Anthony Grayling has convened a “symposium” on Reason in the latest issue of the New Scientist. Grayling’s position is very predictable but credit to him and the editors for bringing together a diverse group who for the most part seem to disagree with his conception. Neuroscientist Chris Frith, mathematician Roger Penrose and philosopher Mary Midgley are…
Here are the abstracts for the forthcoming Zygon: A Journal of Religion and Science symposium on Oakeshott. Elizabeth Corey (Baylor) RELIGION AND THE MODE OF PRACTICE IN MICHAEL OAKESHOTT Michael Oakeshott’s religious view of the world stands behind much of his political and philosophical writing. The present essay proceeds first by discussing Oakeshott’s view of religion…
I notice that Oxford’s Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion and the Centre for Anthropology and Mind have received a big grant for the “study of the cognitive science of religion” from the Templeton Foundation. Who’d have thought that the project of naturalizing religion would become so sexy – for reasons I won’t go…
Much has been made about Anthony Flew’s “conversion” from atheism to deism. An article in The Atlantic suggests that all might not be quite as it seems. I’m not in a position to adjudicate, but something is a bit off. (On a personal note, Flew has been a responsive and charming correspondent and an early supporter (a charter member) of the…
Atheism is big publishing business these days. The rash of recent bestsellers has been dubbed the “New” Atheism – and the loose coalition of those who subsribe to the naturalism promoted across these books – as Brights. I want to make four points: 1. I resent the haughtiness of the term “bright”. The term fails to capture many…
