The human quest for truth under the banners of science and religion has a long history. For centuries, science evolved alongside religion as a branch of philosophy without apparent conflicts. It was more recently that science and religion began to be portrayed as somewhat opposites. In the contemporary world, religious and scientific quests for truth are more clearly delineated with their interaction being mostly reserved to heated debates which are at times more for entertainment purposes. However, due to its fast-paced development, science is exploring areas and raising ethical issues which have up till a few centuries ago strictly religious domains.
The Unit attempts to provide a unique view of the human quest for truth by first presenting the historical context of religion and science, and delve into the two subjects through seminars with the aim of giving students concrete experiences of science (and mathematics) and religion (and spirituality). Following the seminars, students will be exposed to areas where science and religion are being engaged in, particularly ethics and politics.
As part of the assessment, students will be required to perform basic exercises in science and theology, and reflect on a topic which brings together science and religion through an essay. Lectures will be interactive and include discussions, particularly towards the end, where a discussion panel will be organised during one of the sessions. Finally, students will get to present their work to their peers, reflecting in particular on their experience of the Unit.
Main Reading List
- Clayton, Philip, The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Science, Oxford Handbooks, 2008.
- Dixon, Thomas, Science and Religion: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 2008.
- Religion and Science, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2017, Online: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/religion-science/#ContConnBetwScieReli
Supplementary Reading List
- Farrow, Douglas, Desiring a Better Country: Forays in Political Theology, Mc-Gill Queens University Press, 2015.
- Frankl, Viktor E., Homo patiens. Soffrire con dignit脿, edited by Eugenio Fizzotti, Biblioteca di cultura 17, Brescia, Queriniana, 2001.
- Frankl, Viktor E., Suffering Humanity. Anthropological Foundations of Psychotherapy, Toronto, 2005.
- Frankl, Viktor E., Uno psicologo nel lager (Anime & Psiche 4), Milan: Edizioni Ares, 2003.
- Frankl, Viktor E., Man鈥檚 Search for Meaning, New York: WSP, 1984.
- Bernard, Charles Andr茅, Theologie symbolique, Paris: T茅qui, 1978.
- Bernard, Charles Andr茅, Teologia affettiva, Milano: San Paolo, 1985.
- Bernard, Charles Andr茅, Teologia spirituale, Milano: San Paolo, 2002.
- Godin, Andr茅, The Psychological Dynamics of Religious Experience, Birmingham/ab: Religious Education Press, 1985.
- Gonz谩lez, Luis Jorge, Terapia spirituale. Guarigione umana e spirituale delle malattie dell鈥檃nima, Vatican City, LEV, 2000.
- Hannam, James, God鈥檚 Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science, Icon, 2010.
- Larchet, Jean-Claude, L鈥檌nconscio spirituale. Malattie psichiche e malattie spirituali, Milano: Edizioni San Paolo, 2006.
- Haynes et. al., The Sacred and the Sovereign, e-International Relations, 2011.
- Laudazi, C., L鈥檜omo in via di trasformazione, in AAVV, La Teologia Spirituale, Roma: OCD/Teresianum, 2001, 713-734.
- Lonergan, Bernard, Method in Theology, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1971.
- Perreault, A.M., Maturit脿, in Dizionario enciclopedico di spiritualit脿, edited by Ermanno Ancilli, Roma: Edizioni Studium, 1975,1168-1169.
- Ratzinger, Joseph & Pera, Macello, Without Roots: The West, Relativism, Christianity, Islam, Basic Books, 2004.
- Ratzinger, Joseph, Values in a time of upheaval, Ignatius Press, 2004.
- Rossi, Paolo, The Birth of Modern Science, Wiley-Blackwell, 2001.
- Sipser, Michael, Introduction to the Theory of Computation, Thomson, 2006.
- Waaijman, Kees, Spirituality: Forms, Foundations, Methods, Studies in Spirituality Suppliment 8, Leuven: Peeters, 2002.