(2004-05-18) White Science Theology War

Cosma Shalizi reminded me of Andrew Dickson White's book A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom (ISBN:1587442469 ) (Monotheism) It started out of opposition from Religious Cult members to parts of the charter of Cornell University: We had especially determined that the institution should be under the control of no political party and of no single religious sect, and with Mr. Cornell's approval I embodied stringent provisions to this effect in the charter... Meanwhile Prof. John W Draper published his book on The Conflict Between Science And Religion, a work of great ability, which, as I then thought, ended the matter, so far as my giving it further attention was concerned... He regarded the struggle as one between Science and Religion. I believed then, and am convinced now, that it was a struggle between Science and Dogmat Ic Theology. More and more I saw that it was the conflict between two epochs in the Evolution of human thought - the theological and the scientific.