Science and Religion: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

书籍介绍(英文)

The debate between science and religion is never out of the news: emotions run high, fuelled by polemical bestsellers like The God Delusion and, at the other end of the spectrum, high-profile campaigns to teach "Intelligent Design" in schools. Yet there is much more to the debate than the clash of these extremes. As Thomas Dixon shows in this balanced and thought-provoking introduction, a whole range of views, subtle arguments, and fascinating perspectives can be found on this complex and centuries-old subject. He explores the key philosophical questions that underlie the debate, but also highlights the social, political, and ethical contexts that have made the tensions between science and religion such a fraught and interesting topic in the modern world. Dixon emphasizes how the modern conflict between evolution and creationism is quintessentially an American phenomenon, arising from the culture and history of the United States, as exemplified through the ongoing debates about how to interpret the First-Amendment’s separation of church and state. Along the way, he examines landmark historical episodes such as the Galileo affair, Charles Darwin’s own religious and scientific odyssey, the Scopes "Monkey Trial" in Tennessee in 1925, and the Dover Area School Board case of 2005, and includes perspectives from non-Christian religions and examples from across the physical, biological, and social sciences.


科学与宗教辩论是从来没有的新闻：情绪高涨，主要得益于像上帝的错觉论战畅销书，并在该频谱，高调宣传的另一端教授“智能设计学校”。然而，还有更多的比这些极端冲突的辩论。正如托马斯迪克森显示了这个平衡和发人深省的介绍，一整个意见的范围，微妙的论点，和迷人的角度上可以找到这一复杂和百年历史的主题。他的哲学探讨的主要问题，辩论的基础，而且还凸显了社会，政治和道德问题已在现代世界科学与宗教之间的这样一个有趣的话题充满紧张情况。迪克逊强调如何进化和神创论之间的冲突，是典型的现代美国的现象，从文化和美国历史上所引起的，通过有关如何解释正在进行的辩论第一代表人物修订的政教分离和国家。一路上，他检查，如伽利略事件，查尔斯达尔文自己的宗教和科学奥德赛的范围“猴子审判”1925年在田纳西州具有里程碑意义的历史事件，以及多佛地区的学校董事会在2005年的情况，并包括非视角，基督宗教和实例上的物理，生物，社会科学。