Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life

by StephenJayGould (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  2002

  $3.27

• Used

  Paperback
  2002

  $3.89

  Writing with characteristic bracing intelligence and clarity, Gould sheds new light on a dilemma that has plagued thinking people since the Renaissance. Instead of having to choose between science and religion, Gould asks, why not opt for the golden resolution that accords dignity and distinction to both? In elaborating and exploring his thought-provoking concept, Gould delves into the history of science with stories of figures as Galileo and Darwin, and concludes that science defines the natural world, and religion our moral world.

• Used

  Hardcover
  2001

  $3.27

  Writing with bracing intelligence and elegant clarity, Gould sheds new light on a dilemma that has plagued thinking people since the Renaissance. Instead of choosing between science and religion, Gould asks, why not opt for a golden mean that accords dignity and distinction to each realm?At the heart of Gould's penetrating argument is a lucid, contemporary principle he calls NOMA (for non-overlapping magisteria) - a 'blessedly simple and entirely conventional resolution' that allows science and religion to coexist peacefully in a position of respectful non-interference. Science defines the natural world; religion, our moral world, in recognition of their separate spheres of influence. In elaborating and exploring this thought-provoking concept, Gould delves into the history of science, sketching affecting portraits of scientists and moral leaders wrestling with matters of faith and reason. Stories of seminal figures such as Galileo, Darwin and Thomas Henry Huxley make vivid his argument that individuals and cultures must cultivate both a life of the spirit and a life of rational inquiry in order to experience the fullness of being human. In Rocks of Ages, Gould's passionate humani