Tuesday, July 26, 2016

"Cognitive unity with nature"

"THE important point for the historian of science is that Aquinas gave to a broadly shared rational conviction a concise formulation which had symbolic power…. He (Aquinas) noted that it is natural for man to be in cognitive unity with nature."

~Fr. Stanley L. Jaki: The Road of Science and the Ways to God.

The Triumph of St. Thomas Aquinas, by Andrea da Firenze.
Fresco, 1366-67; Cappellone degli Spagnoli, Santa Maria Novella, Florence.

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Intelligent Design?

Recommended reading:
Intelligent Design? by Fr. Stanley L. Jaki.


In this 32-page booklet, Jaki discusses the flaws and shortcomings of Intelligent Design theory: “This booklet on the Intelligent Design theory of evolution was prompted by the front-page report which The New York Times devoted to that theory in three consecutive days this past August. Those reports and other cover stories surely exposed an aspect of that theory which is its at least indirect connection with biblical fundamentalism. But that theory has in its armor other and far more serious chinks about which Christians, who take seriously Saint Paul's warning in the Romans that their service is a "reasoned service," should be fully aware.

“On no account should they espouse the fallacy of the "biblical" doctrine of the special creation of each species. This notion flies in the face of sound exegesis and sane theology. The shortcomings, often very serious, of Darwinian theory cannot be remedied with Intelligent Design theory, which philosophically cannot cope with design and purpose. Moreover, it is a subtle rehash of the doctrine of special creation. Even worse, as it claims to be a "scientific" theory of evolution, it implies that design, insofar as it means purpose (and indeed divine purpose) can be the object of measurements, which is the touchstone of truth in science.”

See this booklet at Real View Books