Religion and Science: The Basics

'Religion and Science: The Basics is a fantastic primer that engagingly conveys clear historical, scientific, and religious-ethical approaches to key topics at the intersection of western science and religions. Clayton's approach is accessible to those who are new to the topic, and it is useful and engaging for experts and teachers. Spanning topics from physics to biology and research ethics to warfare technologies, readers will find important information and questions to consider from several world religious traditions, with an emphasis on monotheisms.' Christiana Zenner, Fordham University, USA 'This well-written introduction to the relationships between religion and science by a leading scholar of the field is an excellent choice for undergraduates. Compact yet comprehensive, and engaging with both Western and Eastern faiths, this guide ranges through a series of contemporary topics, including the interaction between religion and physics, biology, the mind sciences and medical ethics. A new chapter on historical and philosophical dimensions of science and religion relations complements an updated discussion of contemporary debates about belief and unbelief that resonate in popular culture. Deftly handling the warfare thesis and other models for the interaction of science and religion, the book also looks to the future of this interaction and offers incisive questions for classroom discussion.' Stephen D. Snobelen, Kings College, Halifax, Canada "Religion and Science: The Basics is a fantastic primer that engagingly conveys clear historical, scientific, and religious-ethical approaches to key topics at the intersection of western science and religions. Clayton's approach is accessible to those who are new to the topic, and it is useful and engaging for experts and teachers. Spanning topics from physics to biology and research ethics to warfare technologies, readers will find important information and questions to consider from several world religious traditions, with an emphasis on monotheisms." - Christiana Zenner, Fordham University, USA "This well-written introduction to the relationships between religion and science by a leading scholar of the field is an excellent choice for undergraduates. Compact yet comprehensive, and engaging with both western and eastern faiths, this guide ranges through a series of contemporary topics, including the interaction between religion and physics, biology, the mind sciences and medical ethics. A new chapter on historical and philosophical dimensions of science and religion relations complements an updated discussion of contemporary debates about belief and unbelief that resonate in popular culture. Deftly handling the warfare thesis and other models for the interaction of science and religion, the book also looks to the future of this interaction and offers incisive questions for classroom discussion." - Stephen D. Snobelen, Kings College, Halifax, Canada "What could be more difficult than untangling the contemporary controversy over science and religionand for a popular audience? Well, Philip Clayton seems to have achieved just that in a second-edition to Religion and Science: The Basics. [...] truly is a home-run [...] Highly recommended." - Jamin A. Hbner, Reading Religion

Philip Clayton is Ingraham Professor and Director of the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability at Claremont School of Theology, and affiliated faculty at Claremont Graduate University, USA. Author or editor of several dozen books, he is widely recognized internationally as a leading figure in the field of religion and science.

Preface 1. The basic question: science or religion, or science and religion? The debate that no one can avoid A naturalist and a theist in debate Taking stock 2. Expanding the options Theism and naturalism at odds God, design, and delusion A broader (and more interesting) exchange Constructive skepticism: Michael Shermer Theistic evolution: Francis Collins Agnostic naturalism: Neil DeGrasse Tyson New vistas 3. Science and the worlds religions Christianity Judaism Islam Hinduism Buddhism Conclusions and further questions to explore 4. Physics Why the religious interest in cosmology? Fundamental physics Fine-tuning and the multiverse What physics does and doesnt show 5. The biological sciences The origins of life Evolution and creation Are genes the fundamental units of evolution? Are humans unique? 6. The neurosciences Brains, minds, and consciousness Can thoughts and intentions do anything? Whatever happened to the soul? Challenging the boundaries between mind and brain Religious experience 7. Religion and science in historical and philosophical perspective The history of religion and science Are science and religion intrinsically at war? The philosophy of science Is science really objective? Separationists and Integrationists Change the names, solve the problem? 8. Science, technology, and ethics Stem cell research Modifying our genes Ethical issues at the end of life The rights of subjects in scientific experiments and medical care Warfare technologies 9. The future of science and religion Summarizing the options Making the case for partnerships Theyre your questions now... Glossary Index