Religious belief in the thought of Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington

Kandler, Renate Anna (2009) Religious belief in the thought of Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington (1882-1944) was a distinguished British scientist and committed Christian. Where many see science and religion as two separate and incompatible universes of discourse Eddington developed a way to conceive of them as complementary and compatible. He maintained that science addresses the measurable world and spirituality addresses the unseen world. Both find their source in the divine and are rooted in beauty, truth and especially experience. In this thesis Eddington's religious thought is compared and contrasted with Rudolf Otto's concept of the numinous in order to bring out the structure and depth of Eddington's thinking. Eddington, in fact, tapped into the essential core of all religions: religious experience. For Eddington this is mystical communion with the divine, or as Otto would say, the 'numen praesens.' Eddington unites aesthetic, scientific and spiritual aspects of existence in a way that promotes religious and scientific freedom. Moreover, in seeking fulfillment and purpose in life Eddington breaks down traditional religious boundaries and promotes freedom of exploration, and this gives added depth to his religious thought.

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