STSC 301 Science and Religion
Offered:Previous Semesters
Adams
The relationship between science and religion is controversial, and is often treated simplistically, as if both “science” and “religion” were monolithic and discrete. In fact, both are richly diverse, they were deeply interconnected through much of their history, and each has been repeatedly transformed over the centuries. Although the complex relationship is often treated nowadays as though science and religion are opposed, modern science arose in religious cultures and was created and shaped by thinkers with strong religious views which interacted with, and helped to shape, their scientific work.
This undergraduate research seminar will explore the relationship between science and religion as manifested in the lives, ideas, and careers of some of the founders of modern science. Each week, we will examine one important figure. Although I can provide suggestions on where to begin, students are expected to research the figures, using whatever resources they can, to address a series of central questions: (1) What was their most important scientific work; (2) What role did religion play in their life; and (3) What was the relation between science and religion in their thinking and their scientific careers.
