Science, Religion, and the Meaning of Life

Mark Vernon began his professional life as a priest in the Church of England, left an atheist, and is now a searching agnostic on such things. He is a writer and journalist, other titles including After Atheism and Wellbeing , part of the Art of Living series he edits. He writes regularly for the Guardian and the TLS , is on the faculty at The School of Life in London, and is an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck College, London. He has degrees in physics and theology, and a PhD in philosophy.

• Acknowledgements Introduction Socrates' Quest: The Beginning of Wisdom Cosmologists and Darwinists: The Limits of Science Visions of Reality: Science and Wonder Bad Faith: Religion as Certainty Christian Agnosticism: Learned Ignorance Following Socrates: A Philosophical Way of Life How to be an Agnostic Further Reading and References Index

'At last, a well-written and well-reasoned defense of agnosticism that one can sign on to regardless of prior religious or non-religious commitments...I recommend this work be read by skeptics and believers alike.' - Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of How We Believe'For twenty years I have been waiting for a book that exposes the empty certainties of religious fundamentalism and its secular twin: scientific triumphalism. Mark Vernon has delivered that and much, much more. Mystery and doubt are elevated to where they should be: at the very heart of what it is to be human. Savour this as a wonderful gift.' - Mark Dowd, broadcaster and film-maker'Encouraging us to widen our imagination and to open our lives to a sense of wonder, Mark Vernon is convinced, in the tradition of Socrates, that we achieve this by avoiding the certainties of faith and the rigidities of atheism. Believers and non-believers will find this a richly rewarding read' - John Gladwin, Bishop of Chelmsford'Philosophically erudite, yet engagingly personal, Vernon's book presents a fluent account of his spiritual journey towards agnosticism'. - John Cottingham, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Reading, and author of On the Meaning of Life and The Spiritual Dimension'Fewer and fewer of us, at least in post-Christian Britain, are committed churchgoing believers; few of us on the other hand are militant atheists; which means that there is plenty of space between for people with a sense of wonder at scientific discoveries and an appreciation of art, music and philosophy: Mark Vernon's rich, moving and entertaining account of 'Christian agnosticism' is exactly what they have been waiting for.' - Fergus Kerr, Honorary Fellow in the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh'...this book is more than a well-reasoned argument for agnosticism; it is a timely reminder of the recognition of human limits, in all areas, and a suggestion that the possibility of living within the mystery that is the world can be a good thing.' - Robert L. Smith, Jr. - International Journal of Public Theology'The strength of the book...is in challenging false certainties, whether pseudo-scientific or pseudo-religious.' - Dolan Cummings - The Institute of Ideas'This is a well-argued statement of a fairly systematic agnosticism flavoured with a personal story.' - Robin Bennett, The Friend'Vernon's skill as a writer and his training in both theology and physics make him well equipped to write on the relationship between science, religion and the meaning of life.' - Paul Richardson, Church of England Newspaper'...there is much interesting and wide-ranging material here on cosmology, scientists, paradigm shifts, wonderment, and the secularization of religion.' - Theology