The topics

For this paper, you must choose one of the following topics. Note that for each possible topic, you do not necessarily need to answer every one of the suggested questions. Your goal is to select a topic, devise an argument, and support it. If you have questions about how to construct your paper and which points you should address, talk with me about it.

Here are the topics:

1. With each topic (astronomy, geology, biology), we see that Christianity, after protesting the changes brought about by new observations and models, ultimately accepted and adapted to them. Given the observations that brought about these scientific ideas (e.g. the finding of new animals on new continents), was science inevitable? Does it present a model for adjustment to new observations and ideas that is fundamentally different from those performed within Christianity? Or does the process only differ in the details?

2. Gosse presents a undeniably logical synthesis of religious and scientific views, yet his synthesis was summarily rejected by both sides. Why? How is this synthesis related to Collins' current position? Is some synthesis desirable or necessary (either in principle or pragmatically)? Is a good synthesis even possible?

3. Can a scientist be religious? Can a scientist be Christian? Clearly there are instances of both, but are the views consistent? Is a scientist who believes in god failing to apply scientific thinking to some parts of the natural world? Science, in its search for regular rules that describe the natural world, suggests a deterministic universe. However, determinism is contrary to many conceptions of god, and in particular to the freewill necessary for Christian salvation. Can these views be reconciled to be consistent with one another, or are religious scientists somehow supporting contradictory beliefs?

Note that this paper must be no more than 4 double-spaced pages long. You must use 12-point Times font with 1 inch margins on all sides. It is critical that your name not appear on your paper; don't worry, I will be able to attribute each paper to its author through the electronic submission system.

Your assignment

Round 1 of each paper writing assignment will consist of two parts:

1. Title and introduction: Select a title and write a draft of the introductory paragraph for your paper. Email these to me, in plain text form, by Sunday, Sep-21, at 11:59 pm. I hope).

2. The complete paper: Write a first version of the paper. This should not be a draft, but rather a complete attempt at a final product. Submit this first version by Friday, Sep-26, at 11:59 pm. See below for the link to the submission page.

After the first versions are submitted, there will be a review process (Round 2), and then a revision and resubmission (Round 3).

Submitting your work

You must upload the PDF version of your paper using this assignment's submission web page. You will need to login using your Amherst College username and password to submit your work.