Integrating Science and Scripture: The Case of Robert Boyle

Abstract

In this paper I will address Boyle's understanding of Scripture and Nature and seek to outline those features of his philosophy, which enable him to integrate religious and scientific activity in a way that was faithful to both Religion and Science. I will depend predominantly or primary source material for this and on a recently published work by Jan Wojcik entitled, "Robert Boyle and the Limits of Reason" (1997). This paper is also significant from the point of view of post-modernism's criticism of Science, which, while making some legitimate criticism of the way Science has fragmented out thinking through scientism, often forgets about the kinds of legitimate problems that Science has been able to solve for humankind. By looking forwards into the modern era from the past one can balance the post-modern view of Science, which looks backwards into the modern era from the present. I will conclude the paper with a discussion on how Boyle's philosophy might help us in the current origins debate and in issues related to chemistry curricular in colleges and universities.