Religion and Scientific Objectivity (PHI 363)

Fall 2024

Taught by Hans Halvorson and Z Quanbeck

Course Description: This course investigates the concept of "objectivity" with special reference to its relationship to science and religion. We will examine the revolt against objectivity by 19th-century religious thinkers such as Kierkegaard, and the impact this revolt might have had on the development of the sciences—in particular, on the major revolutions in physical science in the 20th century (e.g., Einstein's relativity, and quantum physics). We will also consider the scope of objectivity in the social sciences, as well as the relationship between objectivity and values in accepting scientific theories, making religious commitments, and forming beliefs in other domains.