Aim of Course
In this one week course a wide range of topics at the science/religion interface will be addressed by internationally renowned speakers. The topics to be covered include historical and philosophical perspectives, and the relationships between cosmology, biology and the neurosciences with theological concerns.
Speakers (listed in alphabetical order) and topics
See multimedia items for this course.
- Dr Denis Alexander : God and Memetics
- Katherine Blundell : God and the Big Bang
- Peter Clarke (deceased) : Brains and Machines, & Brain Plasticity
- Simon Conway Morris FRS : Fine-Tuning in Biology
- Darrel Falk : Human Evolution; Creationism & Intelligent Design
- Peter Harrison : The Fall and the Rise of Science
- Edward Larson : Reception of Darwinism, and Eugenics
- Revd Dr Ernest Lucas : Interpreting Genesis
- Ernan McMullin (deceased) : The Galileo Affair: Two Debates
- Dr Pete Moore : Brain Enhancement
- Revd Dr John Polkinghorne KBE FRS: Meta-Stories of Fine-Tuning
- Paul Shellard : The Anthropic Principle
- Alan Torrance : Neuroscience & Human Freedom: Theological & Philsophical Perspectives
- Dean Zimmerman : Material and Immaterial Persons; God and Time
Venue
The course will be held at St Edmunds College, Mount Pleasant, Cambridge, CB3 0BN
Course Schedule
| Sunday July 20 | |
| 6.00 pm | Arrival |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Drinks Reception – Getting to Know You |
|
Monday July 21: Theme – ‘Historical Issues in Science and Religion’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Peter Harrison: Religion and the Rise of Science |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Prof. Peter Harrison: The Fall of Man and the Foundations of Science |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Prof. Ernan McMullin (deceased): The Galileo Affair: Two Debates |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Cambridge History of Science Tour |
| 5.30 pm | Prof. Edward Larson: The Reception of Darwinism |
| 6.30 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 3 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Tuesday July 22: Theme – ‘Philosophical Issues in Science and Religion’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Edward Larson: Darwinism, Eugenics and Religion |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Revd Dr John Polkinghorne: Critical Realism in Science and Religion |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Dr Denis Alexander: God and Memetics |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Prof. Dean Zimmerman: Material and Immaterial Persons |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Free time |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 3 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Wednesday July 23: Theme – ‘The Big Bang and Cosmology’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Katherine Blundell: God and the Big Bang |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Prof. Paul Shellard: The Anthropic Principle |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Revd Dr John Polkinghorne: Meta-Stories of Fine-Tuning |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Prof. Dean Zimmerman: God and Time |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Free time |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 3 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Thursday July 24: Theme – ‘Biology and Evolution’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Simon Conway Morris FRS: Evolution and Fine-Tuning in Biology |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Prof. Darrel Falk: Human Evolution |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Prof. Darrel Falk: Creationism and Intelligent Design |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Revd Dr Ernest Lucas: God and Origins: Interpreting the Early Chapters of Genesis |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Free time |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 3 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Friday July 25: Theme – ‘The Brain’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Peter Clarke (deceased): Brains and Machines |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Prof. Peter Clarke (deceased): Genetics, Brain Plasticity and Personhood |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Dr Pete Moore: A Better Brain? Enhancement Examinded |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Prof. Alan Torrance: Developments in Neuroscience and Human Freedom: Some Theological and Philosophical Perspectives |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 3 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 7.00 pm | Gala Dinner |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Saturday July 26 |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Depart |