Science, Religion and the Meaning of Life

Acknowledgements Introduction Socrates' Quest: The Beginning of Wisdom Cosmologists and Darwinists: The Limits of Science Visions of Reality: Science and Wonder Bad Faith: Religion as Certainty Christian Agnosticism: Learned Ignorance Following Socrates: A Philosophical Way of Life How to be an Agnostic Further Reading and References Index

MARK VERNON is a Freelance Journalist, Media Consultant and Broadcaster. He published Business: The Key Concepts with Routledge in 2002 as well as chapters on philosophy in various academic books. He was a priest in the Church of England 1994-1996 and holds a PhD in Philosophy from Warwick University, UK. He is the author The Philosophy of Friendship (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005).

'At last, a well-written and well-reasoned defense of agnosticism that one can sign on to regardless of prior religious or non-religious commitments...I recommend this work be read by skeptics and believers alike.' - Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of How We Believe 'For twenty years I have been waiting for a book that exposes the empty certainties of religious fundamentalism and its secular twin: scientific triumphalism. Mark Vernon has delivered that and much, much more. Mystery and doubt are elevated to where they should be: at the very heart of what it is to be human. Savour this as a wonderful gift.' - Mark Dowd, broadcaster and film-maker 'Encouraging us to widen our imagination and to open our lives to a sense of wonder, Mark Vernon is convinced, in the tradition of Socrates, that we achieve this by avoiding the certainties of faith and the rigidities of atheism. Believers and non-believers will find this a richly rewarding read' - John Gladwin, Bishop of Chelmsford 'Philosophically erudite, yet engagingly personal, Vernon's book presents a fluent account of his spiritual journey towards agnosticism'. - John Cottingham, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Reading, and author of On the Meaning of Life and The Spiritual Dimension 'Fewer and fewer of us, at least in post-Christian Britain, are committed churchgoing believers; few of us on the other hand are militant atheists; which means that there is plenty of space between for people with a sense of wonder at scientific discoveries and an appreciation of art, music and philosophy: Mark Vernon's rich, moving and entertaining account of 'Christian agnosticism' is exactly what they have been waiting for.' - Fergus Kerr, Honorary Fellow in the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh '...this book is more than a well-reasoned argument for agnosticism; it is a timely reminder of the recognition of human limits, in all areas, and a suggestion that the possibility of living