Reason and Wonder: A Copernican Revolution in Science and Spirit

by Charles David Pruett

Overview

When Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler -- all deeply religious -- dislodged the earth from the center of the universe, science and religion separated. Darwin's theory of evolution brought outright divorce. But now, as Pruett writes, a third scientific revolution promises the reconciliation of reason and intuition by bringing a new dimension of spirituality to our scientific understanding of the cosmos -- and to the unique place of humans in it.

Reason and Wonder embraces the insights of modern science and the wisdom of spiritual traditions to "re-enchant the universe" and to provide a new "myth of meaning" appropriate to the current era. The new myth, which unfolds through the stories of three successive "Copernican revolutions" -- cosmological, biological, and spiritual -- offers both an expansive view of human potential and hope for a future currently in grave jeopardy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780692568743
Publisher:	Alba Enterprises LLC
Publication date:	12/23/2015
Edition description:	Revised with New Introduction ed.
Pages:	396
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.81(d)

About the Author

Dave Pruett, a former NASA researcher, is an award-winning computational scientist and emeritus professor of mathematics at James Madison University. He has received numerous honors both for research in computational fluid dynamics and for excellence in teaching. Reason and Wonder is his first book for the general public. Dr. Pruett lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with his wife, Suzanne Fiederlein, and daughter, Elena.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction

Part I -- The Copernican Revolution: Cosmology

Chapter 1: The Clockmaker and the Clockwork
Chapter 2: The Music of the Spheres
Chapter 3: The Starry Messenger
Chapter 4: The Star-Crossed Prophet
Chapter 5: The Jewish Saint
Chapter 6: A Wrinkle in Time
Chapter 7: Einstein's Happiest Thought
Chapter 8: Lights All Askew

Part II -- The Second "Copernican" Revolution: Biology

Chapter 9: The Entangled Bank
Chapter 10: The Time Bomb

Interlude -- Lifting the Veil

Chapter 11: Through the Looking Glass
Chapter 12: Parallel Universes

Part III -- The Third "Copernican" Revolution: Psychology & Spirituality

Chapter 13: The Arrows of Time
Chapter 14: What Is Life?
Chapter 15: A World Aflame
Chapter 16: The Winds of Change
Chapter 17: Pale Images

Epilogue
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

"... Pruett's masterly account offers a breathtaking, awe-inspiring insight into the complex history of modern science with its successive revolutions in our understanding of space, time, matter, energy, and now spirit. ... A truly dazzling achievement. Following this intriguing tale opens up a vision of true audacity and grandeur that will change your thinking forever." -- Ursula King, world-renowned religion scholar. "This is a significant major work for the science and religion dialogue. In seventeen concise and well-written chapters the author has summarized the history of the enlightenment which led to the practice of science. The major scientists involved come alive with anecdotes of their personal behaviors and interests." -- WesleyNexus Winner of an American Library Association CHOICE Award (January 2013). "The story of the wonder of science has been narrated in a hundred different ways. This book does the job in a fascinating, original way. Reason and Wonder is faithful to the facts of science and mindful of its spirit. But it goes beyond the "who did what when" mode of telling the story ... The author presents every topic that he touches, whether black holes and the big bang or evolution and entropy, with deep understanding and insights. Everyone engaged in science, as well as other intelligent audiences, should read this eye-opening, thought-provoking book." SUMMARY: "Highly recommended. Academic, professional, and general readers, all levels." -- Reprinted with permission from CHOICE http: //www.cro3.org, copyright by the American Library Association.

From the Publisher