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| Updated January 5, 2007
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Click here for information on Fall 2006 D-DoSER programs Delaware Dialogues on Science, Ethics, and Religion (D-DoSER)A partnership between CIL and First Unitarian ChurchClick Here for information on Spring 2006 programs programs.
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No Program Scheduled in February |
Sunday, March 11 at 4:30 |
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This presentation will focus on the parallels between Asian thought, particularly Samkhya Hinduism, Buddhism, and Daoism and modern physics, including string theory and cosmology
Alan David Fox, Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy, University of Delaware and a hugely popular one who draws large audiences at his approachable presentations. He was recently named 2006 Delaware Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. If you have not seen a Fox presentation, make a point to do so. If you have, tell a friend.
And Following...
Tuesday March 13th at 7PM
The philopsohy and physics of David Bohm. Rhitt Garrett will lead a discussion on the philosophy
and physics of David Bohm, one of the 20th century’s
greats physicists and thinkers .The Nature of the Mind
DVD will assist.
Sunday April 15 at 4:30 Where do our beliefs come from, and why do we hold on to some of them even if there is evidence to the contrary? Why, for example, do we continue to be fascinated by God, religion, haunted houses, UFOs, conspiracy theories, and miracle cures, even when science can dispute many of these claims? Is it because we are uneducated, or are our brains designed to interpret and seek out such possibilities in the world? Simply put: Why do we believe what we believe?
This presentation will focus on a broad array of beliefs from the mundane to the mystical. After all, every thing that we think about our world - from relationships to morals to religion - is a belief. By exploring the basic components that make up our beliefs -perceptions, cognitions, emotions, social interactions - a deeper awareness of our belief processes and the limitations of those beliefs can be achieved. It is also important for us to understand how beliefs can be manipulated and how our existing beliefs affect our future beliefs. This presentation will also describe the results of groundbreaking brain imaging studies that show how specific experiences such as prayer or speaking in tongues can result in profound and compelling beliefs. In the end, this information is critical for becoming a better believer. By identifying potential problems with beliefs, we can all strive to hold beliefs that are constructive both to ourselves and society
Andrew Newberg, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Radiology at the Hospital of the Universityof Pennsylvania with secondary appointments in the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Religious Studies. Moving beyond the study of specific disorders, Dr. Newberg’s research now largely focuses on how brain function is associated with various mental states, in particular, the relationship between brain function and mystical or religious experiences.
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And Following...
Tuesday April 17 at 7PM (Brunner Chapel)
The Brain, Creativity, and the Creator
Parry Norling will discuss some of the latest findings in Neuroscience and review the
latest article from the New York Times on “Darwin’s God”. Are we hard wired to believe
in a higher power? Does God = Creativity? Come and find out or at least give your point
of view. What do you believe?
Delaware Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion (D-DoSER) is one of 200 Local Societies around the world sponsored by the Metanexus Institute (www.metanexus.net) to explore issues in and between science and religion. Recently D-DoSER won a $15,000 grant (over 3 years) from non-profit Metanexus Institute of Philadelphia to sponsor lectures and dialogues on the interaction of Science, Ethics and Religion. First Unitarian took the lead. A joint team will host on-going dialogues with local speakers and also seek nationally-known speakers for periodic major public events.
For more information contact Parry Norling at 302-652-5377, Patti Emmons at First Unitarian Church 302-478-2384 or send an email message to
Main Program typically held on the 3rd Sunday of each month (check here)
A discussion/Dialog on the following Tuesday evening
All Sunday presentations: 4:30 - 6 PM
All Tuesday discussion/dialogues 7-9 PM.
All presentations are hosted by First Unitarian at 730 Halstead Road, Wilmington DE (intersection of route 202, just behind the old New Castle County library). For directions, see www.firstu.org. Open this link for a Google map.
Jesuit Paleontologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, pioneered the modern dialogue between science and religion. Responding to a theology that ignored the implications of evolutionary theory, he developed a view of the cosmos that integrates evolution with Christian belief. One of the ways that Teilhard effects this synthesis is his use of a cosmic tapestry image, an image that it turns out, is also consistent with modern developments in science such as chaos theory, complexity theory, and superstring theory that were not known in his day. 
