Matéria
no Jornal da Ciencia reproduz artigo de Marcelo Gleiser, professor
de fisica teórica do Dartmouth College, em Hanover (EUA), publicado
no Caderno Mais, da Folha de Sao Paulo, do dia 25 de junho de 2006. Author(s): Andrew Newberg “While
the neuroscientific evaluation of religious and spiritual phenomena
has advanced considerably since some of the initial studies that were
performed over 30 years ago, this field of research is still in its
early stages. There are many unique methodological issues that face
this field in addition to the potentially more problematic barriers
of funding and academic stature. However, pursuit of such projects may
ultimately pay large dividends both for science and religion. From the
religious perspective, the results of such studies may help towards
a better understanding of the human experience of religion. These studies
enhance human knowledge of how spiritual and religious pursuits affect
the mind, brain, body, and behavior. From the scientific perspective,
such research may shed new light on the complex workings of the human
brain as well as the relationship between brain states and body physiology.
Finally, addressing methodological and statistical issues can enhance
both fields since such issues may result in improved scientific and
statistical techniques and also contribute to theological and philosophical
dialogue. Overall, this integrated field of neuroscience and religion
should be an important area of scholarship for the 21st century and
beyond.” “The
purpose of this paper is to examine some specifically philosophical
questions about the current debate in selected North American public
schools about including what is commonly called “intelligent design”
(ID) as part of the schools' official science curriculum. The issues
I will raise focus around two broad questions: First, what is the logical
status of the arguments for and against ID? Second, may the arguments
presented for ID be considered “scientific”? My analysis
will be grounded in two related but nonetheless distinct disciplines
of intellectual history – the history of western philosophy and
the history of modern western European science.”
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