THEOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES—DISCIPLINE AND ANTIDISCIPLINE

Nancy Murphy; Nancy Murphy

doi:10.1111/j.1467-9744.1990.tb00794.x

Research Articles
THEOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES—DISCIPLINE AND ANTIDISCIPLINE

Abstract

Abstract. In this review of papers by E. O. Wilson, Philip Gorski, and Robert Segal, I apply Wilson's description of the relations between a discipline and its antidiscipline (the science just below it in the hierarchy of sciences) to the relations between theology and the social sciences. I claim (contra Gorski) that a common methodology is applicable to natural science, social science, and theology. However, despite the fact that a discipline cannot ordinarily be reduced to its antidiscipline, I claim (with Segal) that it remains to be shown that a theistic interpretation of religious phenomena is superior to a social‐scientific explanation. I see this as work to be done rather than an impossibility. Insofar as it is shown that theology cannot be reduced to social‐scientific explanations, support is provided for the hypothesis of the existence of God.

Keywords

social sciences, relation to theology, Segal

How to Cite

Murphy, N., (1990) “THEOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES—DISCIPLINE AND ANTIDISCIPLINE”, Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 25(3), 309–316. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9744.1990.tb00794.x

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References

Gorski, P.1990. “Scientism, Interpretation, and Criticism. Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 25 (September): 279/307.

Gottwald, N.1979. The Tribes of Yahweh: A Sociology of the Religion of Liberated Israel, 1250–1050 B. C. E. New York : Orbis.

Kuhn, T.1970. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. 2nd ed. Chicago : Univ. of Chicago Press.

Lakatos, I.1970. “Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes .” In Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge, ed. I.Lakatos and A.Musgrave. Cambridge : Cambridge Univ. Press.

Murphy, N.1990. Theology in the Age of Scientific Reasoning. Ithaca , N.Y. : Cornell Univ. Press.

Pannenberg, W.1985. Anthropology in Theological Perspective. Philadelphia : Westminster.

Peacocke, A.1979. Creation and the World of Science. Oxford : Clarendon.

Peacocke, A.1985. Intimations of Reality. Notre Dame , IN ; Univ. of Notre Dame Press.

Segal, R.1990. “Misconceptions of the Social Sciences.Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 25 (September): 263/278.

Wilson, E.O.1990. “Biology and the Social Sciences .” Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science 25 (September): 245/262. Reprinted from Dódalus. 10614 (Fall)3: 127–40.

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Authors

Nancy Murphy (Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science)

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Volume 25 • Issue 3 • September 1990

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Pages	309–316
Published on	1990-09-01

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9744.1990.tb00794.x

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