Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion Vol. II Runehov, Anne L.C. ; Taliaferro, Charles Publication date: 2013 Document version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Citation for published version (APA): Runehov, A. L. C., & Taliaferro, C. (Eds.) (2013). Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding: Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion Vol. II. Det Teologiske Fakultet. Publikationer fra Det Teologiske Fakultet No. 41 http://www.teol.ku.dk/Forskning/publikationer/ Download date: 30. Sep. 2021 CHARLES TALIAFERRO (EDS.) CHARLES TALIAFERRO ANNE L.C RUNEHOV, ISBN 978-87-91838-57-6 ANNE L.C. RUNEHOV, CHARLES TALIAFERRO (EDS.) Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion Vol. II Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion Vol. II II Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Copenhagen University Discussions in Science Religion Vol. ANNE L. C. RUNEHOV, CHARLES TALIAFERRO (EDS.) Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Publikationer fra Det Teologiske Fakultet 41 CHARLES TALIAFERRO (EDS.) CHARLES TALIAFERRO ANNE L.C RUNEHOV, ISBN 978-87-91838-57-6 ANNE L.C. RUNEHOV, CHARLES TALIAFERRO (EDS.) Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion Vol. II Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion Vol. II II Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Copenhagen University Discussions in Science Religion Vol. ANNE L. C. RUNEHOV, CHARLES TALIAFERRO (EDS.) Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Publikationer fra Det Teologiske Fakultet 41 Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion Vol. II. Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion Vol. II. Edited by: Anne L.C. Runehov Charles Taliaferro Copenhagen University Network of Science and Religion Faculty of Theology The University of Copenhagen Understanding Darwin and Darwinian Understanding Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion Vol. II. Publikationer fra Det Teologiske Fakultet 41 2013 © The authors ISBN: 978‐87‐91838‐57‐6 (bog) ISBN: 978‐87‐91838‐77‐4 (pdf) Print and binding: Det Samfundsvidenskabelige Fakultets ReproCenter, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Published by The Copenhagen University Network of Science and Religion Faculty of Theology University of Copenhagen Købmagergade 44‐46 DK‐1150 Copenhagen K Denmark Cover: “Then God Said: Let there be Men and Women” Oil on canvas by Anne L.C. Runehov Acknowledgements Acknowledgements The present anthology is based on a series of public lectures arranged by the Copenhagen University Network of Science and Religion (CUNSR) 2008. The events were financially supported by the The John Templeton Foundation, the Centre for Naturalism and Christian Semantics and the Department of Systematic Theology, something for which I am most grateful. My sincere gratitude is also due to all who contributed to the organization of the lectures; without their colleagueship and enthusiasm this project had never been possible. I am thinking of the members of the local board: Anders Frøslev Jensen (Copenhagen University, Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences), Christian Baron (Centre for the Philosophy of Nature and Science Studies), Christine Tind Johansen Henry (Copenhagen University, Faculty of Theology), Jacob Wolf (Copenhagen University, Faculty of Theology), Jørgen Bo Christensen (Danish Church), Peter Nicolai Halvorsen (Copenhagen University, Faculty of Health Studies) and Rose-Marie Tillich (Copenhagen University, Faculty of Theology). I am also indebted to the members of the international advisory board: Anne Kull (Tartu University), Carol Raush Albright (Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago), Mikael Stenmark (Uppsala University) and Niels Henrik Gregersen (Copenhagen University). Several people have contributed in specific ways, my appreciating and gratitude goes to Joyce Brooks for a professional language review, Axel Carin for his technical support. Last but not least, I want to thank the dean of the Faculty of Theology Steffen Kjeldgaard-Pedersen. February 20, 2013 Anne L.C. Runehov, Director Introduction to the series By Niels Henrik Gregersen: The Human Project in Science & Religion is the first volume in a new series of Copenhagen University Discussions in Science and Religion. Copenhagen is often associated with two major figures in theology and science: Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), the forerunner of philosophical existentialism, and the physicist Niels Bohr (1885-1962). By happenstance this publication antedates the jubilee year of 2013, when Copenhagen University will celebrate the bicentennial of Kierkegaard’s birth as well as the centennial of Niels Bohr’s famous atomic model of 1913. Here, Bohr introduced the theory that electrons travel in orbits around the nucleus of the atom. While Kierkegaard spoke of leaps of faith, Bohr referred to electronic jumps between the orbits; in both cases discontinuity prevails over continuity. Against this background, it is perhaps more than a coincidence that the Copenhagen discussions on science and religion since 2001 have taken place under the name Forum of Existence and Science1– a somewhat unusual title, perhaps, but a very apt one in a Danish context. In general, Nordic philosophers, theologians and scientists tend to be sceptical about too high a claim for a unified world-view amalgamating science and religion. Existential first-hand perspectives cannot very easily be accommodated within a scientific third-person perspective. Thus, either models of complementarity (in the wake of Niels Bohr) or models of a discipline-based dialogue are preferred over and against more extravagant claims of grand-scale metaphysical synthesis in our Forum of Existence and Science. We prefer to speak about interdisciplinary inquiry than about trans-disciplinary unification. Since 2005, the Forum became part of the Copenhagen University Network of Science and Religion in collaboration with the Department of Systematic Theology and the Centre for Naturalism and Christian Semantics. This move was facilitated by two generous grants from the Metanexus Institute 1 www.forumforeksistensogvidenskab.dk and the John Templeton Foundation. We are grateful to these institutions for supporting our research as well as for giving us the opportunity to be a part of the Global Local Societies Initiative. We also thank Teol. Dr. Anne L.C. Runehov, who in 2008 took over the leadership of the Network. Without her commitment this series would not have been initiated. UNDERSTANDING DARWIN AND DARWINIAN UNDERSTANDING 9 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................... 13 Anne L.C. Runehov .................................................................... 13 Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species .................................... 13 Presentation of the Chapters ................................................ 15 Darwinian Metaphysics ............................................................ 25 Momme von Sydow ..................................................................... 25 Introduction .......................................................................... 25 Darwinism and evolutionary theory .................................... 26 Two types of Darwinism ....................................................... 27 Are Darwinian theories metaphysical systems? .................. 32 Reasons to assume a Darwinian metaphysics ..................... 34 Conclusion ............................................................................ 37 Darwinism’s Impact on Christian Theology .......................... 41 Christopher Southgate ............................................................... 41 Introduction .......................................................................... 41 The first three challenges ..................................................... 44 The Challenge of Sociobiology ............................................ 49 The Greatest Challenge ........................................................ 50 Conclusion ............................................................................ 57 God’s Quality and Creation’s Longing ................................... 61 Andrew Robinson ....................................................................... 61 Introduction .......................................................................... 61 Sacrifice and victimhood ...................................................... 61 Girard and Southgate ........................................................... 64 10 UNDERSTANDING DARWIN AND DARWINIAN UNDERSTANDING Creativity through Emergence: A Vision of Nature and God ........................................................................................ 69 Antje Jackelén ............................................................................ 69 Introduction .......................................................................... 69 The Emergence of Complexity: God or Nature? ................ 69 Complexity and Emergence: A Paradox Made Plausible? . 71 Culture and Nature: Abandoning Dualisms ....................... 73 Revisiting Design and Order ................................................ 75 Creation in Light of Emergence: