Religion and Scientific Naturalism

David Ray Griffin is Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Theology at the Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate University in California. His many books include The Reenchantment of Science: Postmodern Proposals, Unsnarling the World-Knot: Consciousness, Freedom, and the Mind-Body Problem, and Parapsychology, Philosophy, and Spirituality: A Postmodern Exploration.

• Introduction to SUNY Series in Constructive Postmodern Thought Preface Part IScience, Religion, and Naturalism 1Science, Religion, and Worldview 2The Modern Conflict Between Religion and Scientific Naturalism 3Harmonizing Science and Religion: Three Alternative Approaches 4Whitehead's Scientific and Religious Naturalism 5Religion and the Rise of the Modern Scientific Worldview Part IIHarmonizing Science and Religion Within Whiteheadian Naturalism 6Science, Naturalism, and the Mind-Body Problem 7Parapsychology, Science, and Religion 8Creation and Evolution 9Epilogue References Note on Supporting Center Index

"…advise everyone immediately to set about the pleasure and challenge of reading David Griffin's excellent book … the best argued and most stimulating … of all his books so far … In writing Religion and Scientific Naturalism, David Ray Griffin has given all those engaged intellectually in attempting the resolution of the forces of science and religion a work of first class importance … it deserves the very widest readership." — The Scientific and Medical Network Review"The implications that Griffin's naturalistic framework has for scientific evolutionary theory are profound … If this book is given the widespread readership it deserves, the current science and religion dialogue, particularly at the philosophical level, will be radically changed." — Research News and Opportunities in Science and Theology"Religion and Scientific Naturalism argues with considerable sophistication that the source of apparent conflicts lies neither with religion nor science, but with the conceptual or philosophical frameworks within which religious experience and scientific discovery are often interpreted. No book that I know of has struck so directly at the roots of the dispute nor provided such a polished, thorough, and well-argued synthesis of religious and theological insight on the issues in science and religion. In my opinion, this is Griffin's best work so far. One of its major strengths is the chapter on creation and evolution, which provides an extremely nuanced and sorely needed discussion for the various meanings of 'neo-Darwinism' and 'evolutionism.' " — John F. Haught, author of God after Darwin"I find Griffin's novel analysis of the de facto conflict between science and religion in the contemporary West and his proposal for resolving this conflict both provocative and suggestive. The book's combination of historical and philosophical analysis represents an especially helpful multidisciplinary perspective for understanding the cultural and intellectual issues which it seeks to address." — James B. Miller, Program of Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion, American Association for the Advancement of Science