Ruminating on Ruse: Key Themes in the Evolutionary Naturalism of Michael Ruse

by Bradford McCall (Editor), Anthony O'Hear (Foreword by), Robert J Richards (Afterword)

Overview

Philosopher of biology Michael Ruse (1940-2024) was a leading voice in the "science and religion" debates of our times. While himself a "nonbeliever," he contended that an informed and intelligent person can be perfectly "religious," even in this age of science. He argued for a "middle" position with regard to matters of faith and science, particularly with respect to evolutionary biology. Ruse sought a more peaceful or irenic resolution to tensions between biology and religion than those offered by intelligent design. Moreover, he became a highly productive theorist of spirituality and values prior to his untimely death. In this volume leading academics enter into critical but appreciative engagement with different areas of Ruse's scholarly work. This is a perfect companion volume to Reading Ruse, which it is designed to fit alongside.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798385211210
Publisher:	Cascade Books
Publication date:	06/19/2025
Pages:	238
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.54(d)

About the Author

Bradford McCall holds a PhD in comparative theology from Claremont School of Theology, four MAs in theology and philosophy, and a BSc in biology. He has authored or edited numerous books.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Reading Ruse—a collection of the writings on Darwinism, science, and faith by one of the most famous philosophers of biology of our age—brought together in a single volume the highlights of some fifty books by Michael Ruse. In this companion book, eight specialists draw on that summary volume to provide the first overview and critique of Ruse’s work as a whole. This text serves as an ideal introduction to Ruse, to the philosophy of biology, and to the scientific, philosophical, and religious implications of Darwin’s revolutionary work.”

—Philip Clayton, author of Mind and Emergence: From Quantum to Consciousness



“Those working at the intersection of theology and evolutionary science will need no introduction to philosopher of science/biology Michael Ruse, but they will benefit here from critical interfaces with Ruse’s oeuvre by his close collaborators (including Roman Catholic and Protestant co-authors and co-editors), former students working philosophically and theologically vis-à-vis the Darwinian paradigm, prominent philosophers and philosophical theologians across the conservative-liberal spectrum, and incisive analyses by the volume editor. McCall’s running commentaries across Ruminating on Ruse also expand the conversation McCall initiated in his editing of Reading Ruse: Michael Ruse on Darwinism, Science, and Faith, precisely by providing the historical, philosophical, and religious/theological warrants for the organization, conceptualization, and selection choices of the earlier Ruse reader. These ruminations herald McCall’s own emerging contributions in these dynamic fields.”

—Amos Yong, Professor of Theology and Mission, Fuller Seminary

Editorial Reviews

Reading Ruse—a collection of the writings on Darwinism, science, and faith by one of the most famous philosophers of biology of our age—brought together in a single volume the highlights of some fifty books by Michael Ruse. In this companion book, eight specialists draw on that summary volume to provide the first overview and critique of Ruse’s work as a whole. This text serves as an ideal introduction to Ruse, to the philosophy of biology, and to the scientific, philosophical, and religious implications of Darwin’s revolutionary work.”

—Philip Clayton, author of Mind and Emergence: From Quantum to Consciousness



“Those working at the intersection of theology and evolutionary science will need no introduction to philosopher of science/biology Michael Ruse, but they will benefit here from critical interfaces with Ruse’s oeuvre by his close collaborators (including Roman Catholic and Protestant co-authors and co-editors), former students working philosophically and theologically vis-à-vis the Darwinian paradigm, prominent philosophers and philosophical theologians across the conservative-liberal spectrum, and incisive analyses by the volume editor. McCall’s running commentaries across Ruminating on Ruse also expand the conversation McCall initiated in his editing of Reading Ruse: Michael Ruse on Darwinism, Science, and Faith, precisely by providing the historical, philosophical, and religious/theological warrants for the organization, conceptualization, and selection choices of the earlier Ruse reader. These ruminations herald McCall’s own emerging contributions in these dynamic fields.”

—Amos Yong, Professor of Theology and Mission, Fuller Seminary

From the Publisher