Transcript Class Introduction - Cedarville University

Philosophy of Science
HON-3230
Chance, Emergence or Design
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Science & Christianity
• Creationism
– Inerrant Bible & effective science
• Independence
– Mutual humility in the relationship between science
and Christian theology
• Qualified Agreement
– Modern science and the return to the “God Hypothesis
• Partnership
– Science and Christian theology as partners in
theorizing
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Alternate Terms
Key Ideas
Problems
Creationism
Young Earth
Creation, Old
Earth Creation, 7
literal day
Grammatical
historical
interpretation
Need to pay
attention to
professional
scientists
Independence
Separate
Magisteria,
NOMA
Three-legged
stool: Scripture,
tradition, reason
Who wins when
the two meet?
Qualified
Agreement
Intelligent Design,
Progressive
Creation
Evidences for but
not proof of God
God of the Gaps,
Problem of evil
Partnership
Theistic Evolution, Robust
fully gifted
formational
creation
economy
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
How does this
differ from a
naturalistic model?
Paul on Mar’s Hill
“May we know what this new doctrine is of
which you speak? For you are bringing
some strange things to our ears. Therefore,
we want to know what these things mean.”
Acts 17:19b-20
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Epicureans
Stoics
What is Real?
Material World
Two Worlds
Why am I here?
Chance
Destiny
How should I live?
Find My Best
Cosmic Laws
How do I know?
Experience
Meditation
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
• Naturalism
Worldviews
– Material universe is the sum of all reality
– Atheism, Humanism, Existentialism
• Transcendentalism
– Spiritual nature to all reality
– Pantheism, Animism, Polytheism
• Theism
– Belief in a transcendent God
– Deism, Finitism, Traditional Theism
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Philosophical Terms
• Metaphysics (What exists?)
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How is the mind related to matter?
What is change?
Is there reality beyond immediate experience?
Ontology (Science of being or reality)
• Epistemology (How do I know?)
– What are the sources of knowledge?
– What is the nature of knowledge?
– Is our knowledge valid?
• Ethics (What ought to be?)
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Arguments for God
• Cosmological
– There must be a first mover and there must be some
necessary foundation to the things that are continent.
• Teleological
– Everything in nature has a purpose and an intelligence
must be guiding it.
• Moral
– Source for moral values.
• Ontological
– Very idea of God implies his existence.
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Theistic Basis of Science
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Nature is real.
Nature has value.
God is not nature.
God is rational and nature acts rationally.
Laws don’t change and can be modeled.
We can understand the creation.
We are finite and sinful and need verification.
Man can alter nature. (Man has dominion.)
• Pearcey & Thaxton, The Soul of Science
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Scientific Realism
Rational Realism
•Scientific theories are true
•Rationality is objective
(Popper)
Rational Nonrealism
(Instrumentalism)
•Science theory is justified by
utility.
•Science is objectively rational.
Phenomenalism
•Propositions from
sensory data is
meaningful.
(Hume, Russell)
Operationalism
Pragmatism
•Concepts are
synonymous with
set of operations.
(Bridgman)
•Science gives
theories that
solve problems.
(Laudan)
Nonrational Nonrealism
•Science does not progress
towards more accurate view
of the world.
•Rationality is not an
objective notion.
(Kuhn)
Constructive
Empiricism
•Science aim at truth, but
different metaphysical
characterizations may be
empirically equivalent.
(van Fraassen)
Moreland, 1989. Christianity and the Nature of Science, p. 140
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Greek Beginnings
• Democritus
– Atomism
• Plato
– Idealized forms
– Fixity of species
• Aristotle
– Deductive reasoning
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
What is Science?
• Bacon (Scientific Method)
• Descartes (Cogito ergo sum, Skepticism)
• Locke
– Empiricism-Substantive knowledge from experience
• Kant
– Our concepts determine and shape our perceptions.
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Positivism (Science can lead us to all truth)
Popper (Falsification)
Kuhn (Paradigms)
Methodological Naturalism
– "Science must be provisionally atheistic or cease to be itself."
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University
Greek and Mystic Jews
• Kabbalism
• Greek
– Some things undefinable
– Some things unobservable
– Some things unknowable
– Hidden parts of universe
– Probabilistic - all things likely,
just some are more so
– As are interpretations,
scientific theories are revisable
– Time of creation, universe has
an age
– All things definable
– All things deducible
– All things (potentially)
knowable
– Logic reveals all
– Deterministic
– Once logically argued, no
revisions are needed (or
accepted)
– All is immutable and uncreated
Steven Gollmer
Cedarville University