Perspective: Faith

Science and the World’s Faiths

This comprehensive article explores the intricate relationship between science and the world’s major faith traditions. In it, we traverse through the landscapes of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Hinduism, examining how each has interacted with science throughout history. We delve into the richness of their contributions to human understanding, their distinct approaches to knowledge, and the common themes they share. Additionally, we address modern discussions and debates that blend scientific inquiry with religious thought. Far from presenting a binary view of conflict or cooperation, the article unravels the beautifully complex and entangled relationship between science and religion, ultimately highlighting their shared mission: to enrich human life, foster understanding, and illuminate the profound mysteries of our existence.

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1.07: Darwin and the Theory of Evolution

Science has proved to be a highly successful way of finding out how things work, and scientific theory is central to the practice of science. When Charles Darwin first published the theory of ‘natural selection’ in 1859, there were many gaps in the evidence to support it. In more than 160 years since then evidence from genetics, medical science and ecology have all substantiated the theory, so that an eminent biologist could claim that “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.”

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Darwin’s Legacy

This article provides a comprehensive overview of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, its development, and its profound implications. Beginning with the state of knowledge before Darwin and his transformative journey aboard the HMS Beagle, it chronicles the development of Darwin’s revolutionary ideas. The article delves into the theory itself, its integration with genetics in the modern synthesis, and its evidence in various fields like the fossil record, population genetics, and comparative anatomy. It also addresses the philosophical and theological implications of the theory, its portrayal and misconceptions in popular culture, and the importance of accurate communication and education. Conclusively, it asserts the ongoing relevance of Darwin’s theory in shaping our understanding of the biological world, our place within it, and our approach to life’s profound questions.

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1.05: The Roots of Modern Science

The roots of modern science reach backwards in time to before the great age of Greek and Hellenistic learning, and spread across Europe, Islamic empires, India and China. This article will review how the ideas of the Medieval and Renaissance periods nourished those roots.

This page contains links to resources used for Module 5 of the Shepway u3a course in Science, Philosophy and Spirituality

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