Conflict Between Religion and Science Term Paper
Personal view and the thesis statement
The debate about relationship between science and religion has reached an amicable truce, with the battle between them having been declared over, but without certainty. Seemingly, scientists and religious defendants may have rested any conflicts regarding their solid stances. Perhaps, they have left it open to the masses, giving them the liberty to integrate both separate spheres of inquiry. This is probably because religion deals with morals and values while science deals with the natural world. Arguably, if a person can appreciate these two and acknowledge a scientist’s and a religious man’s idea, there would be no point of contradiction. Looking at it from this perspective, it is admissible that the war between religion and science could be over. However, in my view, I strongly maintain that the battle between the scientific and the religious ideologists is far from coming to an end.
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One evidence supporting my stance is the fact that publication of books regarding the differences between science and religion is still ongoing. Secondly, a lot has been studied examining the existence of any conflict between these two sides. Evidently, there are people who have stood on their ground to defend religion against any ideologies that try to compromise their faiths. For instance, in a poll conducted in the year 2006, 95% of Americans claimed that science contradicted some of the elements of their beliefs in the existence of a superior power (Per Research Center, 2009: para. 2). Therefore, the probability of them rejecting science in favor of their faith was very high.
I strongly believe that science has been used as a body of facts and a tool of observing nature to understand the brute reality when better still overcoming the human desire of believing what one likes as well as what one finds as emotionally satisfying. It is therefore important to note that my personal view is dependent on the fact that the warfare between science and religion is not bound to come to an end soon, as compared to science, which brings out brute reality, religion has not yet discovered any way of adjudicating its truth claims for those claims only rest their case of claims on ancient scriptures, dogma, and revelation without necessarily having efficient evidence.
Models on the relationship between science and religion (Haught’s position Model of science and religion episode 67 s2)
Because impacts of science and technology, as well as religion, are all around us, it is therefore evident that science and religion highly relate. Science has been seen to bring greater understanding of creation stories, while Christianity has been immersed in the scientific culture while better still the word of God teaches Christians on different cultural context. The relationship model between science and religion, however, is believed to have been influenced by one Andrew Dickson White’s in his story on the warfare between science and religion.
Independence (independence relationship s2 episode 82)
In matters of independence, science and religion are seen to relate in that science is the study of objective as well as facts, while religion is the study of personal values. For better understanding, it means that science deals with what, and religion deals with why. Nancy Pearcy, is pointed out as being a founder of the concept on the relationship between science and religion. The fact behind that is that Nancy discovered that religion values relate to the value domain strips because they lack values of domain and better still do not have actual basis as they entirely depend on personal beliefs.
Conflict (conflict relationship s14 episode 67)
The model of conflict mainly operates on assumption basing facts that religion and science are incompatible hence only one of the two is a legitimate place to acquire knowledge. Conflict is seen to be discovered by the militant atheist, Richard Dawkins, who derides all sorts of religious sentiments. According to the atheist, the conclusion made is that religion is not real as it is only a delusion, hence the only trusted and true knowledge is that of science support that the only place to get the truth is in the bible. With that in mind, scientific facts should therefore be supported in support of what the bible states to be done.
Dialogue (dialogue relationship episode 83 s2)
The dialogue conflict is a modification of the independence model view, as it states that science and religion are only brought apart by the known facts. Despite that fact, it is also discovered that in some instances, one of either field will have implications to the other. In other instances, the two perspectives may in one way or another inform each other and still bring about conflicts. Taking the example of the big bang theory, it stated that the universe did not have a beginning as it would collapse on itself producing a big bang. The second example is that miracles used to show what God does in special ways, meaning that miracles are religious based. In addition, if a miracle happened, it strongly showed that there was some science applied bringing out the concept that miracles are often real events, and that scientific proven thus categorized as very unique.
Integration (confirmation relationship s2 episode 75)
The integration position in the model of the relationship between science and religion shows an integration position. In this case of integration, science and religion have the mandate to bring out the truth. This is therefore true to say that science and religion have inextricably been intertwined, as one theory shows how perspective shapes science, and on the other hand is also shows how people view the word of God, as well as his revelation and actions to the world.
Criticism (haught’s criticism of scientism episode 72 s4)
This model is used by some individuals the likes of Francis Collins, and George Coyne, to argue that science and religion are compatible or not compatible. The first fact is that science gives individuals opportunities to look into as well as learn about God a thing that contributes to them enhancing what they believe in. Kenneth Miller afterward contradicts that fact when he states that scientists are in a way religious and the number of Americans that believe in evolution is higher revealing that the two are indeed compatible.
Perspectives of evolution (Theology’s blind spot episode 73 s11)
The theory of evolution has helped by bringing together science and religion, this being the reference point of the relationship between science and religion. Christians have stood firm at the interpretation and understanding of biblical stories of creation. On the other hand, scientists have been observing and maintaining scientific concepts as brought about by one scientist Charles Darwin, who came up with the Darwinian evolution theory. Creation science is a branch of creation which provides scientific support intending to support the genesis creation story. The other way in which science and religion relate in light of evolution is that scientific facts are and the creation stories in the bible are all related according to the geological history of the earth.
Intelligent design (intelligent design episode 87 s2)
My intelligent design is based on the argument between the existence of God, which is represented by some of its proponents and hence intertwined in the evidence-based scientific theory, about the origin of life. Intelligent design can be termed as complex as there must exist a designer, and not only any designer but an intelligent designer. Like in the existence of God, theology presented perfect examples to indicate the designer of all the natural things, this being the omnipotent Christian God. Intelligent design is seen to avoid the mentioning of names as they are seen to state designers existing more than two, while in the Christian view, Christians are seen to specify the designer of the universe is God
The final intelligent design is the fact that the story of evolution is seen to be featured in scientific classes, and not only in the religious classes, meaning that they are both related. Just like the Bible states that the earth was created for mankind to live in, so does science. The Young Earth Creationist stated that the world we live in was invoked from scientific intelligent design. The intelligent design is part of my personal view on the relationship between religion and science because, just as most relations are seen under intelligent design, and so is the case in the personal view. Like the evolution story, for example, science has a role to play in the evolution story, just like religion has a role to play as seen in the Genesis book of creation. The connection brings about the geological history of the earth.
Bibliography
MODELS ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SCIENCE & RELIGION. 2015. PDF. 1st Ed. New York: Paulist Press. C Denis O. Lamoureux
