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Science and Religion: Syllabus: Kent - Dunlap@trincoll - Edu

This course examines fundamental philosophical, ethical and historical questions at the intersection of religion and science. Topics include intelligent design, stem cell research, and how religion and science influence each other. The course uses historical and contemporary sources and focuses on Christianity, Judaism and the biological sciences.

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42 views5 pages

Science and Religion: Syllabus: Kent - Dunlap@trincoll - Edu

This course examines fundamental philosophical, ethical and historical questions at the intersection of religion and science. Topics include intelligent design, stem cell research, and how religion and science influence each other. The course uses historical and contemporary sources and focuses on Christianity, Judaism and the biological sciences.

Uploaded by

emoized
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Science and Religion: Syllabus

Fall 2006
Professor: Kent Dunlap
Mentor: Brett DiBenedictis
Office: Life Science Center 243
Telephone: 297-2232
Email: [email protected]
Office hours: Monday 2-3pm, Thursday 3-4pm and by appointment

TEXTS
• Barbour, Ian, Religion and Science; Historical and Contemporary Issues, HarperCollins,
1997. ISBN 0-06-060938-9
• Appleman Philip. ed., Darwin (A Norton Critical edition), WW Norton and Company
2001. ISBN 0-393-95849
• Dawkins, Richard, The Selfish Gene, Oxford University Press, 1976. ISBN 0199291152
• James, William, Varieties of Religious Experience, Random House, 1999. ISBN 0-679-
64011-8
• Readings from Course book

One of the following:

• Miller, K., Finding Darwin’s God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between
God and Evolution, HarperCollins Publishers, 2001 ISBN: 0060930497

• Collins, F. Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief, Free Press, 2006
ISBN: 0743286391

COURSE SCHEDULE (Please note: these dates are tentative and may require revision as the course
develops)

Date Class Topic Readings

Sept 6 Intro & / Quiet American Quiet American;

Relationships between Science & Religion Vedantam


8 Independence: Gould and the Two Magisteria Gould
11 Conflict and dialogue: responses to Gould Dawkins, Ruse
13 Barbour’s classification Barbour, Ch 4
Philosopy of Science and Religion
15 What is Science?: Theory TBA
18 What is Science? Limits Regal, Gladwell
20 What is Science? Culture Spector
22 World Religion: Chrisianity TBA
25 World Religions: Islam TBA
27 Library Tour TBA
29 World Religions: Buddhism TBA
Oct 2 Comparison of Science and Religion Barbour Ch 5 & 6
4 Library Data base instruction Larson
6 Contemporary issue: Stem cell research Sci American
9 Trinity Days --
11 Stem Cell Debate --
13 Mentor-led discussion TBA
16 History of Science and Religion
History 1: Medieval Origins of Science Barbour Ch 1
20 History 2: Enlightenment Barbour Ch 2
23 History 3: 19th Century Barbour Ch 3
25 History 4: Pre-Darwin Darwin
Evolution and Human Nature Darwin
27 Darwin and Darwinism
30 Darwin and Darwinism Darwin

Nov 1 Darwin and Darwinism Darwin


3 Genes and Human Nature 1 Dawkins
6 Genes and Human Nature 2 Dawkins
8 Genes and Human Nature 3 Dawkins, Blackmore
10 Contemporary Issue: Intelligent Design Paley. Orr
13 Intelligent Design Debate
15 Science of Religiousity
Phenomenon of Religious Experience 1 James
17 Phenomenon of Religious Experience 2 James
20 Phenomenon of Religious Experience 3 James
Thanksgiving
27 Neurobiology and Religion Sapolsky

29 Mentor-led Discussion TBA


Dec 1 Evolutionary Origins of Religion TBA
4
Relationship of Science and Religion Revisited
Compatibility of Science & Religion 1 TBA
6 Compatibility of Science & Religion 2 TBA
8 Contemporary Issue: Corporate Funding of Dunlap
Academic Research
11 Contemporary Issue: Government Funding of TBA
Academic Research
ASSIGNMENTS
Papers:
Literary analysis: Ethics and Religion in the Quiet American (3-4 pages)
Argument Paper: The science and ethics of stem cell research (~5 pages)
Research Paper: What has happened since the Selfish Gene? (~6-7pages)
Essay: Comparison of authors discussing the compatibility of science and religion
(2 papers @ ~5-6 pages each)
Final Paper (5-6 pages)
Reading response writing:
Short take-home papers (~1.5 pages)
In-class writing (~1 page)
Other:
Debates (2)
Short oral presentations (2)

GRADING
Papers: 45%
Reading responses: 40%
Oral presentations: 5%
Class participation 10%

COURSE POLICIES

Class attendance: Attendance is required. Students may miss one class without incurring a
penalty. Additional unexcused absences will be deducted from the final grade. Students cannot
pass the course if they miss more than 5 classes.

Submission of papers: All papers must be turned in as hard-copies during class. I will not accept
a paper by email because, in the past, this practice has lead to a lot of complications about
computer compatibility, unreliability of the server, accidental deletion, etc.

Late policy: Papers will be accepted late only if you inform me the day before the due date. All
late work will be deducted 10 % for every day late. Medical excuses will be considered only with
a note from the College Health Center.

Plagiarism: Not tolerated. I adhere strictly to the College’s Integrity Contract, so please re-read
it. All work must be written in your own words. Please read the Student Handbook to see the
definiton of plagiarism and ways to avoid it.

Extra-credit opportunities:
To receive extra credit, students can attend academically-oriented lectures/events and write a 1.5
- 2 page response paper. In the paper, you should summarize the talk/event and discuss what you
found thought provoking. This paper is due within one week after the event was presented. You
will receive a possible 10pts/ paper. You may receive credit for a maximum of 3 lectures.
Course Description
The contemporary arguments on intelligent design and stem cell research demonstrate
that the age old debate between science and religion is still very much still alive. This course will
examine fundamental philosophical, ethical and historical questions at the intersection of religion
and science. Are these two dominant “ways of knowing” destined to always conflict? Do religion
and science provide separate and compatible world views? How has religion been a force in
motivating and constraining science and technology? How has science prompted changing
perspectives in theology and ethics? Using both historical and contemporary sources, we will
explore ways in which religion and science collide, coexist and influence each other. We will
focus on Christianity, Judism and the biological sciences, but also include some discussion of
non-Western religions and physical sciences.
Readings
(from Course Packet)
1. Vedantam, S. “Eden and Evolution”, Washington Post, February 5, 2006.

2. Gould, S.J., Nonoverlapping Magisteria, Natural History 106, 1999.

3. Dawkins, R. You Can’t Have it Both Ways: Irreconcilable Differences?


Skeptical Inquirer 23, 1999.

4. Ruse, M. Commentary on NOMA. Published online: www.metanexus.net.


1999.

5. Regal, P.J. “The illusion organ” In: The Anatomy of Judgment, Univ Minnesota
Press. 1990.

6. Gladwell, M. The picture problem, The New Yorker. December 13, 2004.

7. Specter, M. Rethinking the brain, The New Yorker, July 23, 2001.

8. Russel B., Why I am not a Christian. Haldeman-Julius Publications, 1929.

9. Larson, E.J., and Witham, L., Scientists and religion in America, Scientific
American, September, 1999.

10, Multiple authors. The future of stem cells. Scientific American, 2005.

11. Blackmore, S., The power of memes, Scientific American, October 2000.

12. Orr, H.A. Devolution. The New Yorker, May 30, 2005.

13. Sapolsky, R., “Circling the blanket for God” In: The Trouble with Testosterone
and Other Essays on the Biology of the Human Predicament. Simon and Schuster,
1997.

14. Dunlap, K.D. Conflict of interest and the funding of biomedical research at
universities, 2001 (unpublished).

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