathematical Theology ; Origins; The Big Bang Story; Meta-Cosmology; Beyond Belief; Back Matter ; Sources of Quotations; Short Bibliography; Also Available

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed March 11, 2016).

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

1-84540-486-6

OCLC:

941700223