The Berkeley Para-Clerical Approach

Authors

Maurice A. Finocchiaro, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Document Type

Book Section

Publication Date

8-29-2021

Publication Title

Science, Method, and Argument in Galileo

Publisher

Springer, Cham

Publisher Location

Cham, Switzerland

Volume

40

First page number:

227

Last page number:

251

Abstract

Recently, the Galileo affair has been studied by several scholars whom I label “Berkeley para-clericals,” chiefly philosopher Paul Feyerabend and historian John Heilbron. Their approach is distinctive: it views controversial topics involving the relationship between science and religion from a perspective that is secular-minded, but appreciative of religion, and yet conducted in the belief that such topics are too important to leave to religious believers. This approach also characterizes the work of other Berkeley para-clericals, such as Ronald Numbers on the controversy over creationism and evolutionism; they stress such attitudes as impartiality, judiciousness, and even-handedness. This approach is also followed by the present author.

Controlled Subject

Galilei, Galileo, 1564-1642; Religion and science

Disciplines

Philosophy of Science | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Repository Citation

Finocchiaro, M. A. (2021). The Berkeley Para-Clerical Approach. Science, Method, and Argument in Galileo, 40 227-251. Cham, Switzerland: Springer, Cham.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77147-8_11