Thinking, with Heidegger, the Religion-Science-Theology Relation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 3-1-2013 Thinking, with Heidegger, the Religion-Science-Theology Relation David L. Carlson University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Carlson, David L., "Thinking, with Heidegger, the Religion-Science-Theology Relation" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 112. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/112 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. THINKING, WITH HEIDEGGER, THE RELIGION-SCIENCE-THEOLOGY RELATION ____________ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology Joint PhD Program University of Denver ____________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy ____________ by David L. Carlson March 2013 Advisor: Dr. Francis Seeburger ©David L. Carlson 2013 All Rights Reserved Author: David L. Carlson Title: THINKING, WITH HEIDEGGER, THE RELIGION-SCIENCE- THEOLOGY RELATION Advisor: Dr. Francis Seeburger Degree Date: March 2013 ABSTRACT This work is an attempt to think the essential nature of the interrelationships among religion, science, and theology (RST) out of Heidegger’s engagement with the question of Being. Three primary questions initially motivated this inquiry: First, how are the interrelations (if any) among religion, science, and theology to be understood? Second, is a relation of “dialogue,” in some sense, possible among the three elements of the RST triad? And third, does theology have a rightful place in the public square dominated by the view that science serves as the “gold standard” for rationality and truth? The inquiry interweaves five threads, or lines of inquiry, which are posited as pertinent in the current RST discourse and central to Heidegger’s thought. The first thread consists of the chapter themes: phenomenology, truth, technology, and ethics. The other four threads—comportment toward things, reflection, thinking, and destiny—each “cross- cut,” or traverse, the chapter themes. By Heidegger’s lights, each cross-cutting thread harbors a duality: comportment toward things as objectification or non-objectification; reflection as Reflexion or Besinnung (mindfulness); thinking as calculative or meditative; and destiny as fate or the sending of Being (Geschick). Heidegger’s critique of each duality—and the expanded global context suggested here for thinking the RST relation—offer fresh opportunities for reinscribing the customary formulation of theology (i.e., reflection upon religious ii experience and belief) as a basis for a compelling dialogue among religion, science, and theology today. iii Acknowledgments I deeply appreciate the contributions made by each member of my Dissertation Committee—Professors Edward Antonio, Greg Robinson, and Frank Seeburger— through the entire process of conceiving and preparing this work. Dr. Seeburger, Committee Chair, was especially helpful in providing detailed, insightful, and timely reviews of all draft materials, as well as expert guidance through the many procedural and administrative requirements for this degree. Professor Haider Khan of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies graciously served as Chair for the public examination of this dissertation. In addition, he was an occasional, but vital, conversation partner during the formulation of this inquiry. I am also deeply grateful to Dr. Terry Tice for his close reading of all my draft materials and his thoughtful feedback during several face-to-face discussion sessions. I also thank my son, the Rev. David M. Carlson, for his helpful comments on the initial proposal and his review of chapter drafts. Ian Barbour, Professor Emeritus of Carleton College and my freshman physics professor more than 50 years ago, kindly offered suggestions concerning the initial bibliography and commented upon portions of the final draft of the entire work. Finally, I would like to thank Stephanie Carlson for assisting me with my translations of two portions of one of Heidegger’s letters, and to Dennis Haugh, regarding Heidegger’s translation of a New Testament verse in Greek. iv Table of Contents Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................1 1.1 Thesis and Scope................................................................................................1 1.2 Context ...............................................................................................................3 1.2.1 Religion-Science, Science-Theology, or Religion-Science-Theology?...............................................................3 1.2.2 Origins of an Academic Field? .........................................................10 1.2.3 Ian Barbour’s Fourfold Typology and Critical Realism Methodology .....................................................................................17 1.3 Methodology ....................................................................................................26 1.4 Significance and Contribution .........................................................................33 1.5 Chapter Outline ................................................................................................35 Chapter 2: Phenomenology and the RST Relation ............................................................41 2.1 Phenomenology and Religion ..........................................................................42 2.2 Phenomenology and Science ...........................................................................50 2.3 Phenomenology and Theology ........................................................................58 2.4 Theology, Natural Science, and Objectification ..............................................69 2.5 Chapter Summary ............................................................................................77 Chapter 3: Truth and the RST Relation .............................................................................80 3.1 Truth, Untruth, and Dasein ..............................................................................82 3.2 The Essence of Truth and the Truth of Being ..................................................92 3.3 Truth, Rationality, and Reason ......................................................................102 3.4 Truth and Reflection ......................................................................................113 3.5 Chapter Summary ..........................................................................................119 Chapter 4: Technology and the RST Relation .................................................................122 4.1 Art and the Essence of Modern Technology..................................................124 4.2 Poetry, Technology, and the Holy/Divine .....................................................136 4.3 The Thing, Science, and the Fourfold ............................................................146 4.4 Modern Science, Technology, and Thinking .................................................153 4.5 Chapter Summary ..........................................................................................164 Chapter 5: Ethics and the RST Relation ..........................................................................167 5.1 Ethics and the Place of Being ........................................................................168 5.2 Ethics, Technology, and Values.....................................................................176 5.3 Ethics and Nihilism ........................................................................................186 5.4 Ethics and Destiny .........................................................................................195 5.5 Chapter Summary ..........................................................................................202 v Epilogue: The Question of Being and the RST Relation .................................................205 Works Cited .....................................................................................................................220 Appendix: Schema of the Dissertation ............................................................................230 vi Abbreviations Selected Works by Heidegger BPP The Basic Problems of Phenomenology BQP Basic Questions of Philosophy: Selected “Problems” of “Logic” BT Being and Time GA Gesamtausgabe (Collected Works; e.g., GA7 denotes Volume 7 of GA) IM Introduction to Metaphysics OBT Off the Beaten Track OWL On the Way to Language P Pathmarks PLT Poetry, Language, Thought POR The Principle of Reason PRL The Phenomenology of Religious Life QCT The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays WCT What Is Called Thinking? Selected Works by Ian Barbour EIAT Ethics in an Age of Technology: The Gifford Lectures 1989-1991 Vol. 2 RAS Religion and Science: Historical and Contemporary Issues RIAS Religion in an Age of Science: The Gifford Lectures 1989-1991 Vol. 1 vii Chapter 1: Introduction When we consider