PH 723 DE: Syllabus Page 1
PH 723 DE Dr. David K. Clark
Winter 2009 Bethel Seminary
651-638-6167
Theology and Science
Course Objectives: After taking this course, each of you should . . .
1. Understand something of the discipline of philosophy of science and the important issues, concepts, positions, arguments, and people that are part of it.
2. Grasp especially the questions that science poses for Christian theology and faith as well as Christian responses to those problems.
3. Possess an appreciation for cultural and methodological presuppositions that affect all abstract thinking, both Christian and non-Christian, and an ability to ferret out these assumptions for analysis and evaluation.
4. Develop an improved skill in thinking and communicating critically and abstractly—especially the ability to articulate and defend distinctively Christian answers to the problems posed in philosophy of science.
Required Textbooks and Readings:
Kenneth R. Miller, Finding Darwin’s God: A Scientist’s Search for Common Ground between God and Evolution (New York: HarperCollins/Perennial, 1999). [isbn0-06-093049-7]
J. P. Moreland, ed., The Creation Hypothesis: Scientific Evidence for an Intelligent Designer (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1994). [isbn083081698-4]
Nancy R. Pearcey and Charles B. Thaxton, The Soul of Science: Christian Faith and Natural Philosophy, Turning Point Christian Worldview Series (Wheaton: Crossway, 1994). [isbn089107766-9]
Alvin Plantinga, “When Faith and Reason Clash: Evolution and the Bible,” Christian Scholars Review 21 (1991): 8-32.
Del Ratzsch, The Battle of Beginnings. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1996). [isbn0-8308-1529-5]
Howard J. Van Till, “When Faith and Reason Cooperate,” Christian Scholars Review 21 (1991): 33-45.
Course Requirements:
1. Text Reading (5% of grade):
Read all the textbooks as assigned. At the end of the course, tell me what percentage of assigned readings you completed.
2. Discussion Folder Participation (5% of grade):
Participate regularly in the discussion folders, making your comments and responding to others.
3. Critical Book Review (25% of grade)
a. Read a significant book on the relation of science and theology that reflects some aspect of this large area that interests you. This book should be on a topic that’s completely different from your research topic. Examples of appropriate books are:
Ian Barbour, Religion and Science: Historical and Contemporary Issues
Mario Beauregard and Denyse O’Leary, The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Case for the Existence of the Soul
Michael Behe, Darwin’s Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution
Idem, The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism
Francis S. Collins, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief
Richard Dawkins, Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design
William Dembski, Mere Creation: Science, Faith & Intelligent Design
Michael Denton, Evolution: Theory in Crisis
Antony Flew and Roy Abraham Varghese, There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind
Owen Gingerich, God’s Universe
Stanley Jaki, Brain, Mind and Computers
John Lennox, God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?
John Polkinghorne, Science & Theology: An Introduction
Gerald Schroeder, Genesis and the Big Bang: The Discovery of Harmony between Modern Science and the Bible
b. Then write a 1000-word critical book review. Spend half of the review describing the content of the book. (a) Specifically identify the thesis and purpose of the book. (What’s the author trying to say or do? What view is he promoting, or what perspective is he rebutting?) (b) Describe the conceptual framework the author sets up. (What are the major positions as the author lays them out? How does he organize and describe the possible positions from which he wants he reader to select a view?) (c) Notice and describe the major lines of argumentation and evidence the author uses to promote his thesis, explain his perspective, or rebut his opponents. (What would the author say in response to the challenge: Why should I adopt your thesis?)
c. Use the second half to interact with the book critically. (a) Discuss whether the author succeeds in his purpose. (Is this book written effectively to accomplish its purpose for its intended audience?) (b) Evaluate whether the author’s conceptual framework is clarifying and fair-minded. (Does the author lay out concepts and positions in a way that defenders of those positions would agree to? (c) Discuss whether the argument of the book succeeds. (Does the author make mistakes, overlook evidence, or bias the case, either by slanting the evidence or misconstruing the relevant concepts?) (d) Explain what difference the book makes. (If the thesis of the book is right, what does this imply for a your perspective on theology and science?)
Note that the difference between a great review and a mediocre review (as in many other kinds of presentations) is specificity and detail. Don’t tell me you liked the book, you think everyone should read it, or you learned a lot. Get specific.
4. Research Paper (40% of grade)
Submit a research paper of about 3000 words on a topic related science and theology. This paper should be an original paper written for this course.) These are minimum requirements:
a. The purpose of this paper is to give you practice in researching and thinking in an organized way about some topic in theology and science. You should follow these steps: (1) choose a general topic; (2) choose one general area of data (e.g., theological, historical, scientific, or philosophical) about the topic; (3) learn the data—concepts, positions, arguments; (4) formulate a position in light of the data; (5)develop a thesis that succinctly expresses your position; (6) identify arguments for the thesis and rebut objections against it; and (7) write the paper by presenting your arguments and rebut the objections.
b. You should not merely tell me what you think; you must tell me what you think and why. Although you do not have to make reference to all sides or all aspects of your issue, your paper should show that you are aware of objections to your view that come from perspectives other than your own. You should argue for your position in light of these other views.
c. You should use at least twelve sources. Though you may use the Bible and biblical books as sources, do not count these among the ten. You need not list the Bible as a source in your bibliography. Use journal articles as well as books. You should have sources supporting both sides of the issue you discuss, not just your view.
d. Endnotes: Your notes should be in proper form according to Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, newest edition. Do not use notes that are right in the text except when noting biblical references. These can be placed in parentheses like this (Ps. 113:3). You should number your notes consecutively and place them at the end of the paper on a separate page. In addition, please add on a separate page a bibliography of works that were directly useful in the writing of the paper.
e. Each of you will hand in a brief prospectus. It lets me know what you’re doing, so I can let you know what I think about what you’re doing before you have too much time and energy invested in your project. Your prospectus should include:
Controlling question: a controlling question clearly delineates the topic you plan to answer and the data you intend to investigate.
Thesis: a thesis is a succinct statement of your position. (It’s an answer to the controlling question.) Your paper will present arguments why I should accept your thesis and rebut objections I might raise against it. This thesis will appear in your first paragraph, and you will restate it in your conclusion.
5. Summative Essay (25% of grade):
a. We have worked our way through multiple the issues in philosophy of science. Now, as a summative exercise, read the two essays by Alvin Plantinga and Howard Van Till. These two scholars debate the creation and evolution issue as a kind of case study regarding the larger question about how to relate revelation and reason.
b. Write an essay of about 1000 words. (a) Specifically identify the theses the two scholars try to defend. (What is each author trying to say?) (b) Notice and describe the major lines of argumentation and evidence the authors use to defend their theses. (What would the author say in response to the challenge: Why should I adopt your thesis?)
c. Specifically notice how each author defines “science” and how each does what we might call “scientific epistemology.” Explain how do these philosophical commitments affect the way these two scholars build their cases.
Course Information:
1. Academic Integrity: Written material submitted must be your original work. Academic dishonesty constitutes a serous violation of scholarship standards at Bethel and can result in denial of credit and possible dismissal from the school. Any act that involves misrepresenting someone else’s work as your own is forbidden. Academic dishonesty includes cheating on assignments or exams, plagiarism, fabrication of research, multiple submissions of work in different courses, misrepresentation of academic records, the facilitation of academic dishonesty, and depriving others of necessary academic resources.
2. In all your writing, please use sexually inclusive language: “persons” not “men”; “humanity” not “mankind”; “humanity’s” not “man’s”; etc., unless you mean specifically men. To avoid using “he” all the time, you can pluralize pronouns and alternate genders.
3. Your writing should be grammatically correct, well organized, concise, and readable. I expect that you will word process at least a couple of drafts.
4. In grading writing projects, I use these criteria: (1) completeness and validity of argument; (2) depth of insight; (3) organization and flow of thought; (4) English grammar and style.
Your final grade is the average of Text Reading (5%); Discussion Folder Participation (5%); Critical Book Review (25%); Research Paper (40%); Summative Essay (25%). I will use this scale for all assignments and the final grade:
A 95-100 B- 85-87 D+ 75-77
A- 93-95 C+ 83-85 D 72-75
B+ 91-93 C 79-83 D- 70-72
B 87-91 C- 77-79 F 0-70
This scale may differ from those used in other classes. Since I use the same scale throughout, differences in scale won’t affect your final grade. Class participation, attendance, and attitude can affect your grade. Keep all returned assignments. Please note that agreeing or disagreeing with my view won’t affect your grade.
A Excellent work submitted; evidence of outstanding ability to synthesize and use course knowledge; consistent evidence of creativity and originality; insightful contributions in class; consistent demonstration of integrative and critical thinking skills; regular class attendance; and respectful interaction.
B Good work submitted; evidence of substantial ability to analyze and use course knowledge; evidence of creativity and originality; thoughtful contributions in class; demonstration of integrative and critical thinking skills; regular class attendance; and respectful interaction.
C Acceptable work submitted; evidence of adequate ability to analyze and use course knowledge; appropriate contributions in class; attempts at integration and critique; regular class attendance; and respectful interaction.
D Poor work submitted; little evidence of ability to analyze and use course knowledge; inconsistent mastery of course content; few contributions in class; no attempts at integration and critique; inconsistent class attendance; and respectful interaction.
F Inadequate work submitted; insufficient evidence of ability to analyze and use course knowledge; inappropriate and/or disrespectful contributions in class; poor class attendance; or failure to complete course requirements.”
5. Accessibility: Please contact the instructor as soon as possible if disability-related accommodations are needed. Accommodations for students with documented disabilities are set up through the Office of Disability Services. Contact Kathy McGillivray, Director of Disability Services, at 651-635-8759.
6. Harassment Policies: Bethel Seminary is committed to providing a Christ-centered community where students, faculty, and staff can work together in an atmosphere free from all forms of harassment, exploitation, or intimidation, including racial and sexual harassment. All members of the Bethel community are expected to educate themselves about sexual and racial harassment.
7. Incomplete Course Work: Students are expected to submit all work by the dates set by the course instructors and complete all course requirements on or before the last day of the quarter. The grade ‘Incomplete’ is temporary and will be granted only in unusual circumstances (such as serious illness or critical emergencies) and will not be considered for a student who is simply behind in the assignments.