Access to Religion and Philosophy: Religion and Science Second Edition
Mel Thompson

ISBN: 9780340957769
Published: 31/10/2008
Extent: 168 pages
Illustrations: photos and diagrams

£9.99

The second edition of Religion and Science has been updated in line with the revised 2008 A level specification requirements. It explores the key characters and debates and covers traditional and contemporary philosophical ideas, including discussion of miracles, scientific method, genetics and the big bang.
The new edition combines all the strengths of the first edition with a new design and features to make the content more accessible to all students in order to develop their understanding of the topic.
New features include:
- Key questions throughout the chapters to help students focus on the key issues
- Key terms defined and explained throughout the chapters
- Profiles of key individuals - their contribution and significance
- More summary diagrams throughout to aid revision
- Revision checklists at the end of chapters
- New exam-style questions and tips at the end of each chapter.
· Redesigned to allow greater accessibility to a wide range of post-16 students.
· New features such as definitions, summaries and exam tips to aid students' understanding, revision and essay writing techniques.
· Updated to ensure relevant coverage of the revised 2008 A level specifications.
· In-depth coverage of specific issues to help students access higher grades.

Table of Contents

Preface
1. Introduction
1. The interface of religion and science
2. Change and commitment
3. Relevance
2. From the Greeks to the Medieval World
1. Pre-socratic theories
2. Plato
3. Aristotle
4. Shaping the Medieval world view
5. Religion and the rise of science
Study Guide
3. The Rise of Science
1. Astronomy
2. Francis Bacon
3. Newton
4. Practical science
5. Mathematics and Statistics
6. The end of religion?
Study Guide
4. Method, language and authority
1. Evidence and sense experience
2. The scientific method
3. Logic and progress
4. Models and paradigms
5. Certainty and authority
6. The issue of language
Study Guide
5. Modern Physics and the nature of reality
1 Relativity
2 Quantum mechanics
3 Mystical and religious perceptions
Study Guide
6. The origins of the universe
1. The dimensions of the universe
2. The Big Bang theory
3. The anthropic principle
4. Creationist views
5. Creatio ex nihilo
6. God: 'being itself' or external agent?
Study guide
7. Evolution and Design
1. Purpose and direction
2. Geology
3. Darwin and Natural Selection
4. DNA
5. Social Darwinism
6. The design argument
7. Intelligent design
8. Interpreting the evidence
Study Guide
8. Freedom and Determinism
1. A historical perspective
2. Leibniz: God’'92s chosen world
3. Kant: determined but free
4. A Romantic challenge?
5. Haeckel and Monod: a naturalistic view
6. Playing dice?
Study Guide
9. Miracles
1. Historical background
2. Hume on evidence and miracles
3. Reasonably miraculous?
4. Redefining the miraculous
5. Miracles and arguments for the existence of God
Study Guide
10. Scientific explanations of religion
1. Anthropological explanations
2. Sociological explanations
3. Psychological explanations
4. Biological explanations
Study Guide
11. What is a human being?
1. The place of human life
2. Human origins
3. A human machine?
4. Minds, brains and artificial intelligence
5. Surviving death?
6. The future of humankind?
Study Guide
Postscript
1. Technology and ethics
2. The human quest
Glossary
Further reading
Index