Science
With a joke about philosophers and theologians (he being the former), Michael Ruse used the dinner speech of day two of the Portsmouth Institute conference on “Modern Science, Ancient Faith” to take up the ostensibly neutral (mutually skeptical) approach to arbitrating between religion and science. He referred to both approaches to knowledge as “symbolic” —…
At each of the Portsmouth Institute’s conferences (except the first, as I recall), Kevin O’Brien of Theater of the Word has had some sort of performance. Last year, being on Catholicism and Shakespeare, his troupe performed scenes from Shakespeare with accompanying commentary. O’Brien’s other two performances, however, were self-composed biographical lectures given in the character…
From an entertainment standpoint, the most interesting aspect of Bill Dembski’s talk at the Portsmouth Institute conference on “Modern Science, Ancient Faith” was the continuation of what is apparently a long-standing head-to-head with the previous speaker, Ken Miller. Dembski is a notable personage on the intelligent design side of the public debate, and at one…
Brown University biology professor Ken Miller opened the second day of conferences at this year’s Portsmouth Institute conference, “Modern Science, Ancient Faith.” Readers may find his name familiar, inasmuch as he was a central figure when the teaching of evolution was big news a few years back. He also stood out, among the academics for…
Portsmouth Institute, Day 1, Session 3: Dr. John Haught, “Evolution and Faith: What Is the Problem?”
Georgetown University theology professor John Haught firmly established the theme of the Portsmouth Institute conference on “Modern Science, Ancient Faith” with his talk on the reconciliation of religion and science — even if he arguably did so without explicitly stating it. Dr. Haught did so by taking up several of the philosophical objections to Christian…
Among the truly fascinating aspects of the entire 2012 Portsmouth Institute conference, “Modern Science, Ancient Faith,” was the pervasive appearance of an underlying theme. That, in itself, is not surprising; the fact that nobody took its appearance as opportunity actually to state it is. In retrospect, in the second lecture of the series, Brother Wiseman…
It was fitting that the the 2012 Portsmouth Institute conference, “Modern Science, Ancient Faith,” held at the Portsmouth Abbey school, opened on the topic of Galileo. Brother Scotti addressed the ways in which other factors brought about the Catholic Church’s blunder with respect to Galileo. There were internal politics. Factional rifts between the Jesuits, who…
According to the Chinese calendar, 2012 is another year of the dragon. By the cyclical calendar of the United States, it’s another year of the campaign, and early indications are that it will be a fierce one. No doubt, when the post-election chill deadens the flames this winter, we’ll all be very relieved to see…
Fred Schwartz highlights two stories related to Environment Protection Agency (EPA) dictats. First, it turns out that Americans are still disinclined to spend money on electric and hybrid vehicles. Second, the EPA has now put companies in the position of being fined for not including an additive that they simply can’t get. Both articles reflect…
From the Los Angeles Times. … researchers estimated that up to 49,000 cases of breast cancer and 43,000 cases of colon cancer each year are tied to lack of physical activity. “Sitting time is emerging as a strong candidate for being a cancer risk factor in its own right,” Neville Owen, the head of behavioral…
