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Previous courses > Summer Course 4 - Science and Religion in an Evolving Universe

Summer Course 4 - Science and Religion in an Evolving Universe

St Edmund’s College, Cambridge: July 12-18, 2009

Aim of Course

In this one week course a wide range of topics at the science/religion interface will be addressed by internationally renowned speakers. The topics to be covered include historical and philosophical perspectives; the relationships between cosmology and evolutionary biology and religion; and some of the ethical issues raised by science.

Speakers (listed in alphabetical order, topics in brackets)

Click on a Speaker's name to obtain brief biographical details.

Venue

The course will be held at St Edmund’s College, Mount Pleasant, Cambridge, CB3 0BN

Application Form

Course Fees for Faraday Summer Course No. 4

Fees shown are an all-inclusive package that includes: all meals, including a gala dinner (with wine); accommodation; the course itself; and incidentals such as refreshments during breaks. The package fee is discounted according to circumstances:

  • Category A = £280 (full-time students, graduate or undergraduate)
  • Category B = £360 (University Post Docs within 5 years of PhD)
  • Category C = £520 (standard)

All rooms have en suite facilities.

Applicants living in Cambridge who do not need accommodation are advised to contact the Course Director who will advise on fees.

Course Schedule

Sunday July 12
6.00 pmArrival
7.00 pmDinner
8.30 pmDrinks Reception - Getting to Know You
Monday July 13: Theme - 'Historical and Philosophical Interactions between Science and Religion'
8.00 amBreakfast
9.00 amProf. John Hedley Brooke: 'The Reception of Darwinism'
10.00 amQuestions and Discussion
10.30 amCoffee Break
11.00 amProf. Roger Trigg: 'Rationality in Science and Religion'
12.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
1.00 pmLunch
2.00 pmProf. Nidhal Guessoum: 'Islam and Science: the History'
3.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
3.30 pmTea Break
4.00 pmDr Allan Chapman: 'Mediaeval Cosmology and the Church'
5.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
5.30 pmFree time
7.00 pmDinner
8.30 pmPanel Discussion with 3 Speakers – Questions and Discussion
10.00 pmBar and more Discussion
Tuesday July 14: Theme - 'Historical and Philosophical Interactions between Science and Religion (cont.)'
8.00 amBreakfast
9.00 amProf. Lawrence Principe: 'The Role of Religion in the Emergence of Modern Science'
10.00 amQuestions and Discussion
10.30 amCoffee Break
11.00 amProf. Lawrence Principe: 'Natural Theology: A Historical Perspective'
12.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
1.00 pmLunch
2.00 pmProf. Nidhal Guessoum: 'Islam and Science Today'
3.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
3.30 pmTea Break
4.00 pmCambridge History of Science Tour
5.30 pmRevd Dr John Polkinghorne: 'Theology in a Scientific Context'
6.30 pmQuestions and Discussion
7.00 pmDinner
8.30 pmPanel Discussion with 3 Speakers – Questions and Discussion
10.00 pmBar and more Discussion
Wednesday July 15: Theme - 'The Big Bang and Cosmology'
8.00 amBreakfast
9.00 amProf. Paul Shellard: 'The Anthropic Principle'
10.00 amQuestions and Discussion
10.30 amCoffee Break
11.00 amProf. Ernan McMullin: 'The Anthropic Principle: A Theological Perspective'
12.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
1.00 pmLunch
2.00 pmCambridge History of Science Tour
3.30 pmTea Break
4.00 pmProf. Stephen Freeland: 'An Introduction to the Modern Theory of Evolution'
5.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
5.30 pmDr Jennifer Wiseman: 'Habitable Exoplanets: the Implications for Human Significance'
6.30 pmQuestions and Discussion
7.00 pmDinner
8.30 pmPanel Discussion with 4 Speakers – Questions and Discussion
10.00 pmBar and more Discussion
Thursday July 16: Theme - 'Biology and Evolution'
8.00 amBreakfast
9.00 amProf. Stephen Freeland: 'Is there a Biological Anthropic Principle?'
10.00 amQuestions and Discussion
10.30 amCoffee Break
11.00 amProf. Simon Conway Morris: 'Evolution and Fine-Tuning in Biology'
12.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
1.00 pmLunch
2.00 pmProf. Keith Fox: 'Creation and Evolution'
3.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
3.30 pmTea Break
4.00 pmRevd Dr Ernest Lucas: 'The Creation Narratives in Genesis 1-3'
5.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
5.30 pmFree time
7.00 pmDinner
8.30 pmPanel Discussion with 4 Speakers – Questions and Discussion
10.00 pmBar and more Discussion
Friday July 17: Theme - 'Ethical Challenges in Contemporary Science'
8.00 amBreakfast
9.00 amDr Cherryl Hunt: 'Ethics, Theology and the Biosciences'
10.00 amQuestions and Discussion
10.30 amCoffee Break
11.00 amProf. Keith Fox: 'Genetic Engineering: How Far Should We Go?'
12.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
1.00 pmLunch
2.00 pmProf. John Wyatt: 'What does it Mean to be a Person? Matters of Life and Death'
3.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
3.30 pmTea Break
4.00 pmDr Cherryl Hunt: 'The Stem Cell Controversy: The Interaction between Genetics, Theology, and Public Policy'
5.00 pmQuestions and Discussion
5.30 pmPanel Discussion with 3 Speakers – Questions and Discussion
7.00 pmGala Dinner
Saturday July 18
8.00 amBreakfast
9.00 amDepart