"natural theology > notes > 2016

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Aquinas, Thomas, Summa Theologica (translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province), Tabor Publishing 1981 'Brother Thomas raised new problems in his teaching, invented a new method, used new systems of proof. To hear him teach a new doctrine, with new arguments, one could not doubt that God, by the irradiation of this new light and by the novelty of this inspiration, gave him the power to teach, by the spoken and written word, new opinions and new knowledge.' (William of Tocco, T's first biographer)
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Ashby, W Ross, An Introduction to Cybernetics, Methuen 1964 'This book is intended to provide [an introduction to cybernetics]. It starts from common-place and well understood concepts, and proceeds step by step to show how these concepts can be made exact, and how they can be developed until they lead into such subjects as feedback, stability, regulation, ultrastability, information, coding, noise and other cybernetic topics'
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Denzinger, Henricus, and Adolphus Schoenmetzer, Enchiridion Symbolorum, Definitionum et Declarationum de Rebus Fidei et Morum, Herder 1963 Introduction: 'Dubium non est quin praeter s. Scripturam cuique theologo summe desiderandus sit etiam liber manualis quo contineantur edicta Magisterii ecclesiastici eaque saltem maioris momenti, et quo ope variorim indicum quaerenti aperiantur eorum materiae.' (3) 'There is no doubt that in addition to holy Scripture, every theologian also needs a handbook which contains at least the more important edicts of the Magisterium of the Church, indexed in a way which makes them easy to find.' back

Hiaasen, Carl, and Montalbano, Powder Burn , Vintage 1988 Amazon product description: 'Architect Chris Meadows has the bad luck to see an old girlfriend get hit by a car full of drugland hitmen. He has the worse luck to see the face of her murderers. Because in a town as violent as Miami, a witness doesn't stand a chance--especially when the cops who ought to be protecting him are more interested in dangling him as live bait..'
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Lonergan, Bernard J F, Insight : A Study of Human Understanding (Collected Works of Bernard Lonergan : Volume 3), University of Toronto Press 1992 '. . . Bernard Lonergan's masterwork. Its aim is nothing less than insight into insight itself, an understanding of understanding'
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McGrath, Alister E, A Scientific Theology volume II: Reality, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2002 Amazon product description: 'This groundbreaking three-volume work by one of the world's best-known theologians is the most extended and systematic exploration of the relation between theology and science ever undertaken. Drawing on both his firsthand experience of scientific research and his vast knowledge of the Christian tradition, Alister McGrath explores how the natural sciences can be used by the Christian faith. This first volume sets out a vision for a "scientific theology" in which the working assumptions of the natural sciences are critically appropriated as a theological resource. It then deals at length with the important status of nature, a concept that has rarely been given the serious consideration it deserves. Responding to the view that the term "nature" is merely a social construct, McGrath gives the concept a proper grounding in the Christian doctrine of creation, exploring in the process the use of natural theology in contemporary Christian thought. A Scientific Theology is certain to become one of the most controversial and exciting theological publications of the decade.'
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McGrath, Alister E, A Scientific Theology volume III: Theory, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids. Michigan 2003 Amazon product descrip[tion: '"Theory" is the third and final volume in a truly groundbreaking work by one of the world's best-known theologians. As a whole, Alister McGrath's "Scientific Theology" is the most extended and systematic exploration of the relation between theology and science ever undertaken. Now complete, it will surely become a standard entry into modern Christian thought. In Volume 3 McGrath deals with the question of how reality is represented in Christian theology and the natural sciences. Building on the insights of thinkers like Martin Heidegger and Jürgen Habermas, McGrath argues that theory is to be conceived in terms of the "communal beholding of reality." Thus understood, theory is primarily a response to experienced reality, which, for the Christian community, demands theological expression. In the course of unpacking the implications of this perspective, McGrath addresses such subjects as the explanatory dimensions of theology, the place of metaphysics in Christian theology, and the nature of revelation itself.'
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McGrath, Alister E, The Science of God: An Introduction to Scientific Theology, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company 2004 Jacket: 'This book is a clear, concise guide to Alistair McGrath's groundbreaking three-volume work A Scientific Theology, today's most talked about new approach to systematic theology. In those recently published and already acclaimed volumes, McGrath exploits the theological potential of the natural sciences as dialogue partners for Christian thought. The Sceince of God offers an ideal starting point for anyone wishing to engage in this new vision for theology: McGrath himself here summarizes his major project and sketches out its implications for many aspects of Christian doctrine. He then explores in an accessible manner all of the major themes of his three-volume work, including the legitmacy of a scientific theology, the purpose and place of natural theology, the foundations of theological realism, the failure of classic foundationalism, the nature of revelation, and the place of metaphysics in theology.'
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McGrath, Alister E, A Scientific Theology volume I: Nature, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan 2002 Amazon product description: 'This groundbreaking three-volume work by one of the world's best-known theologians is the most extended and systematic exploration of the relation between theology and science ever undertaken. Drawing on both his firsthand experience of scientific research and his vast knowledge of the Christian tradition, Alister McGrath explores how the natural sciences can be used by the Christian faith. This first volume sets out a vision for a "scientific theology" in which the working assumptions of the natural sciences are critically appropriated as a theological resource. It then deals at length with the important status of nature, a concept that has rarely been given the serious consideration it deserves. Responding to the view that the term "nature" is merely a social construct, McGrath gives the concept a proper grounding in the Christian doctrine of creation, exploring in the process the use of natural theology in contemporary Christian thought. A Scientific Theology is certain to become one of the most controversial and exciting theological publications of the decade.
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Needham, Joseph, Science and Civilisation in China (Volume 1) Introductory Orientations, Cambridge UP 1954 Jacket: 'This is the exciting first instalment of a comprehensive work . . . The author has set himself to interpret the Chinese mind in Western terms, and he is perhaps unique among living scholars in possessing the necessay combination of qualifications for this formidable undertaking. The practical importance of Dr Needham's work is as great as its intellectual interest. It is a westerm act of 'recognition' on a higher plane than the diplomatic one.' Arnold Toynbee, The Observer, London.
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Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre, The Phenomenon of Man, Collins 1965 Sir Julian Huxley, Introduction: 'We, mankind, contain the possibilities of the earth's immense future, and can realise more and more of them on condition that we increase our knowledge and our love. That, it seems to me, is the distillation of the Phenomenon of Man.'
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Links

Cantor's theorem - Wikipedia, Cantor's theorem - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'In elementary set theory, Cantor's theorem states that, for any set A, the set of all subsets of A (the power set of A) has a strictly greater cardinality than A itself. For finite sets, Cantor's theorem can be seen to be true by a much simpler proof than that given below, since in addition to subsets of A with just one member, there are others as well, and since n < 2n for all natural numbers n. But the theorem is true of infinite sets as well. In particular, the power set of a countably infinite set is uncountably infinite. The theorem is named for German mathematician Georg Cantor, who first stated and proved it.' back

Carl Zimmer, Scientists Unveil New 'Tree of Life', 'A team of scientists unveiled a new tree of life on Monday, a diagram outlining the evolution of all living things. The researchers found that bacteria make up most of life’s branches. And they found that much of that diversity has been waiting in plain sight to be discovered, dwelling in river mud and meadow soils.' back

Chris Graham, The World's Most Popular website Just Ripped The Rug Out From Under Australia Day, 'Over to Google for the explanation: “Doodle 4 Google 2015 was won by Ineka Voigt from Canberra High School in ACT, for her entry ‘Stolen Dreamtime’,” explains the corporate giant. “In response to the theme of ‘If I could travel back in time I would…’ Ineka wrote “… I would reunite mother and child. A weeping mother sits in an ochre desert, dreaming of her children and a life that never was… all that remains is red sand, tears and the whispers of her stolen dreamtime”.' back

Henrieta Cook, Parents shopcked as priest compares adultery to paedophilia, 'A Catholic priest has offended parents at a Malvern East school by comparing paedophile priests to adulterous women in a school newsletter. St Mary's Primary School parish priest Father Bill Edebohls also took aim at lawyers and the media for not showing enough mercy during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse. He said he was concerned the Royal Commission would not give victims an opportunity to heal.' back

Isabel Kershner, New Evidence on When the Bible Was Written: Ancient Shopping Lists, 'Based on a statistical analysis of the results, and taking into account the content of the texts that were chosen for the sample, the researchers concluded that at least six different hands had written the 18 missives at around the same time. Even soldiers in the lower ranks of the Judahite army, it appears, could read and write. back

Jane Lee, The workers we trust to look after our mums and dads are changing - and struggling, 'Chanmakara Sun has been a registered nurse in an Adelaide nursing home for about three years and is already planning to leave. . . . Mr Sun said the home for 90 patients - most of whom have multiple chronic illnesses including heart and kidney failure and dementia - is constantly understaffed. During the day he has three enrolled nurses to help him medicate, monitor patients and dress wounds. He also manages 11 carers who are not qualified to do more than bathe, feed and change the elderly residents.' back

John Keane, The 18th-century Enlightenment and the problem of pubic misery, 'Thomas Paine was arguably among the greatest Enlightenment champions of this fresh way of thinking about misery. Author of the three biggest-selling books of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Common Sense (1776), Rights of Man (1791) and The Age of Reason (1794), Paine still ranks as the greatest English champion of clean, open, humble government. He should be remembered for his life-long devotion to the cause of liberty for all; his unshrinking opposition to lying; his deep-seated dislike of monarchy and priestly tyranny and his daring public attacks on the hypocrisy and hubris of the American and French revolutionaries. Most compelling of all was Paine’s burning desire to meet the arguments of his foes, not with gunpowder or the sword, or haughty bitterness, but with words from Isaiah: ‘Let us reason the matter together’.' back

Josh Bornstein, Alarmism, economic idiocy, and Orwellian appointments: three years of political disaster, 'Exactly how the federal government would cut taxes, reduce government debt and transition to a budget surplus, boost infrastructure and not cut major expenditure like health, education and the pension was never made clear. Nor could it be made clear. The laws of mathematics do not accommodate such idiocy.' back

Laura A. Hug et al, A new view f the tree of life, 'The tree of life is one of the most important organizing principles in biology. Gene surveys suggest the existence of an enormous number of branches but even an approximation of the full scale of the tree has remained elusive. Recent depictions of the tree of life have focused either on the nature of deep evolutionary relationships or on the known, well-classified diversity of life with an emphasis on eukaryotes6. These approaches overlook the dramatic change in our understanding of life's diversity resulting from genomic sampling of previously unexamined environments. New methods to generate genome sequences illuminate the identity of organisms and their metabolic capacities, placing them in community and ecosystem contexts7,8. Here, we use new genomic data from over 1,000 uncultivated and little known organisms, together with published sequences, to infer a dramatically expanded version of the tree of life, with Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya included.' back

Massimo Faggioli, What Is Francis Saying with 'Amoris Laetitia'?, 'The third kind of text--pertaining to gender, the masculine and the feminine, and education in the family--sound painfully inadequate for a discourse on marriage and family. The language seems dated, to say the least, and confirms Francis’s greatest weakness on one of the most urgent issues in the contemporary Church: women.' back

Matt Broomfield, GCHQ apologises for 'horrifying' teatment of Alan Turing and discrimination aainst other LGBT peole, 'GCHQ chief has apologised for the espionage service's "horrifiying" treatment of Alan Turing and historic prejudice against LGBT people. The pioneering mathematician, whose code-breaking skills are said to have shortened World War Two by two to four years, lost his job with the secret service following a conviction for indecency. Robert Hannigan is the director of Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the successor to the Government Code and Cypher School which first employed and then summarily fired Mr Turing.' back

Ned Manning, Australian schools will never match Finland's unless teachers can tell the truth, 'We've just finished writing reports, making sure that we have reached "outcomes" that are incomprehensible to parents and students but fulfil a bureaucratic need for accountability. Instead of giving our students marks or, God forbid, rankings, we have disguised their results in generalities so their parents are saved from facing the truth about their children's real progress. We aren't allowed to tell it how it is. back

Nicholas Kristof, The Real Welfare Cheats, 'We often hear how damaging welfare dependency is, stifling initiative and corroding the human soul. So I worry about the way we coddle executives in their suites. A study to be released Thursday says that for each dollar America’s 50 biggest companies paid in federal taxes between 2008 and 2014, they received $27 back in federal loans, loan guarantees and bailouts.' back

Pope Paul, Amoris Laetitia, 'Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Holy Father Francis to Bishops Piests and Deacons, Consecraed Persons, Cjristian Maried Couples and all the Lay Faithful on Love in the Family. back

Ranjana Srivastava, Gurrumul: is this a case of racial profiiing of a symptom of rushed medicine?, 'Last week, the talented and multi-award winning Aboriginal singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu made the news for another reason when his nephrologist alleged that his patient’s care at Royal Darwin Hospital was compromised by the assumption that his chronic liver disease was related to alcohol abuse rather than hepatitis, from which may have followed other medical decisions when he presented very unwell to emergency.' back

Simon Gubler, Philosophizing With Guns, 'Of course, if we resolve that the most responsible thing to do under campus carry is to avoid topics that are likely to elicit strong feeling, then there is little point in continuing with the academic practice of philosophy. But before we do away with philosophy altogether, let us decide whether there is anything that we can or should do to resist the wider adoption of campus carry policies. And let us resolve, where resistance is unsuccessful, to think carefully about what needs to be done to protect the practice of philosophical inquiry, and our students, from harm.' back

Waleed Aly, Banking Royal Comission: Turnbull's budget policy responds to Labor's agenda, 'As the inequities of capitalism have become clearer, and as crises like the global financial meltdown seem to have dealt out pain mainly to those who had least responsibility for creating them, we've witnessed a growing popular sense of disillusionment. And every now and then, something like the Panama Papers comes along to refresh this sense that the whole thing might just be a rort: that gaping inequality doesn't mean everyone's doing better, and might instead mean money and power keep flowing to those who already have it.' back

Yu Keping, Crossing the river by feeling the stones: democracy's advance in China, 'To say “democracy is a good thing” means that democracy can benefit the people. Yet if democracy is to benefit the people, a precondition is that social order must be maintained and hardship shouldn’t burden them. If democracy causes unrest, the people will lose hope, corruption will go unchecked. Under these circumstances, who would still wish for democracy? Those who are against democracy often use this possibility to frighten their audience.' back

vol VII: Notes

2016

Notes

Sunday 10 April 2016

Monday 11 April 2016

Tuesday 12 April 2016

Wednesday 13 April 2016

Thursday 14 April 2016

Friday 15 April 2016

Saturday 16 April 2016

Further reading

Books

Links