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ENOUGH TO MAKE GOD LAUGH

Name: ENOUGH TO MAKE GOD LAUGH
Author: Albert N. Wells
ISBN: 978-1439225554

: A PASTOR RESOLVES THE SCIENCE/RELIGION PROBLEM

by Albert N. Wells ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 16, 2009

A smart look at a tenacious problem.

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A notable effort to prove the compatibility of religion and science.

At first glance, the only laughable thing about Wells’ book is the brash subtitle. That one pastor could â€œresolve the science/religion problem,” as Wells admits, one of the thorniest out there, is a little farfetched. After all, the conflict has roots in the beginning of modern scientific practice with Galileo and Copernicus, and it frankly shows no signs of dying down soon. But Wells makes a very strong go of it. In his central argument, the author asserts that we need to be â€œtwo-eyed” creatures, using both science and religion to produce a stereoscopic vision of the world. He admits that these two ways of looking at the universe â€œare different endeavors” whose â€œconcerns are different,” but adds that their ultimate goal–the acquisition of truth–is the same. Hence, there is no real tension between them. Indeed, he argues that the world is so mind-bogglingly complex that we need all the help we can get. To abandon either science or religion in a still-mysterious cosmos is like throwing away a rowboat’s oar in the midst of a hurricane. (Wells suggests that it is our unfounded confidence in the face of the unknown that makes God laugh.) Somewhat ironically, the aspect of Wells’ project that initially seems to be its starkest weakness turns out to be its greatest strength. After a preliminary review, there seems to be much more scripture than science–much more Jesus than Niels Bohr–here. But this is a good thing, because there are quite a few notable volumes out there devoted to selling religion to scientists; there are fewer serious efforts that attempt to do the opposite–selling science to religionists. Enough to Make God Laugh, then, does just that, meeting believers on their own ground.

A smart look at a tenacious problem.

Pub Date: July 16, 2009

ISBN: 978-1439225554

Page Count: -

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

PHILOSOPHY & RELIGION

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GOD AND THE PHILOSOPHERS

THE RECONCILIATION OF FAITH AND REASON

edited by Thomas V. Morris ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1994

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Twenty professional philosophers tell how they combine intellectual rigor with religious commitment. Although most of the great philosophers have believed in God, argues Morris (Philosophy/Notre Dame; The Logic of God Incarnate, not reviewed), many Americans today reckon that religion and reason are diametrically opposed. With this collection of essays, Morris assembles a cross section of scholars who effectively challenge this assumption. In brief chapters, the philosophers touch on themes such as their upbringing, conversion or religious development, and the ideas and thinkers who have most influenced them (Immanuel Kant, William James, and C.S. Lewis are among the most often mentioned). The general tone, however, is more personal than scholarly. We are treated to insights into the connection between spiritual life and the love of learning, as well as discussions of more obvious philosophical problems such as the nature of objectivity and the rational grounds required for religious assent. Eleanore Stump offers a moving account of how confrontation with the problem of evil can cause us to seek, rather than reject, God. Peter van Inwagen questions the basic assumptions of the Enlightenment, which he believes continue to distort our view of religion. David Shatz speaks of the dual program of Torah and secular studies at New York's Yeshiva University and of the intense relationship between religion and study in Orthodox Judaism. Morris lets his authors speak for themselves, without attempting to draw together what has been said. Although he provides a broad spectrum of Christian viewpoints, some readers will regret the absence of Islamic and Buddhist perspectives and of any discussion of the classical syntheses of faith and reason, such as that of St. Thomas Aquinas. The honesty and humanity with which these controversial themes are treated make for attractive reading.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1994

ISBN: 0-19-508822-0

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Oxford Univ.

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1994

Categories:

PHILOSOPHY & RELIGION

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SHADOWS OF THE MIND

A SEARCH FOR THE MISSING SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

by Roger Penrose ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1994

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A leading critic of artificial intelligence research returns to the attack, attempting to lay the groundwork for an analysis of the true nature of intelligence. Building on his arguments in The Emperor's New Mind (not reviewed), Penrose (Mathematics/Oxford) begins by refuting the assertion that true intelligence can be attained—or even adequately simulated—by the strictly computational means to which current computers are ultimately limited. Much of his argument depends closely on the application of Gîdel's Undecidability Theorem to Turing machines—deep waters for laypeople, although the fundamentals of his argument are accessible to readers without sophisticated mathematical training. Having disposed of the central tenets of current AI research, Penrose then turns to an even more fundamental question: the actual foundations in modern physics (i.e., relativity and quantum theory) of the phenomenon of consciousness. Here much of his summary depends on fairly complex mathematical reasoning, although the key points are summarized for the general reader who has been willing to follow him so far. Penrose feels that a new physical synthesis, reconciling the paradoxes of quantum theory and bringing them into harmony with Einstein's gravitational theories, is ultimately necessary to explain the noncomputational elements of consciousness and intelligence. He speculates on the possible role of cellular structures called microtubules in creating a quantum phenomenon on a macroscopic scale within the brain, but grants that more research is needed to establish any connection between physical and mental phenomena. His conclusion steps back to a philosophical overview of the subject, paying homage to Plato, among others. A challenging examination of a central problem of modern philosophy, with no final answers but plenty of food for thought. (76 line drawings) (First printing of 50,000; $50,000 ad/promo)