In the eyes of many there is a tension, if not an outright contradiction, between science and religion. Many scientists believe that belief in religious doctrines and dogmas is contrary to the findings of science, or to the scientific worldview, or both. And many religious people agree.
Not so fast, says Alvin Plantinga, a philosophy professor at the University of Notre Dame. In a recent series of lectures, Plantinga argues that there is superficial conflict but deep concord between science and religion, specifically Christian religion, while it is actually atheism and/or naturalism that is made implausible by the findings of science. The four lectures are available online (in downloadable audio form) and may be summarized as follows:
Lecture 1 deals with the meaning of secularism and the secular point of view, and also with the theory of evolution, and its compatibility with traditional Christianity.
Lecture 2 deals with the argument that science and/or the scientific worldview are incompatible with the idea that God acts specially in the world (through miracles, and so forth).
Lecture 3 deals with the apparent conflicts between religion and evolutionary psychology, on the one hand, and historical or “scientific” biblical criticism on the other.
Lecture 4 argues that evolutionary naturalism (that is, belief in evolution conjoined with belief that only the natural world exists) is epistemically improbable.
I had the privilege to take a course with Prof. Plantinga during my time at Notre Dame that dealt with some of the issues dealt with in these lectures. He is not only quite brilliant, widely regarded as one of the brightest philosophers around today, he is also quite good humored and jovial – not at all like the impression one might get from his grim Calvinist visage in this photo:
If you are at all interested in the relation of science and religion, the lectures are well worth your time. Enjoy.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In