Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and NaturalismThis book is a long-awaited major statement by a pre-eminent analytic philosopher, Alvin Plantinga, on one of our biggest debates -- the compatibility of science and religion. The last twenty years has seen a cottage industry of books on this divide, but with little consensus emerging. Plantinga, as a top philosopher but also a proponent of the rationality of religious belief, has a unique contribution to make. His theme in this short book is that the conflict between science and theistic religion is actually superficial, and that at a deeper level they are in concord. Plantinga examines where this conflict is supposed to exist -- evolution, evolutionary psychology, analysis of scripture, scientific study of religion -- as well as claims by Dan Dennett, Richard Dawkins, and Philip Kitcher that evolution and theistic belief cannot co-exist. Plantinga makes a case that their arguments are not only inconclusive but that the supposed conflicts themselves are superficial, due to the methodological naturalism used by science. On the other hand, science can actually offer support to theistic doctrines, and Plantinga uses the notion of biological and cosmological "fine-tuning" in support of this idea. Plantinga argues that we might think about arguments in science and religion in a new way -- as different forms of discourse that try to persuade people to look at questions from a perspective such that they can see that something is true. In this way, there is a deep and massive consonance between theism and the scientific enterprise. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - gottfried_leibniz - LibraryThingI liked the way, he speared through the conflicts, concluding that they are merely superficial conflicts. Finally, he ends the book showing that there is a real conflict between Naturalism and ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - gottfried_leibniz - LibraryThingI liked the way, he speared through the conflicts, concluding that they are merely superficial conflicts. Finally, he ends the book showing that there is a real conflict between Naturalism and ... Read full review
Other editions - View all
Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism Alvin Plantinga Limited preview - 2011 |
Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism Alvin Plantinga Limited preview - 2011 |
Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism Alvin Plantinga No preview available - 2012 |
Common terms and phrases
accept according adaptive argue argument behavior causal cause chapter Christian belief claim classical clearly closed complex conclusion consider contemporary course created Darwin’s Dawkins defeater Dennett determinism divine action doubt evidence evidence base evolution evolutionary example existence explanation fact false fine-tuning fitness follows function give given goes happens hence hold human idea improbable incompatible intervention involved kind knowledge laws least living look materialism matter means mechanics mind miracles natural natural selection objects Oxford particular perhaps person Philosophy physical picture possible probability problem produced properties proposed proposition quantum mechanics question rational reason reliable religion religious requires respect result scientific seems sense sort structures suggestion suppose theism theistic theory things thought tion true truth unguided universe University Press values virtue warrant York
Bibliographic information
| Title | Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism |
| Author | Alvin Plantinga |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press, USA, 2011 |
| ISBN | 0199812098, 9780199812097 |
| Length | 359 pages |
| Subjects | › › Philosophy / General Philosophy / Religious Religion / Christian Theology / General Religion / Philosophy Religion / Religion & Science Science / Philosophy & Social Aspects |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |