-7- RELIGION AND SCIENCE I

-7-

RELIGION AND SCIENCE I

Introducing the Problem



What is the meaning and scope of ‘science’ and ‘religion’?



The relationship between religion and science has traditionally been troublesome. However, it seems that in order to determine the nature of the problem in hand, one has to be precise about the religion and the idea of science in mind.



Is not the conflict between religion and science a phenomenon

that came into existence in the context of the modern western

thought?



Given the traditional dictum that «truth does not contradict truth», what reasons might there be for thinking that religion and science contradicit?



Prima facie, there must be something wrong with either the truth claims of religion or those of science.



A better understanding of the relationship between religion and

science would be to avoid an overgeneralisation about all

religions/ religious views and all conceptions of science.

• At the bedrock of an incompatibility between religion and science might be a particular religious understanding and a particular view (interpretation) of science.

• Clearly, a materialist / naturalist of science will inevitably conflict with a theistic idea of religion.

• Similarly a dogmatic idea of religion can be in

conflict with a scientific understanding

 However, to consider that religion and science as different disciplines which make some truth claims about different domains of truth can promise a solution.

 Thus, it can be said that the subject of science is the discovery of emprical facts, whereas religion provides a holistic metaphysical explanation of reality.

 If so, it will be possible to have a non-reductionist view

of both religion and science, where the conflict may

disappear.