From its ancient Greek origins, Western philosophy sought rational explanations for matters that previously were explained by religion. Alongside Christianity, there was an uneasy coexistence between reason and faith, as philosophy challenged church doctrine. However, it was natural philosophy (what we now call science) that posed the greatest challenge to the dominance of religious belief, and from the Renaissance onward there was a growing reliance on scientific explanations of nature. Although it took centuries of argumentation before philosophers finally gave up on the idea of proving the existence of God, atheism became an acceptable viewpoint among scientists during the twentieth century, largely due to the work of prominent thinkers such as Albert Einstein, who rejected any notion of God-given laws of nature. In recent times, however, there has been a resurgence of belief amongst fundamentalists, who refuse to accept the validity of the scientific study and instead rely on interpretations of the Bible. Despite this, most people in today’s West remain convinced that science and religion should not be separated.
Introduction
How do we really define Philosophy? The Greek word φιλοσοφία – Philosophia. Or as the term has been coined by modern Western language – Philosophy. The literal meaning of this word is relatively static. Derived from its Greek origin it comprises two separate words...
