IDS 1050FYW Science and Religion Seminar

Through an examination of the origin of cosmos, this course will address how science and religion conflict, are independent of each other, may be in dialogue with one another, or may be integrated or consistent with one another. We will lay the groundwork for the course through an examination of a section from Ian Barbour's book, which lays out the different ways in which science and religion can interact. Next, since science and religion are sets of beliefs formed in certain ways, we will briefly look at how beliefs in general are and, perhaps, ought to be formed. We will then look at some ancient attempts to make sense of the cosmos through both supernatural and natural explanation. The final third of the course will be devoted to contemporary issues about the intersection of religion, science, and our views of the cosmos.