TOPIC SEVEN- SCIENCE, FAITH AND REASON

• Reason


  Our natural capacity to know things about ourselves and the world around us
• Knowledge


  Some type of understanding about reality, a claim about how things are in the world
• Types of knowledge


  • Ordinary knowledge
  • Scientific knowledge
  • Philosophical knowledge
  • Religious knowledge
• Faith


  Confidence or trust in a person, thing, or the doctrines of a particular group
• Faith (in religious contexts)


  Acceptance of assertions about the characteristics of a deity, the cosmos, and the relationships between them
• Reason and faith


  • Reason's scope is limited to the natural realm, while faith encompasses both natural and supernatural realms
  • Both make truth claims, which should not be opposed to each other
• When faith and reason are opposed


  It may be that one's faith is blind, or their reason is incoherent or has overstepped its limits
• Integrating faith and reason


  Faith should be open to reason and reason to faith, as they complement each other - faith unveils supernatural truths, while reason affirms them, and faith extends the capabilities of reason
• Critical thinking does not inherently reject arguments based on faith, but actively listens, analyzes, and evaluates whether the arguments are logically sound
• Philosophers like Plato and Thomas Aquinas have presented rational proofs for the existence of God
• Fideism


  An error that claims faith is the exclusive means for acquiring knowledge and truth, viewing faith and reason as incompatible
• Rationalism


  An error that asserts knowledge is exclusively derived from reason, without the need for faith, overlooking the foundational assumptions inherent in reason and the implicit reliance on human faith
• Errors like fideism and rationalism, emphasizing exclusive reliance on faith or reason, are refutable, highlighting the need for a harmonious interplay between the two
• SCIENCE, REASON & FAITH
• Intended Learning Outcomes


  • Outline the steps in the scientific method
  • Explain the limitations of science in the pursuit of absolute truth
  • Explore the relationship between faith & reason
  • Explain some errors related to science, reason and faith
• Steps in the scientific method

  1. Gathering information

  2. Processing information

  3. Developing hypotheses

  4. Testing hypotheses

  5. Accepting or rejecting a theory
• Limitations of science


  • Science may not address metaphysical or subjective aspects, limiting its scope in understanding consciousness, emotions, ethics, etc.
  • Science operates within temporal and spatial constraints, making it challenging to study phenomena that occurred in the distant past or at vast cosmic scales.
  • Scientific models simplify complex realities, potentially oversimplifying intricate phenomena and leaving gaps in understanding, leading to incomplete and evolving perspectives
• Think, Pair, Share: What are the limitations of science?
• Reading Assignment: Reason and Faith
• Errors pertaining to truth & knowledge

  • Rationalism
  • Fideism
  • Scientism
• Scientism


  An ideology that overemphasizes the authority of the scientific method and knowledge, disregarding other types of knowledge, leading to an overly narrow view of reality and human experience
• Strengths of faith


  - Provides a sense of meaning and purpose<br>- Offers comfort and hope in difficult times<br>- Inspires moral behavior and a sense of community<br>- Leads to a deeper understanding of spiritual truths
• Strengths of reason


  - Allows for logical and critical thinking<br>- Helps to evaluate evidence and make informed decisions<br>- Provides a framework for understanding the natural world<br>- Encourages curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge