Faith, Reason, and Science? The Applicability of Thomas Kuhn to Christian Theology’s Dialogue with “Science”
Location
Haughey Hall, Science Complex
Start Date
25-10-2014 10:45 AM
Description
In 1962, Thomas Kuhn published The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, a groundbreaking work in the philosophy of science that not only altered the public view of science, but helped to create entirely new disciplines within history, sociology, and philosophy. Too often cast into the pool of “postmodernism” in theological writings, Kuhn was instead a historian and philosopher who argued that we reconsider the transformations and apparent progressions of science in light of the often-missed subtleties of human behavior and human desires. What one person sees as objective fact, another sees as a theory to be proven. What is good science today might become poorly done science tomorrow. This presentation will analyze the major arguments of Kuhn as well as his contemporary counterparts, and will argue that Christian theology has yet to adequately grasp and struggle with his philosophical argument, especially in terms of the dialogue with science. Kuhn’s view of science must help theologians see this human phenomenon in a completely new light—not simply as a producer of novel things, but as one extension of humanity’s desire for rational knowledge of God—an extension, however, that is completely embedded in and victim to the demands and prejudices of culture.
Faith, Reason, and Science? The Applicability of Thomas Kuhn to Christian Theology’s Dialogue with “Science”
Haughey Hall, Science Complex
In 1962, Thomas Kuhn published The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, a groundbreaking work in the philosophy of science that not only altered the public view of science, but helped to create entirely new disciplines within history, sociology, and philosophy. Too often cast into the pool of “postmodernism” in theological writings, Kuhn was instead a historian and philosopher who argued that we reconsider the transformations and apparent progressions of science in light of the often-missed subtleties of human behavior and human desires. What one person sees as objective fact, another sees as a theory to be proven. What is good science today might become poorly done science tomorrow. This presentation will analyze the major arguments of Kuhn as well as his contemporary counterparts, and will argue that Christian theology has yet to adequately grasp and struggle with his philosophical argument, especially in terms of the dialogue with science. Kuhn’s view of science must help theologians see this human phenomenon in a completely new light—not simply as a producer of novel things, but as one extension of humanity’s desire for rational knowledge of God—an extension, however, that is completely embedded in and victim to the demands and prejudices of culture.
Comments
John Slattery is a doctoral student in Systematic Theology and the History & Philosophy of Science at the University of Notre Dame, having received his Master’s degree in Theology from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. John’s current dissertation focus lie in the applicability of Thomas Kuhn’s philosophical ideas in discussions of tradition and continuity in theology, especially as related to the transition from 19th to 20th century Roman Catholic thought. His other research interests include Black Catholic liberation theology, the relationship of theology to philosophy more generally, contemporary political theologies of Johann Baptiste-Metz and M. Shawn Copeland, and the philosophy of the late Rev. Ernan McMullin.