Saturday, December 13, 2014

Chapter 18: The Lost World of Genesis One

This is the last chapter of the book and it is titled 'Public Science Education Should Be Neutral Regarding Purpose". In this chapter there are two important terminologies that require proper understanding. The first is the metaphysical naturalism; and the second, methodological naturalism. 
Metaphysical naturalism is a philosophy that excludes 'God' in its perception, understanding and explanation of the world.  Methodological naturalism is a methodology that is used is Science or Social Science in order to explain an event without invoking metaphysical hand in the event. This does not deny God's existence nor God's work, but this also does not affirm God's existence nor God's work; it just tries to explain an event using naturalistic explanation. 

In writing about evolution, certain people have this tendency to insert a philosophical category that says that evolutionary process is purposeless. If one is a metaphysical naturalist, she may never see God's hand guiding the process because her philosophy has already removed this element. However, if one is a theist, the process is not really purposeless. She will God's design/hand in the process. However, whether the process is purposeless or otherwise is informed by the philosophy one has already carried along as part of his/her baggage. Evolutionary theory does not inform her whether it is purposeless or purposeful. Given this neutral nature of the theory, scientific inquiry should rather be left metaphysically neutral. Those who want to see the event through atheistic lens, let them; those who want to see the event through theistic lens, let them. But the scientific theory should be left neutral. 


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