The moral impact of studying science

Science and religion are most usually compared on epistemic grounds: what do they tell us about the natural world and what methods do they use to determine those truths? The suggestion here is that the two fields should be compared on moral grounds: how do scientific and religious experiences affect the way a person lives his or her life? A hypothesis is presented in this vein: engaging in scientific work or education alters a person’s moral outlook on everyday matters. In this chapter, I articulate and motivate this claim by framing it against both theological and philosophical debate. I explore how it might be tested as a claim in moral psychology. The resulting vision presented here is of science and religion engaged in dialogue—at times necessarily embroiled—not only about the nature of the world, but regarding how best we navigate our way in it.

Citation

Riordan, S. (2009) 'The moral impact of studying science', in Billingsley, B., Chappell, B. and Reiss, M. J. (eds.) Science and religion in education. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 77-90.

Type

Chapter in book

Language

en

Series/Report no.

Contemporary Trends and Issues in Science Education, 48

ISBN

9783030172336

Collections

Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing