Religion and Science Glossary

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Barbour - Religion in an Age of Science

science-the empirical study of the order of nature. (Barbour pg.3)

theology- critical reflection on the life and thought of the religious community (Barbour pg.3)

scientific materialism- makes two assertions (1) the scientific method is the only reliable path to knowledge, (2) matter (matter or energy) is the fundamental reality in the universe. A materialist believes that all phenomena will eventually be explained in terms of the actions of material components, which are the only effective causes in the world ( Barbour pg. 4).

existentialism- 1. an introspective humanism or theory of man that holds that human existence is not exhaustively describable or understandable in either scientific or idealistic terms and relies upon a phenomenological approach that emphasizes in man's life and especially of such intensely subjective phenomena as anxiety, suffering, and feelings of guilt in order to show the need for making decisive choices through a utilization of man's freedom in an uncertain, contingent and apparently purposeless world (Webster's Dictionary). 2. puts personal commitment at the center of religious faith, but it ends by privatizing and interiorizing religion to the neglect of communal aspects (Barbour p. 15). 3. Absolute separation between scientific and religious spheres (Barbour pg. 180).

biblical literalism- 3 types: 1)verbal inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture 2) Truth contained in text and 3) Scripture has absolute authority (Barbour pg. 8)

neo-orthodxy- stresses the centrality of Christ and the prominence of scripture in the Christian tradition (Barbour pg. 15); God acts in human history not in the natural world (Barbour pg. 179).

panentheism- God is the world, but the world is also in God, in the sense that God is more than the world (Barbour pg. 27).

inductive view- the scientist starts with observations and formulates theories by generalizing the patterns in the data (Barbour pg. 31).

paradigm- a cluster of conceptual and methodological presuppositions embodied in an exemplary body of scientific work. A paradigm implicitly defines for a given scientific community the kinds of questions that may fruitfully be asked and the types of explanations to be sought (Barbour p. 33).

paradigm shift- "scientific revolution"; a radical transformation of the scientific imagination which is not unequivocally determined by experimental data or by the normal criteria of research (Barbour pg. 34)

complementary models- cannot be represented by any single model, but can be partially understood though theories formulated with complementary models (Barbour pg. 47)

model- 1. a small representation of a planned or existing object 2. a hypothetical description often based on an analogy, used in analyzing something.

normal science- science that is conservative and controlled by tradition (Barbour pg. 58)

normal theology- theology that shows the dominance of tradition (Barbour pg. 59)

faith- personal trust, confidence, and loyalty (Barbour pg. 63).

critical realism- correspondence is taken as the definition of truth, but a combination of criteria are used (Barbour pg. 35) take religious models seriously but not literally.

autopoiesis- all things move toward the fulfillment of their inner nature; self-organization or self manipulation (Barbour pg. 71)

epistemology- analysis of the characteristics of inquiry and knowledge; theory of knowledge; the division of philosophy that investigates the nature and origin of knowledge (Barbour pg. 80)

relativism - the theory that truth is an ethical relative to the individual or group that holds it (Barbour: p. 66)

religious pluralism - a condition of society in which numerous distinct religious groups coexist within one nation; the belief that no single religious explanatory system can account for all the phenomena of life (Barbour: p. 66)

methodological - dealing with the general principles of the formation of knowledge (Barbour: p. 67)

cosmology - a branch of philosophy dealing with the origin, processes, and structure of the universe; astrophysical study of the structure and constituent dynamics of the universe (Barbour: p. 69)

narrative theology - the study of the nature of God and religious truth as presented in the stories of religion (Barbour: p. 71)

dialectic - contradiction between two conflicting forces viewed as the determining factor in their continuing interaction (Barbour: p. 71)

ontological - the branch of philosophy that deals with being (Barbour: p. 73)

metaphysical - the branch of philosophy that systematically investigates the nature of first principles and problems of ultimate reality, including the study of being (ontology) and, often, the study of the structure of the universe (cosmology) (Barbour: p. 74)

ideological - of the body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture (Barbour: p. 74)

mechanistic - tending to explain phenomena only by reference to physical or biological causes (Barbour: p. 75)

symbiosis - relationship of two or more different organisms in a close association that may be but is not necessarily of benefit to each (Barbour: p. 77)

psychoanalytic - using free association, dream interpretation, and analysis of resistance and transference to investigate mental processes (Barbour: p. 79)

holistic thinking - idea that reality is made up of organic or unified wholes that are greater than the simple sum of their parts (Barbour: p. 80)

absolutism - an absolute doctrine, principle, or opinion (Barbour: p. 81)

phenomenological - within the study of all possible appearances in human experience, during which considerations of objective reality and of purely subjective response are temporarily left out of account (Barbour: p. 83)

fundamentalism - a movement or point of view characterized by rigid adherence to fundamental or basic principles (Barbour: p. 84)

mysticism - spiritual discipline aiming at direct union or communion with ultimate reality or God through deep meditation (Barbour: p. 85)

cognitive beliefs - beliefs that come to be known, as through perception, reasoning, or intuition (Barbour: p. 88)

realistic - describing the world as it is in itself, apart from the observer (Barbour: p. 95)

deterministic predicting the future from accurate knowledge of the present (Barbour: p. 95)

reductionistic determining the behavior of the whole, based on the behavior of its smallest parts (Barbour: p. 96)

complementarity - the production of effects in concert different from those produced separately (Barbour: p. 97)

spatiotemporal - existing in both space and time (Barbour: p. 98)

entropy - measure of the capacity of a system to undergo spontaneous change
(Barbour: p. 112)

The Big Bang: - The beginning of the expansion of the universe from a common origin about 15 billion years ago. p.125

Genesis: - The first book of the Bible containing the story of creation for Judeo-Christian traditions. p.128

Ex nihilo: - Creation from nothing. Unlike creation of order from chaos. p.131

Anthropic Principle: - Cosmologists Dicke and Carter reflected on the way the universe seems to be fine tuned for intelligent life and stated: "What we can expect to observe must be restricted by the conditions necessary for out presence as observers." p.135

Rationally intelligible: - The idea that the cosmos is unified and intelligible had both Greek and biblical roots. p.141

Contingent order: - God has the freedom to create or not to create, it is an act of voluntary choice. The structure of the world are contingent in the sense that they might not have been. p.141

Continuing creation: - Coming-to-be is a continuing process throughout time. Nature in all its forms must be viewed historically. On the theological side, it expresses God's participation in the ongoing world. p.132

Eschatology: - Visions of the future from both the dimensions of the individual and society. It can be understood as an extrapolation into the future of convictions about the present cosmic order. Of relating to, dealing with, or with regards to the ultimate destiny of mankind and the world. Includes both myths of cyclical return such as found in Hinduism and the more known end-of-time myths taken from Judaism and Christianity. p.148

Evolution: The development of a species from its original to its present state; the theory that all species developed from earlier forms. p.154

Natural Selection: Variations within a population that confer a slight competitive advantage for certain individuals over others resulting in differential survival rates. Darwin argued that through natural selection new species come to existence. p.154

Modern Synthesis: Genetics and evolutionary theory brought together in new-Darwinian framework. p.156

"Organic selection": The point that organisms also select their own environments, the importance of behavior. p.157

Punctuated Equilibrium: Evolution in bursts of rapid speciation over relatively short periods separated by long periods of stasis. p.158

Nonadaptive changes: The idea that not all new traits are adaptations contributing to survival. Detrimental changes do occur as well as genetic drift. p.158

Genealogical hierarchy: Units are identified by their role in replication and evolutionary change. Gene, organism, and species. p.165

Organizational hierarchy: Considered at any point in time. Atom, molecule, cell, organ, organism, population, and ecosystem. p.165

Methodological reduction: A useful research strategy to study a complex whole by breaking it up into more manageable component units. In particular, the analysis of molecular structures and interactions has been a powerful tool in biological research. p.165

Epistemological reduction: The claim that theories or laws of one level can be derived from those of another level. For example, the laws and theories of the sciences are in principle reducable to the laws of physics and chemistry. (The laws relating the volume, pressure, and temperature of a sample of gas can be derived from the mechanical laws governing the motion of molecules.) p.166

Ontological reduction: A view of reality that has life to be understood as a type of organization and activity of materials, not a separate nonmaterial entity or substance. p.167

Sentience: Perception, awareness, feeling, goal-directedness, purposiveness, anticipation, etc. p.170

Linguistic analysis: Human life encompasses various self-contained language systems, each with its distinctive rules and functions. Religious language expresses a way of life through rituals, stories, and practices of religious community. Science asks strictly delimited questions in the interest of prediction and control. p.180

Natural theology: The claim that theistic conclusion can be drawn directly from evolutionary evidence. p.182

Theology of Nature: Based primarily on religious experience and the life of religious community, but which includes some reformulation of tradition doctrines in the light of science. p.183

Systematic Synthesis: Synthesis of evolution and creation within an inclusive metaphysical system. p. 184

Symbolic communication (p.190) - communicate in sign language or with geometric symbols on a computer keyboard

Social orders (p.191) - have definite roles and patterns of cooperative behavior; in insects patterns are for the most part genetically determined; in higher animals there is a greater capacity for learning and individuality; (page 203) through religious practices, individuals are taught to internalize the group's expectations and restrain egotistical desires; religion provides the central symbols and rituals by which societies interpret and validate themselves

Altruistic behavior (p.191) - self-sacrifice for the protection and betterment of the colony/community

Genetic determinism (p.192) - behavior determined by genes

Reductionism (p.192) - taking a complex idea down to its elemental/basic form

Cultural evolution (p.193) - cultural innovation; (page 214) built on genetic heritage, permits much more rapid and deliberate change

Biological evolution (p.193) - mutations and genetic recombinations

Selection (p.193) - occurs through social experience and reinforcement rather than through death of the individual holding the idea

Transmission of information (p.193) - occurs through memory, language, tradition, education, and social institutions rather than through genes

Evolutionary epistemology (p.194) - various theories compete for recognition and the most successful ones are selected and passed on to the next generation; sociological factors and metaphysical assumptions influence the acceptance of new ideas

Mind/body dualism (p.195) - consciousness and behavior

Dualism (p.196) - does not allow for anything intermediate between matter and mind; assumes there is only one kind of mind, though it may be present in varying extents

Behaviorism (p.196) - a recent version of materialism; mental concepts are really statements of dispositions to behave in particular ways; mental concepts can be translated into concepts referring to observable behavior

Epiphenomenalism (p.196) - a modification of materialism; mental phenomenon exist but are not causally effective; mental qualities accompany neural events without influencing them

Neural identity theory (p.197) - final version of materialism; mental and physical terms differ in significance or connotation but will turn out as matter of empirical fact to refer to or denote the same things

Parallelism (p.197) - mental and physical events proceed on separate tracks, without any interaction or inherent connection, but perfectly synchronized in a harmony established by God at the outset

Panpsychism (p.197) - every event is at the same time mental and physical

Multilevel view (p.198) - in all organisms there is a hierarchy of levels, with distinctive irreducible laws at higher levels; emergent, holistic properties arise from organizational relationships and configurational patterns in space and time; causation and control operate from higher levels downward, making use of the laws of lower levels without violating them

Mental states (p.198) - higher-level emergents properties of the brain

Panexperientialism (p.199) - process thought holds that consciousness occurs only in complex neural systems; (page 225) mind and consciousness are found only at higher levels

Biocultural evolution (p.199) - the coevolution and coadaptation of genes and culture

Evolutionary naturalism (p.200) - the religious philosophy best suited holds that consciousness occurs only in complex neural systems; (page 225) mind and consciousness are found only at higher levels

Biocultural evolution (p.199) - the coevolution and coadaptation of genes and culture

Evolutionary naturalism (p.200) - the religious philosophy best suited for a scientific culture; nature is the functional equivalent of the traditional God, and it should be the object of our worship and obedience
mpasses the idea of evolutionary naturalism

Soul/body dualism (p.208) - classical dualism which accentuates the distinction between humans and other organisms by the premise that only humans have souls

Psychosomatic unity (page 221) - a biological organism but also a responsible self

Christology (p.210) - the formulation of Christ's person; as a human, d through the person of Christ
Trinitarian thought (p.210) - the Holy Trinity - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Emergent evolution (p.212) - each new level of evolution brought greater complexity, freedom, and social interaction, and each incorporated all previous levels within a new unity

Technology (p.214) - based on scientific advances; exerts power over nature and human destiny on an unprecedented scale
alteration of the genetic structure of organisms

Information technologies (p.215) - communications, computers, and new forms of artificial intelligence have major impacts on society and self-understanding; each technology raises ethical questions

Biblical eschatology (p.215) - prophetic eschatology was God's judgment in times of crisis and possible disaster, but it also help out hope for n and placed all its hope in a supernatural intervention that would destroy the present world and establish a totally new order

Chapter 8 - Process Thought

1. There is change within nature, but the basic forms are thought to be immutable
n and placed all its hope in a supernatural intervention that would destroy the present world and establish a totally new order

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Chapter 8 - Process Thought

The medieval view of nature (p.218) - influenced by Plato, Aristotle, and scripture

1. There is change within nature, but the basic forms are thought to be immutable
mental and material substances. A substance is independent and externally related requiring nothing but itself and God in order to exist.
4. Each lower form serves the higher form (God/man/woman/animal/plant). This theory contends that all creatures are made for the benefit of humanity.
5. Dualism exists between soul and body, immaterial spirit and transitory ritual, and the goal of the this life is to prepare for the next.
6. In summary, nature is viewed as a Kingdom, an ordered society with a sovereign Lord.

The Newtonian view (p.220)

1. The unchanging components of nature could rearrange but the basic forms are still fixed.
2. Nature is deterministic rather than teleological. Mechanical causes, than substances to be the basic reality of nature.
4. Nature is reductionistic and mechanical rather than hierarchical.
5. Dualism of mind and body exists, but God and human minds are the great exceptions in a mechanistic world. Humanity is an all-encompassing machine whose operation can be explained without reference to God.
6. In summary, the image of nature is a machine.

than substances to be the basic reality of nature.
4. Nature is reductionistic and mechanical rather than hierarchical.
5. Dualism of mind and body exists, but God and human minds are the great exceptions in a mechanistic world. Humanity is an all-encompassing machine whose operation can be explained without reference to God.
6. In summary, the image of nature is a machine.

1. The primacy of time (p.222) - the starting point is becoming rather than being
2. The interconnection of events (p.222) - the world is a network of interactions; events are interdependent, every event has an essential reference to other lity as organic process (p.222) - an analogy for interpreting the world is an organism, which is a highly integrated and dynamic pattern of interdependent events
4. The self-creation of every entity (p.222) - an event is not just the intersection of lines, it is an entity in its own right with its own individuality; each entity is a center of spontaneity and self-creation, contributing distinctively lity as organic process (p.222) - an analogy for interpreting the world is an organism, which is a highly integrated and dynamic pattern of interdependent events
4. The self-creation of every entity (p.222) - an event is not just the intersection of lines, it is an entity in its own right with its own individuality; each entity is a center of spontaneity and self-creation, contributing distinctively ƒ†@-(,†á¥
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