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Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: Religion and Science

Course Title:	RL535 - Religion and Science
Department:	Religious Studies
Instructor:	Don E. Peavy, Sr., Ph.D. E-Mail Vita
Prerequisites:	None

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

Welcome to RL 535, Religion and Science. “Since the dawn of our species, every world culture has maintained a dualistic interpretation of reality. In other words, every culture, no matter how isolated, has perceived reality as consisting of two distinct substances or realms: the physical and the spiritual.” (Alper 2). Initially, those two realms were viewed through the lens of religion and/or philosophy. Ironically, it would be Christianity, and then the Enlightenment, which would bring a rupture between these two realms and relegate analysis of the physical to science and talk of the spiritual to religion. That is a short overview of how we got to where we are today and the focus of this course: an examination of the relationship between science and religion and what continues to be a permeable and yet shaky boundary between them. By the end of this course, students should be aware of some of the issues affecting science and religion and understand some of the proposed solutions to resolving those issues. Although it is not required, students will gain a greater appreciation of this course if they have taken RL 500, Introduction to Religious Studies and/or Epistemology of Religious Belief, RL 530 previously.

INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

Students should strive to use inclusive language in their writings. By inclusive language is meant language that is not gender specific and which attempts to include as many people as possible. For instance, instead of writing that "God wills that every man obeys His will," inclusive language would require us to write, "God wills that everyone obeys Gods will."

REQUIREMENTS

1. Readings. The required texts are: Online Bookstore
   
   The "God" part of the Brain: A Scientific Interpretation of Human Spirituality and God by Matthew Alper. Rogue Press (2001). ISBN13: 9780966036701 ISBN: 0966036700
   
   Tower of Babel: The Evidence Against the New Creationism by Robert T. Penncock. MIT Press (1999). ISBN13: 9780262161800 ISBN: 026216180X
   
   

2. Conferences. Students may schedule no more than two Internet conferences between the student and the professor. These should be scheduled as necessary by the student. Of course, students may ask questions of the professor at any time by sending an E-mail to the address at the link above or by posting them to the message board.

3. Exams. There will be no exams in this course.

4. Papers.There will be a short paper of at least two single-spaced pages or 1,250 words (not counting end-notes and bibliography), due at the end of each week=s readings in which students will answer the discussion questions and give a reaction to their readings. There is a mid-term paper due of between 1500 and 2500 words. These papers are to be e-mailed to the professor. Those who do not feel comfortable with e-mailing the papers can contact the professor for a mailing address. Papers should conform to the form and style outlined in Kate L. Turabian=s "A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations," 6th ed. Students should use end notes instead of footnotes. Finally, the papers are intended to be reflection papers and not research or the "author said" papers. Students should indicate their understanding of the texts and this cannot be done merely by quoting the authors.

5. Grades. Course work will be weighted as follows:
   
   

   Papers	60%
   Midterm Paper	40%

6. Grading Scale
   
   

   90 - 100%	A - Excellent
   80 - 89%	B - Above Average
   70 - 79%	C - Average
   60 - 69%	D - Below Average
   59% or below	F - Failing Grade

   
   
   A = Clearly stands out as excellent performance. Has unusually sharp insight into material and initiates thoughtful questions. Sees many sides of an issue. Articulates well and writes logically and clearly. Integrates ideas previously learned from this and other disciplines. Anticipates next steps in progression of ideas.
   
   B = Grasps subject matter at a level considered to be good to very good. Is an active listener and participant in chats, message boards, e-mails and conferences. Speaks and writes well. Accomplishes more than the minimum requirements. Work is of high quality.
   
   C = Demonstrates a satisfactory comprehension of the subject matter. Accomplishes only the minimum requirements, and displays little or no initiative. Communicates at an acceptable level for a college student. Has a generally acceptable understanding of all basic concepts.
   
   D = Quality and quantity of work is below average and barely acceptable.
   
   F = Quality and quantity of work is unacceptable.

WEEK ONE

Read Alper 1-64. Go to: http://www.beliefnet.com/index/index_506.html and click on Daniel Dennett. Read the interview with him and listen to the audio “Can science and religion coexist?”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Can science and religion coexist? Why or why not?
2. What is your reaction to the Dennett interview? Please explain.
3. It seems to me that the question is no longer does God exist but rather what is the nature of God. Do you agree/disagree? Why?
4. What is science?
5. What is the “method” of science?

WEEK TWO

Read Alper 65-end.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Generally, what is your impression of the Alper text? What, if anything, did you like, dislike about what Alper wrote?
2. On page 114, Alper writes that a pair of researchers “found historical documentation to suggest that a significant number of the world’s spiritual prophets and leaders were sufferers of temporal lobe epilepsy.” What conclusion does Alper draw from that research?
3. Near Death Experiences are often times cited as very strong evidence for belief in God/religion. What does Alper write about NDEs? Do you agree/disagree? Why or why not?

WEEK THREE

Mid-Term Paper:

You are to write a coherent essay in proper APA or Turabian format in which you answer the questions below. Your paper should be 1500 to 2500 words.

On page 180, Alper writes, “So what if it should turn out that human spirituality/religiosity is nothing more than the consequence of an inherited biological impulse?” You are to answer that question. How does Alper answer it? What are the ramifications of his answer? Of yours?

WEEK FOUR

Read Pennock 1-116.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Pennock says that the debate between creation and evolution is a “nonissue.” What do you understand Pennock to mean by this statement? Do you agree?
2. Some scholars/experts argue that scientists can never prove anything about the past. Does Pennock agree? Do you?
3. Can evolution be disproved by religion? Can creation be disproved by science? Why or why not?

WEEK FIVE

Read Pennock 117-240.

Prepare an outline for this week’s readings. What did you most agree with? What did you least agree with?

WEEK SIX

Read Pennock 242-end.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Watch the movie, “Inherit the Wind,” the original version with Spencer Tracy. At the end of the movie, Attorney Drummond places Darwin’s book on top of the Bible, or vice versa, (having a moment of cognitive slippage here!). What do you make of this ending? That is, what is the director suggesting by such a scene?
2. Would Pennock agree with the conclusion reached by the director in “1” above?
3. Now that your readings for this course have come to an end, at least for the moment, what do you see as the resolution to the war between science and religion?