Rebuilding the Matrix: Science and Faith in the 21st Century [Hardcover]

The relationship between science and religion has, we have been led to believe, been fraught with conflict and enmity. Think again, argues Denis Alexander in Rebuilding the Matrix. This is a myth propagated by extremists from either side--but rarely by the "silent majority" of working scientists who have tired of the way science is hijacked for ideological ends. In this comprehensive and enlightening journey through the development of science and its relationship to "theism", Alexander suggests that there is in fact a positive "resonance" between faith and science that has been there all along. The objective search for knowledge is a "good" thing and has brought humankind vast benefits. Yet science needs a wider framework of reference--a "matrix" as he calls it--in which to work most fruitfully. Theism has the unified world view which in turn can provide that matrix. It affirms the validity of scientific knowledge, yet allows its discoveries to be channelled in ways "that affirm human value, justice and care for the environment". In the days of post-modern relativism, this is crucial. As science breaks new and seemingly dangerous ground, its work must not be carried out in a vacuum. The effects would--and could--otherwise be "dehumanising". Alexander provides a wealth of historical, theological and social background along the way. This very positive contribution will make you think hard about the knowledge you have inherited, the culture in which it is expressed, and the values that underpin it. Scientists and lay readers alike will find much to shape and shake their thinking. Prepare for a paradigm shift. --Brian Draper

‘timely... an introductory and wide-ranging text... Alexander’s contribution to science and religion helps to move the subject into the twenty-first century.’

A highly praised overview of the varied ways that science and religious faith interact as rapid scientific advances challenge traditional understandings of human values and identity. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'His review of the history of scientific thought challenges the notion that science and faith are incompatible today' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

‘For believer and non-believer, scientist and non-scientist…the Matrix unfolds with splendid clarity the... dynamic relationship between science and religion’. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'The urbane tone of the discussion is in pleasing contrast to the fiery assertions..often exchanged across the border between evolutionary biology and religion' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Provides a grand overview of the science-religion debate from both a historical and contemporary perspective. For all those from the sciences and humanities, those of belief or no belief, and for specialists or generalists.

I was very encouraged by the warm reception given to the hardback version of 'Rebuilding the Matrix - Science and Faith in the 21st Century'. This sold out quickly, but Lion Publishing have brought forward the publication date for the paper-back version and I look forward to this selling even more briskly than the hard-back version. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Are we just survival machines, evolved for the main purpose of perpetuating our DNA?
Where do our ethical principles—which we use to make decisions about the application of science—come from?
How can we maintain a sense of meaning and purpose when faced with our transient lives in a vast universe?

Science appears to offer one set of answers; Christianity, another. The two seem set in a perpetual attack-and-defend stance against each other. But is the difference as irreconcilable as we’ve been led to believe?

Unfortunately, the most vigorous public responses to this question have come from radicals on either side of the spectrum. The result, says author Denis Alexander, has been "an unnecessary polarization between science and religion in which more moderate voices have often been drowned out by the media attention given to extremist positions."

In Rebuilding the Matrix, Dr. Alexander speaks for the "silent majority" of working scientists who are tired of the radical rhetoric and critical of the abuse of science for ideological purposes. This book promotes dialogue among scientists across the whole range among professionals, from atheistic evolutionists to young-earth creationists. Full of new insights and fresh perspectives, it is thorough, yet also accessible to anyone interested in issues of faith and science.

Alexander offers evidence that a much greater part of the Western scientific community allows for theism than the media suggest. Rebuilding the Matrix draws on sociologists, historians of science, philosophers, scientists, and theologians to provide an overview of the varied ways in which faith and science interact. Beginning by laying historical groundwork, the book moves on to tackle such key questions as:
· How do scientific and religious knowledge relate?
· Does evolution have any religious significance?
· Can ethics be derived from evolutionary biology?
· Does the anthropic principle support religious belief?
· Are miracles strictly unbelievable?

Rebuilding a "theistic framework for science"—the matrix to which the title alludes—is no easy task. But as you will discover, there are compelling reasons to make the effort. Rebuilding the Matrix is an informed, refreshing, and thought-provoking exploration into some of the biggest issues of our time. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Dr Denis Alexander is chairman of the Molecular Immunology Programme at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge. He is also joint editor of the journal 'Science and Christian Belief.