Crises Of Science, Crises Of Faith

Front 1

Darwin (Origin of Species)

Back 1

-- THEORY – a rigorously tested general consensus – higher level of understanding – can't be proven correct, only wrong.
-- Feet seem to be firmly grounded in religion
--Natural Selection -- No one else has really come up with the HOW of animals are different, and natural selection fills that gap.
-- populations are made up of individuals whose traits (biological, behavioral, biochemical) exhibit variation from one individual to the next.
--evolutionary process occurs in species, not individuals because those traits do NOT get passed on.
--organisms in nature produce more offspring than can survive—superfucundity.
-- evolution isn't linear (family tree from creation)
-- Geometrical Ratio of Increase -- basically talking about a check and balance with the existence of animals. If an animal begins to overpopulate, there is something else to balance it, such as a predatory species of animal, or just the conditions of life. The ratio is that the number of animals must be able to be sustained properly.
-- with religion -- There are certain things that he can't see how things have come up through evolution other than through God.
-- he is omniscient – as he is creating things he knows how they will turn out
--Darwin's theory does not negate the existence of God, it enhances his intelligence.
--God's system is more complex than we initially thought.

Front 2

Huxley (Agnosticism and Christianity)

Back 2

-- “Darwin's bulldog”
--Agnosticism is not a "creed", but rather a method of reasoning, a discursive strategy
-- His definitions of Agnosticism vary--He says he is not an "Infidel," but rather is just skeptical. He wants evidence as proof.
--philosophical materialism – all that matters is MATTER – material... and so it calls into question the soul vs. matter.
-- Doesn't like the term "unknowable" -- rather he thinks that there's just things that he thinks that he does not know of.
-- Morality = providence of the “knowable."
-- Huxley believes he wasn't first Agnostic—he thinks the first Agnostic is Socrates—Huxley merely coined the term.
-- the theologian is more in depth, whereas ecclesiasticism is more a repetition of a doctrine... theology = pursuit of supportable evidence and fact.
-- Christianity is opposed to whatever modern culture raises – all science, best of culture, has been risen directly in opposition to Christianity.
--pg. 540 "Not by favor ... were alike despicable"
--pg. 537. Agnost is not properly ... ethical as intellectual
--pg. 539 For theology the science ... is another"

Front 3

Newman (The Tamworth Reading Room)

Back 3

-- Disagrees with Sir Robert, who basically writes that human nature degrades by itself naturally without education. Useful Knowledge, according to Sir Robert, is the source of virtue, religion, and perfection.
-- Also addresses Mr. Brougham, who basically says the same thing, saying that the pursuit of knowledge leads to all truths. Becoming wiser and gaining more knowledge makes a man better.
-- Newman says that secular knowledge is NOT the principle of moral improvement, NOT the antecedent of moral improvement, and NOT a principle of action. Secular knowledge without personal religion tends to unbelief.
-- Newman says that the moral effects of gaining knowledge cannot be proven or analyzed.
-- To know and to do are two completely different things, says Newman.
-- Refers to Bentham -- Bentham replies that the knowledge that carries virtue is for oneself -- purely self-preservation that causes us to gain the "virtuous" knowledge in the first place.
-- "First comes Knowledge, then a view, then reasoning, and then belief."
--BASICALLY: this entire essay is saying just because you know the facts doesn't mean it makes you into a better person in certain situations.

Front 4

Newman (Apologia pro Vita Sua)

Back 4

-- since youth, he loved notions of Christian antiquity, but still sought a middle ground.
-- once he accepted authority of Rome, he had no trouble accepting Roman doctrines...
-- There IS a God, even if he cannot explain it. We are disjointed from him because of original sin.
-- The only reason Christianity falters is because we as human beings falter.
-- The Catholic church serves many purposes. 1) preserves religion in the world. 2) restrains freedom of thought so that it's not too excessive. Must be controlled and restrained.
-- the church can decide whether or not something can be accepted or condemned.
-- whatever the church tells you to do, you should be happy about it without any criticisms of teachings – inflicting spiritual punishment
-- can cut off people from heaven/God, if you don't accept the infallibility of Church
-- human minds are most alive when they've been latently overthrown and have suffered an upheaval (so submission = freedom?)
-- Catholic church – has both authority and private judgment, and is really the only institution has both and both can be appreciated
--LAtin Phrase "The whole world judges secularly." So those who judge secularly do so without christian moral base.
--Two different definitions of catholic: 1) Capitalized means ROMAN Catholic 2) lower case is universal body of christians.
--desire for authoirty and alligieance to the past.
--similar to Burke...loves the old order
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Hint 4

--LAtin Phrase "The whole world judges secularly." So those who judge secularly do so without christian moral base.
--Two different definitions of catholic: 1) Capitalized means ROMAN Catholic 2) lower case is universal body of christians.
--desire for authoirty and alligieance to the past.
--similar to Burke...loves the old order