| Module Title |
Science & Religion |
| Module Code |
RET1031 (ITS: TP205) |
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Faculty |
Theology, Philosophy & Music |
School |
Humanities & Social Sciences |
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NFQ level |
8 |
Credit Rating |
5 |
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Description
This module is designed to introduce students to core themes that highlight the ever-changing interface between religion and science. In particular, we’ll focus on the historical narrative in tandem with contemporary debates. Classical figures such as Galileo, Descartes, Newton and Darwin will be read and discussed. After Darwin, theological approaches to science evolve, especially in the twentieth-century, with important voices emerging such as Teilhard de Chardin and Alfred North Whitehead; finally, contemporary trajectories shall fall within our purview, such as those evolutionists who submit Christianity to radical critique, known as the “New Atheists” (Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett).
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Learning Outcomes
1. Understand the extent to which historical issues (such as the Galileo and the Darwin controversies) have lent credence to the view that religion is opposed to, and indeed fears the progress of science
2. Offer a critical analysis of notions of biblical truth and other religious truth claims in the light of recent developments in science
3. Show how recent developments in evolutionary theory have provided for a sophisticated secular theory of meaning
4. Grasp the ramifications for the credibility of a theistic worldview posed by the problem of natural or existential evil, something made even more challenging by the high level of popular acceptance of a deist image of God.
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| Workload | Full time hours per semester | | Type | Hours | Description |
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| Assignment Completion | 30 | essay | | Lecture | 24 | No Description | | Class Presentation | 30 | No Description | | Independent Study | 41 | No Description |
| Total Workload: 125 |
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| Section Breakdown | | CRN | 21003 | Part of Term | Semester 2 | | Coursework | 0% | Examination Weight | 0% | | Grade Scale | 40PASS | Pass Both Elements | Y | | Resit Category | RC1 | Best Mark | N | | Module Co-ordinator | Joseph Rivera | Module Teacher | |
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| Assessment Breakdown |
| Type | Description | % of total | Assessment Date |
|---|
| Essay | n/a | 50% | Sem 2 End | | Presentation | Class participation and presentation | 50% | Sem 2 End |
| Reassessment Requirement Type |
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment
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Pre-requisite |
None
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Co-requisite |
None |
| Compatibles |
None |
| Incompatibles |
None |
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All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Galileo and Darwin
Fideism and relativism
Truth matters: the bible and science
Evolution v’s contemporary Intelligent Design theory
Deism and the problem of Evil
Empiricism / positivism: from Hume to Wittgenstein
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Indicative Reading List
Books:
- Darwin Charles: 1859, On the Origin of the Species by means of Natural Selection, John Murray, London,
- Dawkins, Richard: 2006, The God Delusion (revised 2011), Mariner Books, London.,
- Hawking, Stephen: 1998, A Brief History of Time, Bantham Press, London,
- Cunningham, Conor: 2010, Darwin’s Pius Idea: Why the Ultra Darwinians and Creationists Both Get It Wrong, Eerdmanns, Cambridge.,,
- Cassidy Eoin: 2004, The Search For Meaning and Values, Veritas, Dublin,
- Dawkins, Richard: 2009, The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution, Bantham Press, London,
- Hitchens, Christopher: 2007, The Portable Atheist, De Capo Press, Philadelphia.,
- McCarthy, Fachtna and Mc Cann Joseph: 2003, Science and Religion, in Dialogue, Veritas, Dublin,
- Purcell Brendan: 2011, From Big Bang to Big Mystery: Human Origins in the light of Evolution and Creation, Veritas, Dublin,
Articles:
None |
Other Resources
- Podcast: The Oxford Debate on Science and Religion between Rowan Williams and Richard Dawkins, February 2012, http://media.podcasts.ox.ac.uk/theofac/origins_nature/2012-02-23_dawkins.mp4?CAMEFROM=itunesu
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