Peer review declarationThe publisher (AOSIS) endorses the South African 'National Scholarly Book Publishers Forum Best Practice for Peer Review of Scholarly Books.' The manuscript underwent an evaluation to compare the level of originality with other published works and was subjected to rigorous two-step peer review before publication, with the identities of the reviewers not revealed to the editor(s) or author(s). The reviewers were independent of the publisher, editor(s), and author(s). The publisher shared feedback on the similarity report and the reviewers' inputs with the manuscript's editor(s) or author(s) to improve the manuscript. Where the reviewers recommended revision and improvements, the editor(s) or author(s) responded adequately to such recommendations. The reviewers commented positively on the scholarly merits of the manuscript and recommended that the book be published. v Research justificationScience and Faith in Dialogue presents a cogent, compelling case for concordance between science and theism. The term theism used in this book refers to the belief in God's existence. Within theology, the term theism is often used to convey a range of presuppositions about the nature and attributes of God. The topic of God's attributes does not fall within the scope of this study. Based on scientific and natural theological perspectives, two pillars of natural theology are revisited: the Cosmological Argument and the Argument from Design. The book argues that modern science provides undeniable evidence and a scientific basis for these classical arguments to infer a rationally justifiable endorsement of theism as being concordant with reason and science -nature is seen as operating orderly on comprehensible, rational, consistent laws, in line with the conviction that God is Creator. The expression 'undeniable evidence and scientific basis' is not understood as scientific proof but rather as inference, footprint, signature, deductive reasoning and rational justification for theism in world view. The premise that theism asserts a more causally adequate explanation of recent developments in modern natural science (than naturalism) is based upon: (1) Strong epistemological support: explanatory power and confirmation of hypothesis (rather than just deductive entailment); and (2) the contemporary cosmological consensus, building upon the rigour of the physical sciences and illuminating biological discoveries. The discovery that the universe had a beginning and the abundant scientific evidence for fine-tuning is best explained by theism. The phrase 'global fine-tuning' refers to fine-tuning of initial conditions, fundamental forces and other physical laws and constants for an expanding universe and the formation of galaxies, stars and planets. The phrase 'local fine-tuning' refers to the protection of the earth by the planetary giants, earth's life-sustaining capabilities, water and its miraculous properties for life, earth's rare habitability fine-tuned for life and scientific discovery. The phrase 'biological fin...
Two physicists engage in a courteous and exhilarating exchange. Jeremy England argues that descendants of the Crooks fluctuation theorem play, and should play, a role in explaining life’s origin. He is, in his optimism, a nightingale among pigeons. Brian Miller is equally persuaded that these theorems are of little relevance in explaining the origin of life. Pigeons remain well-satisfied.
Peer review declarationThe publisher (AOSIS) endorses the South African 'National Scholarly Book Publishers Forum Best Practice for Peer Review of Scholarly Books.' The manuscript underwent an evaluation to compare the level of originality with other published works and was subjected to rigorous two-step peer review before publication, with the identities of the reviewers not revealed to the editor(s) or author(s). The reviewers were independent of the publisher, editor(s), and author(s). The publisher shared feedback on the similarity report and the reviewers' inputs with the manuscript's editor(s) or author(s) to improve the manuscript. Where the reviewers recommended revision and improvements, the editor(s) or author(s) responded adequately to such recommendations. The reviewers commented positively on the scholarly merits of the manuscript and recommended that the book be published. v Research justificationScience and Faith in Dialogue presents a cogent, compelling case for concordance between science and theism. The term theism used in this book refers to the belief in God's existence. Within theology, the term theism is often used to convey a range of presuppositions about the nature and attributes of God. The topic of God's attributes does not fall within the scope of this study. Based on scientific and natural theological perspectives, two pillars of natural theology are revisited: the Cosmological Argument and the Argument from Design. The book argues that modern science provides undeniable evidence and a scientific basis for these classical arguments to infer a rationally justifiable endorsement of theism as being concordant with reason and science -nature is seen as operating orderly on comprehensible, rational, consistent laws, in line with the conviction that God is Creator. The expression 'undeniable evidence and scientific basis' is not understood as scientific proof but rather as inference, footprint, signature, deductive reasoning and rational justification for theism in world view. The premise that theism asserts a more causally adequate explanation of recent developments in modern natural science (than naturalism) is based upon: (1) Strong epistemological support: explanatory power and confirmation of hypothesis (rather than just deductive entailment); and (2) the contemporary cosmological consensus, building upon the rigour of the physical sciences and illuminating biological discoveries. The discovery that the universe had a beginning and the abundant scientific evidence for fine-tuning is best explained by theism. The phrase 'global fine-tuning' refers to fine-tuning of initial conditions, fundamental forces and other physical laws and constants for an expanding universe and the formation of galaxies, stars and planets. The phrase 'local fine-tuning' refers to the protection of the earth by the planetary giants, earth's life-sustaining capabilities, water and its miraculous properties for life, earth's rare habitability fine-tuned for life and scientific discovery. The phrase 'biological fin...
A longstanding question in science and religion is whether standard evolutionary models are compatible with the claim that the world was designed. In The Compatibility of Evolution and Design, theologian E. V. Rope Kojonen constructs a powerful argument that not only are evolution and design compatible, but that evolutionary processes (and biological data) strongly point to design. Yet Kojonen’s model faces several difficulties, each of which raise hurdles for his understanding of how evolution and design can be harmonized. First, his argument for design (and its compatibility with evolution) relies upon a particular view of nature in which fitness landscapes are “fine-tuned” to allow proteins to evolve from one form to another by mutation and selection. But biological data run contrary to this claim, which poses a problem for Kojonen’s design argument (and, as such, his attempt to harmonize design with evolution). Second, Kojonen appeals to the bacterial flagellum to strengthen his case for design, yet the type of design in the flagellum is incompatible with mainstream evolutionary theory, which (again) damages his reconciliation of design with evolution. Third, Kojonen regards convergent evolution as notable positive evidence in favor of his model (including his version of design), yet convergent evolution actually harms the justification of common ancestry, which Kojonen also accepts. This, too, mars his reconciliation of design and evolution. Finally, Kojonen’s model damages the epistemology that undergirds his own design argument as well as the design intuitions of everyday “theists on the street”, whom he seeks to defend. Thus, despite the remarkable depth, nuance, and erudition of Kojonen’s account, it does not offer a convincing reconciliation of ‘design’ and ‘evolution’.
The perspective Brian Miller and Jeremy England bring to their essay on the origins of life is that of physics. Yet the origins of life are, ultimately, chemical and biological.
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