Science and ReligionScience and Religion

Natural Enemies OR “A Match Natural Enemies OR “A Match Made in the Heavens”?Made in the Heavens”?

Aristotelian-Ptolemaic-Galenic Aristotelian-Ptolemaic-Galenic (ancient times to 15(ancient times to 15thth century) century)

Each object is unique with Each object is unique with unique propertiesunique properties

The world is static and The world is static and unchangingunchanging

Geocentrism, crystal spheres, Geocentrism, crystal spheres, heavenly circular motionheavenly circular motion

Four humors (blood, Four humors (blood, black/yellow bile, phlegm) and black/yellow bile, phlegm) and treatmentstreatments

Assoc. w/Scholasticism & Assoc. w/Scholasticism & medieval universitiesmedieval universities

Synthesized into Christianity Synthesized into Christianity by RCCby RCC

Neo-Platonic-Hermetic-astrological Neo-Platonic-Hermetic-astrological challenge (15challenge (15thth-17-17thth centuries) centuries)

Assoc w/Renaissance revival Assoc w/Renaissance revival of Plato, Pythagorasof Plato, Pythagoras

Belief in mathematical Belief in mathematical harmony, “music of the harmony, “music of the spheres”spheres”

Paracelsus—interest in Paracelsus—interest in chemicals in body that reflect chemicals in body that reflect those in naturethose in nature

Uniform cosmological forces Uniform cosmological forces that govern all phenomenonthat govern all phenomenon

Compare to Cartesian view of Compare to Cartesian view of inert matter studied by non-inert matter studied by non-physical mindphysical mind

Interest in astrology (Cardano Interest in astrology (Cardano and Kepler)and Kepler)

Newton’s Synthesis: Standing on Newton’s Synthesis: Standing on the Shoulders of Giantsthe Shoulders of Giants

Life and personality (apple, Life and personality (apple, “By always thinking…,” “A “By always thinking…,” “A vast undiscovered ocean”)vast undiscovered ocean”)

Three laws of motion: Three laws of motion: inertia, F=m x a, equal & inertia, F=m x a, equal & opposite reactionsopposite reactions

Universal law of gravitation Universal law of gravitation (F = gM(F = gM11MM22/d/d22))

Study of alchemy & religious Study of alchemy & religious beliefs (“God is everywhere beliefs (“God is everywhere present”)present”)

Other deeds: Royal Mint, Other deeds: Royal Mint, Royal Society, calculus, Royal Society, calculus, optics, knightedoptics, knighted

““22ndnd most important in most important in history”history”

Spinoza and MonismSpinoza and Monism Study of Cartesian dualismStudy of Cartesian dualism Rejects this separatism in Rejects this separatism in

favor of monism (= God)favor of monism (= God) Ethics Demonstrated in a Ethics Demonstrated in a

Geometric MannerGeometric Manner—rational —rational ethicsethics

Humans can be studied like Humans can be studied like nature because all from same nature because all from same substancesubstance

Unhappiness comes from Unhappiness comes from ignorance of causes of human ignorance of causes of human behaviorbehavior

Persecuted and rejected by Persecuted and rejected by Jewish and Christian Jewish and Christian communities (an atheist?)communities (an atheist?)

Pascal: Balancing Reason and Pascal: Balancing Reason and FaithFaith

Genius credentials: 32 Genius credentials: 32 Euclidean theorems by 9, Euclidean theorems by 9, adding machine, triangle, adding machine, triangle, conic sectionsconic sections

Interest in Jansenism and Interest in Jansenism and spiritual conversionspiritual conversion

PenseesPensees—effort to show that —effort to show that humans are between humans are between everything (neo-Platonism) everything (neo-Platonism) and nothing (Calvinism)and nothing (Calvinism)

““man is a reed, but a thinking man is a reed, but a thinking reed”reed”

God can be shown by God can be shown by rational means, but ultimately rational means, but ultimately a matter of faith (Pascal’s a matter of faith (Pascal’s Wager)Wager)

Towards Deism and AtheismTowards Deism and Atheism

Separation of mind and Separation of mind and matter eliminates need matter eliminates need for spiritual connectionfor spiritual connection

A mechanistic view of A mechanistic view of the world (vs. a vitalistic the world (vs. a vitalistic one)one)

God as the supreme God as the supreme clockmakerclockmaker

Gloss of neo-Platonism, Gloss of neo-Platonism, cosmic spirit stripped cosmic spirit stripped away, left with “particles away, left with “particles in motion”in motion”