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Explain fully, what is meant by the scientific method. 6KU Scientific method based on evidence and experiment Based on a desire to challenge and evaluate all truth claims. Presupposes that the world is intelligible and orderly Observation, hypothesis, experiment, verification. Basis of scientific method is empirical evidence Use of inductive reasoning Use of deductive reasoning Scientific method affirms no theory can be proven, alternative theories.

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In what ways are revelation and the scientific method similar? 4KU both subjective both have an element of personal commitment to a belief both try to make sense of the universe around us both are fallible both can be modified in light of experience

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Explain two ways in which scientific method might be considered more reliable than revelation. 4KU Empirical. Observable. Not based on faith. Objective. Flexible. Physical verification. No absolutes.

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Try on your own - The Scientific Method is a more reliable source of knowledge than Christian Revelation Do you agree? Give four reasons for your answer (A/E 4)

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What is a world-view? A world-view is the way in which the structure of the world is understood, based on beliefs and/or science. A world-view often includes ideas about the worlds place in the universe. Science and religion both discuss ideas about how we understand the world, how traditional religious beliefs relate to scientific understanding and how the contributions of philosophers, scientists and believers can contribute to the welfare of humans.

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Religion and science werent always at each others throats! It was out of the work of scientists and philosophers that science was born. Until the 16 th century philosophers and theologians were the scientists. They asked questions like: How was the world made? What holds the world up? Why does the Moon not fall down?

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The two got on so well together because the scientific explanations included reference to God. Things began to change in the 16 th century as the way in which we understood Gods place in the universe and His relationship with humans began to change. Science and religion began to drift apart and scientific principles began to be accepted without reference to God.

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The Middle Ages Scientific Knowledge Expands

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Profound change in the European world-view in the late 16 th and 17 th centuries Primary cause was the Scientific Revolution (1543- present) The most profound change in human history? New intellectual climate differed from medieval & early modern world-view: Rejection of authority e.g. bible and church - without reason Best knowledge was practical Demystification of the universe Scientists of this era differed from predecessors in combining mathematics and experiment previous just Observation

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Introduction Roots science & technology from: Ancient Egypt pyramids, mathematics China movable type, paper, astronomy Islam medicine, ancient Greek texts, astronomy, mathematics

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The Aristotelian/Ptolemaic Universe Geocentric 10 separate, transparent, crystal spheres First 8 held the moon, sun, planets, stars 2 added during Middle Ages Heaven lay beyond the 10 th sphere Angels kept the spheres moving Sublunar world Earth, water; fire, air Uniform force moved objects until something stopped it The Church invested greatly in this world-view man was at the center of the universe, most important part of Creation The Scientific Revolution

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The Geocentric Universe The Geocentric (Ptolemaic) Universe

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Why Earth centred? The sun appeared as if moving. Earth felt stationary If earth moved round surely wind would sweep everything off the earth. Distant stars did not seem to change position A spinning earth would be expected to fling off everything that was not fixed to it. A cannonball, fired straight up would be expected to fall to the west of firing point as the earth moved (same with birds and clouds.)

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Some people were studying the stars and noticed that they moved. Eventually, scientists started discussions that the world was round and went round the sun.

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Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish monk Observed patterns of star and planet movement On the Revolutions of Celestial Bodies (1543) Heliocentric Called into question the literal truth of the Scriptures Copernicus waited until he was near death to publish his findings

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The Heliocentric (Copernican) Universe

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Galileo (1564 1642) then published his own work based on Copernicus and his work was widely read.

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Italian scientist Improved the telescope Made observations that proved the Copernican view of the universe Moon Planets Stars Wrote in the vernacular 1633 Church forced Galileo to recant; placed under house arrest

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Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany (1615) Written to address the conflict between the Bible and heliocentric theory Argued that the Bible must be interpreted in light of scientific knowledge Argued for a non-literal interpretation of the Bible Galileo declared the Bible teaches how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go The letter began Galileos troubles with the Catholic Church

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The Catholic Church confronts Galileo and asks him to back down

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Galileo believed in God so why did the Catholic Church declare him a heretic? Why did his books remain banned until the second half of the 20 th century?

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Real issue for the church was, Who interprets the Bible? The Church wanted to and if they allowed the scientists to it would mean a danger to the literal interpretation of the Bible.

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The Catholic Church couldn't accept the idea that the Earth (God's creation) wasn't the centre of the universe. Wouldnt that imply that the world wasnt the pinnacle of Gods creation? As they turned to the Bible, they found verses that seemed to support this idea

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Psalm 93:1 The Lord reigns.....The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

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Ecclesiastes 1:5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.

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In 1998 after an investigation set up by Pope John Paul ll the Roman Catholic Church eventually admitted it had been wrong about Galileo We kind of got it wrong. Sorry

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" Galileo, perhaps more than any other single person, was responsible for the birth of modern science." Steven Hawking

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Contributions of these scientists made the universe comprehensible for the first time The individual became much more important; collective authority was not the source of wisdomindividual intellect was After the Revolution, God was viewed by many as either a remote master mechanic, or his existence began to be doubted Began long perceived adversarial relationship between science and religion The Revolution laid the foundation for the Enlightenment of the 18 th century

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The Enlightenment Intellectual movement of the late 17 th and 18 th centuriesa product of the Scientific Revolution Key principles of the Enlightenment: Belief in human reason Belief in the scientific method Progress, or easing mans estate Enlightenment ideals often came into conflict with religion Blossomed in 18 th century France

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French mathematician and philosopher A transitional figure between the medieval past and modern science A rationalist Appealed to reason Promoter of deductive reasoning, predicting particular results from general principles

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Discourse on Method (1637) Descartes wished to develop a method that could be used to yield scientific truth Argued that abstract reasoning and math were a more reliable path to truth; our senses could deceive us Cogito ergo sum (I think, therefore I am)

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Perceived Issues Science is right and religion is wrong There is no God The only way to better our lives is through the application of scientific discoveries Meaning in life comes from human independence and endeavour Religion is a dangerous superstition which we should have grown out of by now. Religion is right and science is wrong God exists The only way to improve our lives is through faith in God Meaning in life comes from faith and living in a way that is pleasing to God Science is a dangerous endeavour which makes US think we are Gods

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Interestingly, both Copernicus and Galileo never gave up their faith (even though they disagreed with the Church ) The Church sometimes get it wrong. Just a bunch of Gods little helpers doing a bad job Well said. Keep the faith in spite of the church!

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Some of the best scientists we have known are actually people of faith...

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Ah, gravity!

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I want to know how God created this world..... I want to know his thoughts. The rest are details.

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"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind."

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Science = How Religion = Why

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But, they both have fundamentalists in their ranks who are convinced that they need to remain arch enemies......

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Fundamentalism: strict adherence to any set of basic ideas or principles

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Richard Dawkins Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence. Believer in scientism

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Bishop Ussher (17thC) The world began in 4004 BC. I know because I did the sums from the Bible. I am right and you are all wrong. Got it? Christian fundamentalist

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However, there are similarities in the two approaches....

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Similarities Both Science and Religion use symbols and analogies

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Similarities Both Science and Religion use symbols and analogies...for example

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God is like....

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Atoms are like Planets

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Similarities Both religion and science make assumptions, so neither is objective

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There are of course key differences between the two as well....

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The Differences There are of course key differences between the two as well. For example... Science is based on observation and experiment Religion is based on faith

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The Differences Christianity is holistic. It gives answers and meaning Science can give answers, but not meaning

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The Differences Science is a method, Religion is commitment Science: How? Religion: Why?

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Science Challenges Religion Copernicus and Galileo

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Science Challenges Religion 6 day creation Vs Evolution

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Science Challenges Religion Made in God's Image Vs Dominant earth species through natural selection

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Science Challenges Religion As modern science develops, more ethical dilemma are raised for Christians to answer. For example: - Should we keep people in PVS alive? What about abortion? What about organ donations? Is stem cell research ok?

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Science Challenges Religion The Theory of Evolution

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The Atheist View Science and religion are opposites and cannot exist side by side! Prof Richard Dawkins

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The Compatible View Science and Religion complement each other and provide us with different ways of making sense of the world we live in. Rev Dr John Polkinghorne