Description
In the interview this week, Dr. Sharpe explores the relationship between science and the spirit, and discusses how the two realms can coexist with one another. One possible bridge between scientific and spiritual thinking consists of the so-called “God spot,” which Dr. Sharpe describes as the neurological drive to comprehend the “big picture” of the Universe. At the heart of this drive rests humanity’s wonder at the Universe, and this wonder is shared by both scientific and spiritual thinkers alike.
- Listen to the Radio Laureate Interview with Dr. Kevin Sharpe: “The Role of Wonder,” in which Dr. Sharpe describes how Science and Religion can coexist.
- Consider how the notion of “wonder” drives both scientific and spiritual thinkers to learn more about the Universe.
- Reflect on how the scientific and spiritual fields might inform and influence one another rather than simply existing in conflict
Post a 2- to 3-paragraph response explaining how the drive to see the “big picture” of the Universe can still exist in an era dominated by scientific reductionism. Describe the role of wonder in both the spiritual and scientific realms, and explain how it might be possible for science to serve a spiritual function or for spiritual thinking to influence the direction of science.
PHIL 3010 – PHIL3010_W04
Dr. Kevin Sharpe
“The Role of Wonder”
Page 1
RECORDING BEGINS
[00:00:00] – MUSIC
[00:00:02] – A
VOICEOVER : The topic of this week’s interview is the role of wonder.
In this segment, Dr. Sharpe looks at the ways in which science and
the spiritual world can coexist and co-support each other. He also
introduces the concept of the God spot: the human need for meaning.
[00:00:27] – B
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER
: This week we’re talking about the
questions of how science and the spiritual world coexist and cosupport each other. Dr. Sharpe, what’s the role of wonder in the
realms of both the spiritual and the scientific?
[00:00:43] – C
DR. KEVIN SHARPE
: Hmm! What a wonderful question! I think wonder
is an essential human characteristic which relates to other things
like inquiry and, and so forth, and inspiration and, and such like.
So wonder can play an essential role in both science and in spiritual
thought, and in the relationship between, between any, anything
actually, any, any investigation. Wonder could be a root for
continuing that investigation, can be a raison d’être for doing all
this.
[00:01:31] – D
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER
: How do you see the work of science serving
if you will a spiritual function?
[00:01:39] – E
DR. KEVIN SHARPE
: Science has a spiritual function in a couple of
ways. One is the, it creates knowledge or theory as well. Which
inspires wonder. You think of some of the, the photographs taken by
the satellites of nebulae being formed and so forth and how
beautiful, beautiful they are, and what a sense of wonder we can get
from that. In that way, science can create a sense of wonder and, and
which drives it forward and drives our spiritual aesthetic and
spiritual aspirations forward as well. [00:02:27] – But there are
other ways in which science can assist, if you like, the spiritual
quest and, and that is by – scientific method is a, a fairly – shall
we say, harsh way of going about gaining knowledge, which is what
science is about. It’s harsh because it requires the, the data and
PHIL 3010 – PHIL3010_W04
Dr. Kevin Sharpe
“The Role of Wonder”
Page 2
the theories and the predictions and all the rest of it to be rooted
in the reality of our world. In other words not just some stuff we
dream up. [00:03:16] – It’s stuff that has to be replicable or
potentially refutable, those sort of things. And that can be a very
very harsh hammer, as we’re finding out in many religious ideas, that
just did not stack up to the world that science is unfolding for us.
And so the science is also helping to mold and guide our spiritual
knowledge by our using its methodologies. And then it, then the
whole, the, the, the spiritual theories need to tie in. If we’re
going to create a holistic system of knowledge, the spiritual
theories need to tie in to the scientific theories and vice versa.
[00:04:23] – F
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER
: You talk about a concept of humans
possessing almost a God spot, that there’s something evolved into us
that gives us a desire to create divinity or to strive towards
understanding a big picture. Can you talk a little bit about what you
perceive of that, and how that’s shaped your thinking about human
development and really human happiness?
[00:04:47] – G
DR. KEVIN SHARPE
: It’s actually ongoing thinking. I would use the
words God spot or God hole, but God spot’s a bit better. (CHUCKLES)
But now I, I would think of it more as, we have a, as human beings we
have a need to have meaning and in fact having meaning is often for
me what it is to be a human being. And to strive toward meaning and
to heaven. The God spot is a, a – well, the word God in this, this
context is a overall sense of, or a focus if you like, but I’m probably better – for a sense of meaning for our lives. [00:05:35] And that as I said is essential, I think, for human life. Now, that’s
what I’m exploring at the moment is the, how that tends to, how that
operates, how it comes, comes about evolutionarily. And even maybe
some pointers from our biological past and, and cultural past as to
how the God spot might get filled. But it’s essential to do,
essentially to do with humans having meaning.
[00:06:11] – MUSIC
[00:06:20] –
RECORDING ENDS
Purchase answer to see full
attachment
Dr. Kevin Sharpe
“The Role of Wonder”
Page 1
RECORDING BEGINS
[00:00:00] – MUSIC
[00:00:02] – A
VOICEOVER : The topic of this week’s interview is the role of wonder.
In this segment, Dr. Sharpe looks at the ways in which science and
the spiritual world can coexist and co-support each other. He also
introduces the concept of the God spot: the human need for meaning.
[00:00:27] – B
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER
: This week we’re talking about the
questions of how science and the spiritual world coexist and cosupport each other. Dr. Sharpe, what’s the role of wonder in the
realms of both the spiritual and the scientific?
[00:00:43] – C
DR. KEVIN SHARPE
: Hmm! What a wonderful question! I think wonder
is an essential human characteristic which relates to other things
like inquiry and, and so forth, and inspiration and, and such like.
So wonder can play an essential role in both science and in spiritual
thought, and in the relationship between, between any, anything
actually, any, any investigation. Wonder could be a root for
continuing that investigation, can be a raison d’être for doing all
this.
[00:01:31] – D
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER
: How do you see the work of science serving
if you will a spiritual function?
[00:01:39] – E
DR. KEVIN SHARPE
: Science has a spiritual function in a couple of
ways. One is the, it creates knowledge or theory as well. Which
inspires wonder. You think of some of the, the photographs taken by
the satellites of nebulae being formed and so forth and how
beautiful, beautiful they are, and what a sense of wonder we can get
from that. In that way, science can create a sense of wonder and, and
which drives it forward and drives our spiritual aesthetic and
spiritual aspirations forward as well. [00:02:27] – But there are
other ways in which science can assist, if you like, the spiritual
quest and, and that is by – scientific method is a, a fairly – shall
we say, harsh way of going about gaining knowledge, which is what
science is about. It’s harsh because it requires the, the data and
PHIL 3010 – PHIL3010_W04
Dr. Kevin Sharpe
“The Role of Wonder”
Page 2
the theories and the predictions and all the rest of it to be rooted
in the reality of our world. In other words not just some stuff we
dream up. [00:03:16] – It’s stuff that has to be replicable or
potentially refutable, those sort of things. And that can be a very
very harsh hammer, as we’re finding out in many religious ideas, that
just did not stack up to the world that science is unfolding for us.
And so the science is also helping to mold and guide our spiritual
knowledge by our using its methodologies. And then it, then the
whole, the, the, the spiritual theories need to tie in. If we’re
going to create a holistic system of knowledge, the spiritual
theories need to tie in to the scientific theories and vice versa.
[00:04:23] – F
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER
: You talk about a concept of humans
possessing almost a God spot, that there’s something evolved into us
that gives us a desire to create divinity or to strive towards
understanding a big picture. Can you talk a little bit about what you
perceive of that, and how that’s shaped your thinking about human
development and really human happiness?
[00:04:47] – G
DR. KEVIN SHARPE
: It’s actually ongoing thinking. I would use the
words God spot or God hole, but God spot’s a bit better. (CHUCKLES)
But now I, I would think of it more as, we have a, as human beings we
have a need to have meaning and in fact having meaning is often for
me what it is to be a human being. And to strive toward meaning and
to heaven. The God spot is a, a – well, the word God in this, this
context is a overall sense of, or a focus if you like, but I’m probably better – for a sense of meaning for our lives. [00:05:35] And that as I said is essential, I think, for human life. Now, that’s
what I’m exploring at the moment is the, how that tends to, how that
operates, how it comes, comes about evolutionarily. And even maybe
some pointers from our biological past and, and cultural past as to
how the God spot might get filled. But it’s essential to do,
essentially to do with humans having meaning.
[00:06:11] – MUSIC
[00:06:20] –
RECORDING ENDS
Purchase answer to see full
attachment
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