Religion and the Scientific Imagination
RELI 282
Spring 2019
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
SISP 282 |
| Course Cluster: Christianity Studies |
Do religion and science conflict, or are they in harmony? Does evolution disprove biblical creation stories, or confirm them? Why does the cosmos inspire such overwhelming spiritual awe? Who cares about the new atheists? Is artificial intelligence a sign of the end times? Are New Agers on to something? In this class we'll take on all those questions and more as we explore the many ways "religion" and "science" have interacted, conflicted, collided, and combined. We'll have two goals: First, we'll read a wide array of primary sources--from scientists, philosophers, crackpots, and techies--that ask how science and religion interact in the modern world. Second, we'll focus on our own writing, as a way of reflecting on our readings and communicating with broader publics. How would we explain religion and science to a theologian, a policy-maker, or a stubborn family member? Together, we'll discuss what science and religion mean today, as well as how we can lead others through this weird and unpredictable conversation. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS RELI |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (EDST)(RELI-MN)(RELI)(STS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Primary Sources include: AD White, from A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom, Stephen Jay Gould, "Non-Overlapping Magisteria," Aldous Huxley, from The Doors of Perception, Annie Dillard, from Teaching a Stone to Talk, Pauline Oliveros, from Sounding the Margins, Human Relations Area Files, Yale University, Helen Macdonald, from H is for Hawk
Donna Haraway, PRIMATE VISIONS
Sophia Roosth, SYNTHETIC
Courtney Bender, THE NEW METAPHYSICALS
Lisa Messeri, PLACING OUTER SPACE
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Examinations and Assignments:
Assignments will include: brief, weekly response papers; and a final 10-15 page paper or a creative final project reflecting the themes of the course. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course fulfills the "Thematic Approach" requirement for the Religion Major |
| Instructor(s): West,Lewis Times: ..T.R.. 08:50AM-10:10AM; Location: ALLB004; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 6 | JR major: 6 | | |
| Seats Available: -2 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 3 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 3 | 1st Ranked: 1 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 2 |
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