Evlation of science and the cosmos.

User Generated

zvffltvey

Science

NSCI 110 Origins of the Cosmos

Description

APA format is required. No specific required word counting as long as the questions are answered thoroughly and consice.

Lab #3 - Part 1 is worth 30 points.

Lab #3 - Part 2 is worth 15 points.

Lab #3 - Part 3 is worth 30 points.

Lab #3 - Part 4 is worth 25 points.


Unformatted Attachment Preview

Lab #3, The Origins of Life In this lab, you will explore various solutions to the Origins of Life and evaluate Christian responses to the ongoing field of research. Threatened by a Naturalistic Origins of Life While we might feel threatened by Origins of Life research, Kyle Greenwood proposes a possible solution on p.205 of Chapter 8 of Scripture and Cosmology. He writes that, “Often this threat stems from the so-called God-of-the-gaps idea, in which it is only in the inexplicable that we find God. But as human investigation delves deeper into the mysteries of the universe—both at the macroscopic and microscopic levels—there is less and less to relegate to the mystery of the divine.” To this, he provides the solution that: “This ought not be. If, as Scripture asserts, God reveals himself in creation, then the more we learn about his wondrous works, the more we learn about the God who fashioned them.” Major in the Majors, God is the Creator As theologian John Walton writes in The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate in Proposition 16 of that book: Though the Bible upholds the idea that God is responsible for all origins (functional, material or other-wise), if the Bible does not offer an account of material origins we are free to consider contemporary explanations of origins on their own merits, as long as God is seen as ultimately responsible. Therefore whatever explanation scientists may offer in their attempts to explain origins, we could theoretically adopt it as a description of God’s handi­work. Scientific discussions of origins include a variety of different sciences including physics, geology, biochemistry and biology. As we consider these areas we might say that if there was a big bang (the current leading scientific explanation adopted by physicists and cosmologists), that is a description of how God’s creation work was accomplished. If it turns out that some other explanation works better, God was at work through that. If the universe is expanding, God is at work. If geological strata were laid down eon by eon, God is at work. If various life forms developed over time, God is at work. Since biological evolution is the hot spot for controversy, we will focus our attention on that aspect of origins. Whether or not you agree is not the point. The point that Greenwood and Walton are getting at is that we are free to explore as long as God is still the Creator. And indeed He is and always will be! So let’s not just insert God into the gaps of science, but instead come alongside those that devote their life to studying His creation and marvel in the wonders of the universe. Science is Not Going to Stop So we will look at various solutions to this problem for the Origins of Life as despite the claims of wellmeaning Christians that there will never be a ‘natural explanation’ for the Origins of Life, science is not going to stop. Part 1: Christians Writing About Science An Overview of Christian Science Ministires The major organizations who take the Scriptures seriously are: • • • Young Earth Creationism (i.e. Young Earth and anti-evolution): Answers in Genesis, Institute for Creation Research, Creation Ministries International Progressive Creationism (i.e. Old Earth, but anti-evolution): Reasons to Believe Evolutionary Creation (i.e. Old Earth, evolution best explanation we currently have): BioLogos Note: the Discovery Institute is also a large anti-evolution group but it is only secretly Christian (see appendix for more information). Part 1: Evaluation of Christian Articles Your task will first be to find one article on the Origins of Life for each of the categories of Christian thinking. Try to find as recent an article as possible. For convenience the websites are listed here: • • • One from a Young Earth Creationist website: http://answersingenesis.org/, http://www.icr.org/, http://creation.com/ One from a Progressive Creationism website: http://reasons.org/ One from an Evolutionary Creation website: http://biologos.org/ Note: articles can get very technical. It is unclear as to why this is, but perhaps wanting to seem authoritative they are written at a level inaccessible to everyone but college professors who work actively in the subfield. Just try to read through it and answer the following questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. What is your first reaction after reading the article? How does the article characterize science and/or scientists? What does the article have to say about God or any Scriptures? If you were the one who has spent perhaps your entire life working on this one idea, how would you react to how the Christian article characterizes your work? 5. What scientific papers or research ideas are being addressed in the article? 6. What target audience does the paper seem written for? 7. If you were not a Christian, how would you react to the article? Part 2: Critique of Christians from a Non-Christian Next, you will read a short article on how one non-Christian views the Christian response to Origins of Life: https://sensuouscurmudgeon.wordpress.com/2016/09/12/does-this-explain-the-origin-of-life/ 1. Do you find his characterization of Christian’s and the Origin of Life accurate? Which, if any of the articles you examined are consistent with his characterization? 2. Many non-Christians view Christians relationship with science like this (including the 25% of youth from that 2011 BARNA poll who think Christianity is just plain anti-science) Part 3: Some Scientific Explorations Your final task here will be to investigate various scientific ideas on how life could have arisen from nonlife. For the sake of consistency and readability, we will read popular science articles (like the Christian science articles) and not that actual papers themselves. • • • https://phys.org/news/2016-09-protein-like-primordial-soup.html http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/07/how-sunlight-might-have-jump-started-life-earth Choose one: https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-new-thermodynamics-theory-of-the-origin-oflife-20140122/ or http://www.timesofisrael.com/meet-the-orthodox-jewish-physicistrethinking-the-origins-of-life/ In each of these 3 articles answer each of the following: 1. What is your first reaction after reading the article? 2. How does the article characterize science and/or scientists? 3. If you were the one who has spent perhaps your entire life working on this one idea, how would you react to how the article characterizes your work? 4. What target audience does the paper seem written for? 5. If you were not a Christian, how would you react to the article? Part 4: Your Suggestions for the Future (250+ words) In this final part, write up a conclusion of what you found summarizing your personal evaluation of the Christian response and the scientific research. Include what suggestions you might have for Christians going forward. Finally comment on your thoughts of what it means for Christianity and our Creator should be solve this ongoing problem in science. The Discovery Institute Footnote: Not Required, For Your Information Only In the ruling of the 2005 Kitzmiller vs. Dover case the judge concluded: “In making this determination, we have addressed the seminal question of whether ID is science. We have concluded that it is not, and moreover that ID cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents.” If you are interested, the PBS documentary is available on Regent Films on Demand— Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial Documentary http://0-fod.infobase.com.library.regent.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=104759&xtid=111643
Purchase answer to see full attachment
User generated content is uploaded by users for the purposes of learning and should be used following Studypool's honor code & terms of service.

Explanation & Answer

Attached.

Running Head: THE ORIGINS OF LIFE

1

The Origins of Life
Name
Course
Tutor
Date

THE ORIGINS OF LIFE

2

PART 1
Young Earth Creationist
The research article makes it clear that indeed, contrary to evolutionists' beliefs, the Bible
goes well along the same line with research conducted by the new genetic researchers. This
makes a lot of sense compared to what evolutionists have been insinuating is the basis of their
research. The article characterizes scientists as being people guided by Scripture and being able
to prove that Scripture is indeed accurate with regard to animals and humans being of the same
age. They have also been characterized as telling the truth from the beginning. The article
touches on the fact that the research matches up with Scripture's creation story about 6000 years
ago with both cases bringing to light the same age of the animals and humans. If I had been
working on the idea and it is proven right, I would be elated enough to share the findings with
the world. The research ideas addressed in the article are about animals and humans coming into
existence at around the same time as opposed to the research conducted by evolutionists. The
target audience of the article is Christian audience and evolutionists. If I were not a Christian, I
would probably need further proof against the evolutionist theory (https://answersingenesis.org).
Progressive creationism
The first reaction towards this article is that this is new information and it is an eye-opener to
things not previously perceived. The article characterizes scientists as bringing to light that
which has been written in Scripture as confirmation of the creation story. The article talks about
Scripture as being the inspired Word of God since it...


Anonymous
Nice! Really impressed with the quality.

Studypool
4.7
Trustpilot
4.5
Sitejabber
4.4

Related Tags