Bob Harwood - Reconciling Spirituality and Science
It is widely assumed that science is implacably opposed to religion and spiritual ideas. In a discussion of whether this is unavoidable, I shall briefly discuss the common aims; the differences in notions of authority; concepts of what we mean by spirituality; the success of reductionist approaches in explaining the world; things that are puzzling about the scientific explanations (but which may not always be so); the mystery of whether we have free-will and what consciousness is; and the need to take seriously people's mystical experiences when trying to understand the world.
“ Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.” - Einstein.
Bob Harwood’s career was in physical science, having researched and taught atmospheric science at London, Oxford and Edinburgh Universities, involved in studying the ozone layer through computer modelling and satellite observation. He has had an interest in religion from teenage years, associated first with the Methodist Church and with the Quakers since the late nineteen seventies.
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