Re: [asa] Ken Miller and Philosophical Naturalism

MessageExcellent post, Jon. I would like to add a word of encouragement to the submission of more social science topics to our journal. This area has waxed and waned in the ASA over the years and I think it's time to wax again.
You said it well. Thank you.
Randy
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Jon Tandy
  To: asa@calvin.edu
  Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 8:29 AM
  Subject: [asa] Ken Miller and Philosophical Naturalism

  Gregory,

  You have spoken often about how ASA (at least this list, which isn't necessarily representative of the ASA in general) doesn't deal substantially with the influence of evolutionary philosophy in areas of the social sciences. You seem (if I'm not mistaken) to be willing to accept the evidence for biological evolution, but you are concerned about the pervasive use of evolutionary (and by inference, atheistic) philosophy to explain human social development in non-theistic terms. I have expressed before that I think you have some valid concerns in this area, but that these ideas need to be fleshed out in positive ways that contribute to the discussion and dissemination of Christian response to atheism.

  I'm curious if you have read Kenneth Miller's "Finding Darwin's God". After spending several chapters defending and explaining the biological aspect of evolution, he spends a long chapter (ch 6) dealing with the over-extension of evolution to support atheism and philosophical naturalism in areas beyond the scope of biological science. He talks about the anti-religious use that some scientists (Dawkins, Dennett, Wilson) make of evolution, to extend it into social and philosophical ideas, including socialism, economics, psychology, sociology, criminology, even religion, and other areas.

  He says, "All of these writers have gone well beyond any reasonable scientific conclusions that might emerge from evolutionary biology. Without saying so directly, they have embraced a brand of materials that excludes from serious consideration any source of knowledge other than science." (p. 185) He then questions the conclusion that science can rigorously define and predict everything in the material world, using quantum principles to show that nature itself is inherently incapable of being constrained to mechanistic explanations.

  Miller gives the example of Clarrence Darrow, prior to the Scopes trial, arguing against the death penalty based on deterministic forces acting on the criminal defendant, making him a victim of genetics and blind nature (p. 188-189). I'm wondering, as I've wondered in this list before, whether you might be able to contribute some positive dialog to this kind of discussion from within the disciplines you have studied. For instance, rather than challenging us whether we have read Barth or Popper or others that may not be on my personal top 100 reading list, could you (or someone) do something like the following:

  - Pick a topic, such as the influence of evolutionary philosophy on criminal justice, economics, or sociology in the 19th and 20th centuries.

  - Show in some detail how evolutionary paradigms were misappropriated for use in the social sciences, as I tried to do in just one small aspect yesterday related to memes.

  - Illustrate the damaging social outcomes of such incorrect assumptions, and how a more Christian or theistic paradigm, or even non-theistic but non-evolutionary paradigm makes more sense.

  - Provide some suggestions for how Christians in the social sciences could help make a rational effort to influence a paradigm-shift in the current disciplines away from flawed evolutionary paradigms and toward a more reasonable paradigm.

  I'm sure such articles have been attempted in the PSCF, although since I haven't been reading for any great length of time (and wouldn't myself be the best judge of how successful such articles were). But I believe this is the sort of thing that ASA, and you personally, if so inclined, could contribute toward a positive influence for Christian thought. It would also help educate and enlighten other (particularly natural scientist) Christians to the problems unique to the social sciences, quite outside of the biological realm.

  Jon Tandy

  (ASA member)

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Received on Wed May 7 12:29:15 2008