Darwin in the Twenty-First Century: Nature, Humanity, and God(Studies in Science and the Humanities from the Reilly Center for Science, Technology, and Values)

This collection of essays originated in conferences held at the Gregorian University in Rome and at the University of Notre Dame to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. These essays, by leading scholars, assess the continuing relevance of Darwin's work from the perspectives of biological science, history, philosophy, and theology. The contributors focus on three primary areas: developments in evolutionary biology that open up new ground for interdisciplinary dialogue; reflections on human evolution, with a particular focus on evolution and ethics; and new reflections on theology and evolution, particularly from a Roman Catholic perspective, drawing both on traditional perspectives and on new currents in Catholic theology. Contributors: Phillip R. Sloan, Gerald McKenny, Kathleen Eggleson, Scott F. Gilbert, Stuart A. Newman, Alessandro Minelli, David J. Depew, Gennaro Auletta, Ivan Colagè, Paolo D'Ambrosio, Bernard Wood, Robert J. Richards, Paul E. Griffiths, John S. Wilkins, John O'Callaghan, William E. Carroll, Józef Życiński, Celia Deane-Drummond, Peter J. Bowler, and Jean Gayon.

About the Author :
Phillip R. Sloan is professor emeritus in the Program of Liberal Studies and the graduate Program in History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Notre Dame. Gerald McKenny is the Walter Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. Kathleen Eggleson is a research scientist with the Center for Nano Science and Technology (NDnano) at the University of Notre Dame.

Review :
"This volume emerges from a 2009 conference at the University of Notre Dame to mark Charles Darwin's bicentennial. An influential 1959 symposium at the University of Chicago marked the centennial of Darwin's On the Origin of Species and solidified a neo-Darwinian theory that has dominated interdisciplinary discourse on evolution since that time. This book evaluates subsequent changes to Darwinism and how they affect the humanities, especially Catholic theology." —Isis "The essays present a vision of Darwin and the scope of his ideas, not only from the standpoint of the traditional historical discourse, but seeks to create a dialogue with contemporary discussions in biology, philosophy, and theology, focusing above all on the future. . . . This volume is a major contribution in interdisciplinary dialogue, given the broadness of its overall proposal, to build innovative bridges between the sciences and humanities." —The Quarterly Review of Biology "The value of this anthology for upper-level and graduate students is its attention to the areas of intersection between the natural sciences and humanities. For example, the anthology as a whole forces readers to abandon their casual use of terms such as 'randomness' and 'causality.' What terminology may replace such notions is impossible to determine now, and that means that the future of the science-religion debate will continue to fascinate." —CatholicBooksReview.org "The essays potently assess the continuing relevance of Darwin's work from the perspectives of biological science, history, philosophy, and theology. I recommend this book for those who are involved in the ever-proceeding science and theology dialogue." —Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith "This collection of 16 essays was gleaned from a 2009 conference at Notre Dame by the same title. . . Scholars interested in controversies surrounding evolution will be interested and will (no doubt) find this book a goldmine." —Choice "Of note to Catholic readers is the implicit growth in the magisterium's understanding of many evolutionary theory embodied in many of these papers. . . . Also worthy of attention here is the explication of the vibrant (unresolved?) tension within Catholic thinking between the two dominant views of evolution." —Catholic Library World "Darwin in the Twenty-First Century aims to present 'new reflections that anticipate the future of scientific and philosophical inquiry about evolution,' rather than giving an overview of all issues discussed in the conference or beyond. The volume focuses on present and future developments within evolutionary science and the impact on, and relation to, the humanities. These are central and the most exciting questions, and the volume gives multiple answers to how the discourse could be shaped in the future, both scientifically and from the perspective of the humanities." —Hille Haker, Loyola University Chicago "This volume presents the best scholarship available on the present and future developments in evolutionary science and its implications for the humanities. It will reward careful study by evolutionary biologists and social scientists, but also philosophers and theologians—or indeed, by any reflective person seeking to be informed about up-to-date analysis of its three main topics: Nature, Humanity, and God. The editors of this volume are to be congratulated for producing a volume that makes available a rich array of voices from a variety of disciplines and schools of thought. It is a must read for anyone who wishes to be informed about the interpretation of Darwin in the twenty-first century." —Stephen J. Pope, Boston College