Natural Knowledge - Science - Religion and the Debate between Metaphysical Monism and Pluralism Cover Image

Wiedza przyrodnicza — nauka — religia a spór pomiędzy monizmem i pluralizmem bytowym
Natural Knowledge - Science - Religion and the Debate between Metaphysical Monism and Pluralism

Author(s): Piotr Lenartowicz
Subject(s): Philosophy
Published by: Uniwersytet Warszawski - Wydział Filozofii i Socjologii, Instytut Filozofii
Keywords: materialism monism; pluralism; science; religion; knowledge

Summary/Abstract: The modern concept of science is rooted in a metaphysical option of materialist monism. The religious beliefs are inevitably founded on the pluralist concept of reality. Hence, the conflict is inevitable. Monism blames religion for producing illusions, while religion accuses the sciences of being epistemologically self-mutilated by their intrinsic reductionism. There exists a third realm of cognition, namely the growing bulk of knowledge. It is relatively independent of temporary fluctuations of „scientific standards” and „scientific methodologies”. It is also independent of the religious beliefs founded on some extraordinary, miraculous, „supranatural” events. The knowledge (a sufficiently accurate orientation in the real world) is present both in the highly civilized communities and in the so called „primitive” illiterate populations. Technical achievements confirm the essential accuracy of the knowledge and, at the same time, give some support to the foundations of teleological concepts and consequently to many of religious beliefs.

  • Issue Year: 14/2006
  • Issue No: 1 (53)
  • Page Range: 69-84
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Polish
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