PHI 122 - Science and Religion

1. Science, religion, and philosophic inquiry in the West
2. History of major tendencies and key people in ancient times, the Medieval period, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment
3. The myth of the Judaic-Christian tradition
4. Islamic, Indian, and Chinese approaches to science, religion, and philosophy
5. Survey of current issues (i.e., Chaos Theory, Big Bang, Morphic Resonance)
6. Re-evaluating a sense of the disciplines and options for interaction: conflict, complementarity, parallelness

1. Identify and define key terms and concepts, and explain their significance in historical contexts. (1-5)
2. Articulate differences and similarities of the scientific, religious, and philosophical approaches to enduring human questions: humans in the cosmos; how and why the universe functions; ethics. (1,2,5)
3. Analyze influences, including historical, cultural, spiritual, political and economic factors, as they affect development of the matter. (1-5)
4. Describe differences and similarities of methods, goals, and language in the three areas of study. (1,5,6) 
5. Identify the key thinkers and describe the debates within each area under study and compare and critique their contributions. (3-5)
6. Describe the implications of the myth of the Judaic-Christian tradition. (3) 
7. Compare Eastern and Western approaches to science, religion, and philosophy. (2-4)
8. Identify and analyze the implications of various scientific, religious, and philosophical positions on Western thought and one's personal life. (1-6)
9. Apply philosophical perspectives to the assessment of issues and readings. (5,6) 
10. Describe competing paradigms and explain how they may sometimes conflict and sometimes be compatible or complementary. (1-4) 
11. Formulate and support reasonable personal positions on issues relevant to the options for interaction: conflict, complementarity, parallelness. (3-6) 
12. Engage in dialectical discussions that exhibit evidence of intellectual curiosity and scholarship. (1-6)