Eden's Garden: Rethinking Sin and Evil in an Era of Scientific PromiseThe time is ripe for a robust discussion of human nature. In Eden's Garden: Rethinking Sin and Evil in an Era of Scientific Promise, Richard Coleman examines the notion of sin in a contemporary world that values scientific and nonreligious modes of thought regarding human behavior. This work is not an anti-science polemic, but rather an argument to show how sin and evil can make sense to the nonreligious mind, and how it is valuable to make sense of such phenomena. The author reconceptualizes sin and evil as 'indelible pieces of our evolutionary history' preventing them from being ostracized as 'too religious, without substance, mired in the past.' Coleman redeems theology for what it can offer to the understanding of sin and evil while embracing and respecting what science can offer to further the common good. Examining themes in religion, philosophy, and theology, it is ideal for use in the numerous courses that move across these disciplines. |
From inside the book
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Page 7
... philosophers and theologians : During most of the twentieth century " determinism " was a term of abuse , and genetic determinism was the worst kind of term . Genes were portrayed as implaca- ble dragons of fate , whose plots against ...
... philosophers and theologians : During most of the twentieth century " determinism " was a term of abuse , and genetic determinism was the worst kind of term . Genes were portrayed as implaca- ble dragons of fate , whose plots against ...
Page 11
... philosopher and statesman Vaclev Havel as the dominant reflex of modern civilization , whether capitalist or socialist , intended " to address all social problems by amassing more scientific knowledge and technological power in order to ...
... philosopher and statesman Vaclev Havel as the dominant reflex of modern civilization , whether capitalist or socialist , intended " to address all social problems by amassing more scientific knowledge and technological power in order to ...
Page 13
... philosophers , such as Daniel Dennett ( Freedom Evolves ) , who take us to the brink of biological determinism and then pull back . " And for good reasons . When you put the recent interest in human nature in historical perspec- tive ...
... philosophers , such as Daniel Dennett ( Freedom Evolves ) , who take us to the brink of biological determinism and then pull back . " And for good reasons . When you put the recent interest in human nature in historical perspec- tive ...
Page 17
... philosopher - scientist who creates a creature who does not know who he is or where he has come from and so becomes a monster ( see below ) . It's important to note that Shelley herself stood on the cusp of science's coronation as queen ...
... philosopher - scientist who creates a creature who does not know who he is or where he has come from and so becomes a monster ( see below ) . It's important to note that Shelley herself stood on the cusp of science's coronation as queen ...
Page 32
... philosophers of innate goodness — or evil for that matter . But we do have faith in our power to change human nature . " Therein lies a truth easily missed . We do not have to take seriously any theology of original sin because we have ...
... philosophers of innate goodness — or evil for that matter . But we do have faith in our power to change human nature . " Therein lies a truth easily missed . We do not have to take seriously any theology of original sin because we have ...
Contents
Knowledge Too Powerful to Be Ignored The Good and Noble Scientist | 45 |
Knowledge Too Good Not to Be Exploited The Compromised Scientist | 79 |
THE NEW OCCASION FOR AN ORIGINAL TEMPTATION | 127 |
Sin of the Common Variety Distinguishing Sin from Evil and Sin from Sins | 129 |
Sin Uniquely Christian A Fresh Interpretation of The Fall | 161 |
Sins Genealogy The Emergence of Sin | 189 |
Science as the New Occasion for Sin When Humans Overreach | 223 |
SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY IN COUNTERBALANCE | 247 |
What Can We Expect? So Much Depends on How We Answer | 249 |
Selected Bibliography | 283 |
293 | |
295 | |
299 | |
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Adam and Eve altruism androids argument atomic bomb Auschwitz become begins behavior believe better biological biotechnology Blank Slate Boston Globe capacity century chapter Christian Cold War common create creature culture death desire distinction empiricism ence enhancement ethical everything evil evolution evolutionary expect feel Franck Report Fukuyama fundamental future genes genetic Genome global happens hope human condition human nature issue John Polkinghorne Kass kind knowledge language Leon Kass lives Manhattan Project Matt Ridley matter means mind modern moral nation Neiman never Niebuhr Oppenheimer original sin ourselves philosophers Pinker political posthuman question reality reason Reinhold Niebuhr religion responsibility Robert Oppenheimer Rousseau science and theology scientific scientists self-awareness self-transcendence sense sinful social society speak story theologians theology thing tion tradition transcend Trinity test trust truth understanding University Press writes Yahweh York
Popular passages
Page 26 - Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select — doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors.