The Territories of Human Reason

Alister E. McGrath is Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion and Director of the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. After his doctoral research on molecular biophysics, he studied Christian theology, with a particular interest in developing understandings of the possible relationships between the natural sciences and theology. McGrath has published extensively in the field of science and religion, and been a significant voice in recent debates with writers such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens over the rationality of religious faith, and its relation to a scientific culture. His publications include The Great Mystery: Science, God and the Human Quest for Meaning (2017), Inventing the Universe: Why We Can't Stop Talking about Science, Faith and God (2016), and Science and Religion: A New Introduction (2010).

1: Introduction: Science and Theology in an Age of 'Multiple Situated Rationalities'
Mapping the Territories of Human Reason
Mapping the Territories of Science and Religion
The Aim of this Book
Part 1: Exploring the notion of Rationality
1: One Reason; Multiple Rationalities: The New Context of Discussion
Shifting Notions of Rationality
Rationality, Embodiment, and Embeddedness
Reflections on the Cultural and Social Embeddedness of Rationality
The Embodiment of Right Reason: The 'Wise'
Concerns about Human Rationality
One Reason; Multiple Rationalities
Rationality, Ideology, and Power
2: Mapping Human Reason: Rationalities across Disciplinary Boundaries
On the Correlation of Rationalities
Scientism: The Natural Sciences as the Ultimate Rational Authority
Multiple Perspectives on a Complex Reality
Science and Theology: Distinct Perspectives on Reality
Science and Theology: Distinct Levels of Reality
3: Social Aspects of Rationality: Tradition and Epistemic Communities
Communities and their Epistemic Systems
Rationality, Community, and Tradition
Rationality and Dominant Cultural Metanarratives
Science and Religion: Reflections on the Communal Aspects of Knowledge
Part II: Rationality in Science and Theology
4: Rational Virtues and the Problem of Theory Choice
What is a theory?
Inference to the Best Explanation
Correspondence and Coherence as Theoretical Virtues
Objectivity
Simplicity
Elegance and Beauty
A Capacity to Predict
5: Rational Explanation in Science and Religion
What Does it Mean to 'Explain'?
Causality as Explanation
Unification as Explanation
Two Approaches to Explanation: Ontic and Epistemic
Religious Explanation: Some General Reflections
Religious Explanation: Ontic and Epistemic
Theology, Ontology, and Explanation
A Case Study: Aquinas's 'Second Way'
The Image of God and Religious Explanation
Understanding and Explaining: A Religious Perspective
6: From Observation to Theory: Deduction, Induction, and Abduction
The Entanglement of Theory and Observation
Logics of Discovery and Justification
Deduction in the Natural Sciences
Deduction in Christian Theology
Induction in the Natural Sciences
Induction in Christian Theology
Abduction in the Natural Sciences
Abduction in Christian Theology
7: Complexity and Mystery: The Limits of Rationality
Mystery and Irrationality
Mystery in Science
Mystery in Christian Theology
The Trinity as Mystery
Mystery: An Invitation to Deeper Reflection
8: Rational Consilience: Some Closing Reflections on Science and Christian Theology
Towards a 'Big Picture': A Metaphysical Turn
The Colligation of Insights
A Case Study in Colligation: Science and Socialism
A Case Study in Colligation: Science and Theology
Rationality: A Cohesive Approach
Conclusion
Bibliography