essay
THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD OF UNLIMITED LOVE In this presentation, I wish only to more systematically indicate the range of questions that might be studied in order to better understand the possibilities for a human future of unlimited love. How can we better understand human loving motivations and actions, with a focus on all that these…
A Response to Scott Gilbert’s essay “Finding a Mate for Evolution” Scott Gilbert’s ” young, lonesome stud ‘Evolution’ –‘Evo’ to his friends–who is in search of a mate of suitable temperament” offers a definitechallenge for a matchmaker. Evo must understand his limitations and berealistic about who will be suitable for him. If he desires a…
The Notion of Events and Three Ways of Knowing: Problems with mentalistic explanations, free will, self, soul, and intrinsic motivation Perturbations In order to build a scientific theory it is necessary to start off by giving some informal definitions of the basic units to be studied. This theory starts by introducing the notion…
Metanexus VIEWS 2001.08.16. 2473 words Below is “A Primer on Human Embryonic Stem Cells” written by Scott Gilbert, a Professor of Biology at Swarthmore College. The Q&A format isexceptionally clear and deals with scientific, historical, and ethicalissues. As always, you are encouraged to forward this to your friends,colleagues, and students, something which in this case…
Metanexus VIEWS 2001.08.15 3354 words Arches National Park <http://www.americanparknetwork.com/parkinfo/ar/> nearMoab, Utah, is the setting for today’s somewhat Platonic dialogue about thevagaries of Intelligent Design. Our two interlocutors, Sid and Nat, findthemselves at odds over the design or non-design of the natural arch. Does anatural bridge (have to) have a meta-natural origin? Or is such an…
1. Nature and Art In Book II of the Physics Aristotle remarks, “If the ship-building art were in the wood, it would produce the same results by nature.” Aristotle is here contrasting nature and art. Nature provides the raw materials (here wood); art provides the means for fashioning those materials (here into a ship). For…
1. Professor Huston Smith has elegantly summarized the essence of the Science-Religion dialogue in the following terms: “My favorite analogy is to imagine the physical universe as a giant balloon. Within it we can shine our flashlights (the scientific method) on anything inside the balloon, but we can’t get the flashlights outside the balloon to…
Metanexus 2001.07.28 3844 words. Law, Chance and Opportunity in Nature: Insight into Natural and HumanCreativity by Pauline Rudd is today’s topic. Rudd’s June 6th, 2001, lectureat a Science and the Spiritual Quest Program of the Center for Theology andthe Natural Sciences titled The Natural Sciences and the Human Quest forMeaning: The Cosmos, Evolution, and the…
Excerpts from “Pandemonium Tremendum: Chaos and Mystery in the Life of God”
It has been an exciting five days. Metanexus, CTNS, and the AAAS have made a large tent Chattauqua meeting here at Haverford, where theologians, philosophers, and scientists could meet, exchange ideas, and have time to speak personally with representatives from differing groups. We have been able to put faces to the articles and books that…