Aim of Course
This course is divided into 2 weeks, and applicants can apply for either week or both. A wide range of topics at the science/religion interface are addressed by internationally renowned speakers. The first week includes the rationality of science and religion, cosmology including the anthropic principle, ethical issues in the biosciences, and environmental concern. The second week includes historical and philosophical perspectives, and issues raised by biology, including the theory of evolution, and by modern neuroscience.
Speakers (listed in alphabetical order) and topics
See multimedia items for this course .
- Dr Denis Alexander : Models for relating science and religion
- John Hedley Brooke : History of science-religion relationship
- Peter Clarke (deceased) : Brains & Machines
- Simon Conway Morris FRS : Evolution & Fine-Tuning in Biology
- Peter Harrison : Religious origins of science
- Gareth Jones : Biological Enhancement of Brain & Image of God
- Dr Ard Louis : Evolution & Fine-Tuning in Biological Complexity
- Revd Dr Ernest Lucas : Evolution & Genesis
- Ernan McMullin (deceased) : Galileo
- Kenneth Miller : Critique of ID movement
- Bill Newsome : Theology & Neuroscience
- Dr Jason M Rampelt : Science and Faith of Eddington
- Jeff Schloss : Evolution, Religion & Altruism
Venue
The course will be held at St Edmunds College, Mount Pleasant, Cambridge, CB3 0BN
Course Schedule
| Friday July 27 | |
| 6.00 pm | Arrival |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Drinks Reception – Getting to Know You |
|
Saturday July 28: Theme – ‘History of the Relationship between Science and Religion’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Peter Harrison: Religion and the Rise of Science |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Prof. John Hedley Brooke: Science vs Religion? The Roots of the Conflict Thesis |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Prof. Ernan McMullin (deceased): Was Galileo Guilty? |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Dr Jason M Rampelt: Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington (1882-1944): Relativity and Dogma |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Free time |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 3 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Sunday July 29: Theme – ‘Historical and Philosophical Perspectives’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Free time |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Prof. Peter Harrison: The Fall of Man and the Foundations of Science |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Prof. John Hedley Brooke: The Reception of Darwinism |
| 4.30 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Revd Dr John Polkinghorne: Critical Realism in Science and Religion |
| 6.30 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 4 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Monday July 30: Theme – ‘God and the Question of Origins: Biology and Evolution’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Simon Conway Morris FRS: Evolution and Fine-Tuning in Biology |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Dr Ard Louis: Evolution and Fine-Tuning in Biological Complexity |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Prof. Kenneth Miller: The Intelligent Design Movement – A Critical Analysis |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 4.00 pm | Prof. Jeff Schloss: The End of Love: Evolutionary Psychology, Altruism, and Human Purpose |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Free time |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 4 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Tuesday July 31: Theme – ‘God and the Question of Origins: Biology and Evolution’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Jeff Schloss: The Evolution of Religion and the Religion of Evolution |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Prof. Kenneth Miller: Chance, Necessity and Evolution |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Revd Dr Ernest Lucas: God and Origins: Interpreting the Early Chapters of Genesis |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Cambridge History of Science Tour |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 3 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Wednesday August 1: Theme – ‘Is Religion All in the Brain’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Bill Newsome: Theology and the Neurosciences |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Prof. Gareth Jones: Does Biological Enhancement of the Brain Affect our Status as Images of God? |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Prof. Peter Clarke (deceased): Brains and Machines |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Prof. Gareth Jones: Genetics, plasticity and personhood: the brain in the 21st century |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 4 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 7.00 pm | Gala Dinner |
|
Thursday August 2 |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Depart |