“Understanding Science and Religion through the Concept of Causation”
The main purpose of the paper is to argue that, on the evidence we have today, there should not be incompatibility between the statements of science and religion, and that they can be understood as complementary endeavors trying to explain different, but necessarily related, aspects or portions of the world. The paper has the following structure. First, I explain why the claim of objectivity in both the sciences and religion must be based on the concept of causation. Then, I give some reasons for the existence of a hierarchy of sciences ranging from quantum physics to psychology, sociology, economics, and politics. Thirdly, I develop an account of the particularity of the religious statements. Finally, I take the traits of goodness and evil from a religious point of view as an example that will help us to illustrate the idea that religion, with the same legitimacy of the physical sciences, can speak of and explain an aspect of reality.