John Polkinghorne - Böcker

Quantum Theory is the most revolutionary discovery in physics since Newton. This book gives a lucid, exciting, and accessible account of the surprising and counterintuitive ideas that shape our understanding of the sub-atomic world. It does not disguise the problems of interpretation that still remain unsettled 75 years after the initial discoveries. The main text makes no use of equations, but there is a Mathematical Appendix for those desiring stronger fare. Uncertainty, probabilistic physics, complementarity, the problematic character of measurement, and decoherence are among the many topics discussed.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Is mathematics a highly sophisticated intellectual game in which the adepts display their skill by tackling invented problems, or are mathematicians engaged in acts of discovery as they explore an independent realm of mathematical reality? Why does this seemingly abstract discipline provide the key to unlocking the deep secrets of the physical universe? How one answers these questions will significantly influence metaphysical thinking about reality. This book is intended to fill a gap between popular 'wonders of mathematics' books and the technical writings of the philosophers of mathematics. The chapters are written by some of the world's finest mathematicians, mathematical physicists and philosophers of mathematics, each giving their perspective on this fascinating debate. Every chapter is followed by a short response from another member of the author team, reinforcing the main theme and raising further questions.Accessible to anyone interested in what mathematics really means, and useful for mathematicians and philosophers of science at all levels, Meaning in Mathematics offers deep new insights into a subject many people take for granted.

Ian Barbour, Arthur Peackocke and John Polkinghorne are major contributors to the current interaction between science and religion.Although starting as scientists, all three have produced important work by crossing over to the field of theology. But, as their thinking has developed, differences between them have emerged.Questions such as the significance of Jesus, the Bible and the relationship between modern scientific knowledge and traditional theology have revealed a variety of approaches. One of the three now gives his survey of the debate.John Polkinghorne sets out clearly where they agree, why they differ and draws conclusions about possible future directions. His account provides both an accessible introduction to the field of science and religion and an assessment of what is at stake.

An introduction to the field of science and religion. After surveying their volatile historical relationship, John Polkinghorne leads the reader through the whole array of questions that arise at the intersection of the scientific and religious quests.

Is science fact and religion just opinion? Is there the mind of a Creator behind the universe? Can a scientist pray? John Polkinghorne has spent many years considering and writing about such questions, and now distils that insight and experience into a clear, lively and frank set of answers to these fundamental issues. This new edition has been fully revised in the light of recent developments in scientific research, and provides a valuable entry point into this fascinating area and to the thought of this key thinker and theologian.

A short and remarkably accessible book, which draws striking parallels between quantum mechanics and the search for an understanding of the nature of Jesus, in order to make the similarities discernible. Professor Polkinghorne's profound understanding of, and respect for, both theology and physics make this an engrossing and humane book: a real contribution to a constructive dialogue between the theological and the scientific in their common pursuit of truth.

Written by perhaps the world's foremost authority on the relationship between science and theology, Reason and Reality brings together essays in which John Polkinghorne pursues more deeply themes touched on in his earlier works. The result is a deeply satisfying interpretation of the nature and scope of human knowledge, the extent and limits of science, and the proper place of theology as what Polkinghorne calls science's "cousin under the skin"

[This book] covers what I believe to be the critical issues in the contemporary vigorous debate between science and theology, concentrating on what I judge to be the essential insights that are relevant to the issues raised. References are given to my earlier writings where chapters can be found that afford a more detailed engagement with particular issues, but I believe that on its own the present book lays out the core concepts that are fundamental in what is surely one of the most significant interdisciplinary interactions of our time, pursued in a wide quest for truthful understanding. The book concentrates on my own work, not at all because I think that I have said all that need be said, but simply because, after more than thirty years of reflection, this is what I have to offer.' From the Introduction.

John Polkinghorne is a major figure in today’s debates over the compatibility of science and religion. Internationally known as both a theoretical physicist and a theologian—the only ordained member of the Royal Society—Polkinghorne brings unique qualifications to his inquiry into the possibilities of believing in God in an age of science. In this thought-provoking book, the author focuses on the collegiality between science and theology, contending that these "intellectual cousins" are both concerned with interpreted experience and with the quest for truth about reality. He argues eloquently that scientific and theological inquiries are parallel.The book begins with a discussion of what belief in God can mean in our times. Polkinghorne explores a new natural theology and emphasizes the importance of moral and aesthetic experience and the human intuition of value and hope. In other chapters, he compares science’s struggle to understand the nature of light with Christian theology’s struggle to understand the nature of Christ. He addresses the question, Does God act in the physical world? And he extends his ideas about the role of chaos theory, surveys the prospects for future dialogue between scientific and theological thinkers, and defends a critical realist understanding of the activities of both disciplines. Polkinghorne concludes with a consideration of the nature of mathematical truths and the links between the complementary realities of physical and mental experience.Published with assistance from the Louis Stern Memorial Fund

Serious Talk begins with the search for an acceptable meeting point for science and religion. Following this are examinations of specific theological issues approached in the spirit of such a meeting point: creation, the role of chance, God's engagement with time, the anticipation of a destiny awaiting humanity beyond death, and the end of the universe.

John Polkinghorne has had a distinguished career as a particle physicist and as an author of books exploring themes in science and religion. In Beyond Science Polkinghorne examines the nature of scientific inquiry itself and the human context in which science operates. The book looks to issues of meaning and value, such as scientific competition and subjectivity, as well as more practical aspects of the discipline as the conference circuit and the nurturing of new research. Throughout, Polkinghorne offers an accessible and personal view of science and its relationship to the human spirit.

In these refreshingly unconventional meditations, scientist John Polkinghorne connects the perspectives of science and religion in honest and thoughtful reflections for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. Giving new meaning to the penitence of Advent and the hope of the Christian faith, he considers God's ultimate purposes along with scientific knowledge of the fate of the universe. Complete with Scriptural references and prayers, Living With Hope encourages Christians to think about the beginning and end of the world and to come to discover what it means to truly affirm God's purpose in creation.

In this brief and highly accessible book for general readers, distinguished physicist-turned-theologian John Polkinghorne presents a reasoned account of the Christian view of the world as seen by the one of the world's leading interpreters of the interface between science and religion. Drawing from his experiences as a scientist and a theologian, Polkinghorne argues that Christianity presents a credible and compelling worldview that can be taken seriously even while fully understanding the importance of science.

How did the universe begin? Can God's existence be proven? Do humans matter more than animals? For many years people have sent the scientist-turned-priest John Polkinghorne these and other questions about science and belief. In question-and-answer format, Polkinghorne and his collaborator Nicholas Beale offer their highly informed opinions about some of the most frequently asked of these questions. Readers can follow their own paths through the book, selecting questions that interest them and looking at the additional material if they choose. This unique book will help Christians clarify their beliefs regarding difficult issues and better face challenges--from within and from others--to their faith.

Templeton Award winner and theoretical physicist John Polkinghorne explores the gap between science and religion. "Do we have to choose between the scientific and religious views of the world, or are they complementary understandings that give us a fuller picture than either on their own would provide?" Quarks, Chaos, & Christianity shows the ways that both science and religion point to something greater than ourselves. Topics include: chaos theory; evolution; miracles; cosmology; guest for God; how God answers prayer; our human nature; religious fact and opinion; scientists and prayer.