11. Conclusion

Philosophy is a science, interconnected with others and as autonomous as others. The Conclusion looks at the future of philosophy, and whether it will withstand the pressures on it to be something else—pop science, literature, or alternative religion. Humans are naturally curious—we wonder about things and ask questions, whether we are philosophers or not. This curiosity may help philosophy to survive, through an iterative human-led journey of improvement like the trajectory it has taken already. Philosophical methods can be improved, just as other scientific methods can be improved; the only remaining question is how.

The End

This chapter talks about the possibility of a life without religion, without God. Many people think of Darwinism as an alternative religion. Julian Huxley actually wrote a book called Religion without Revelation. Edward O. Wilson is of the same mind-set. Anyone who knows their scriptures has to be forcibly reminded of the Old Testament prophets on reading Richard Dawkins's The God Delusion. The chapter discusses the secular notion of purpose through history, the idea of social or cultural progress—something with a goal toward which history is directed. Steven Pinker argues that, despite suffering and other acts of violence, the world nevertheless is becoming a friendlier place. Science and technology seem as much the problem as the cure. This said, one can see progress in limited areas, and not just in science and technology.

Darwinism as Religion

This chapter prepares the way for the purpose of the book, to use war as a case study for the claim that in major respects, thinking based on Darwin’s ideas—“Darwinism”—has from the first functioned as a form of secular religion, a variety of humanism. Although natural selection makes it very implausible to claim that there is an inevitable evolutionary progression up to humankind, this has not stopped Darwinians, from Darwin himself through to people like Edward O. Wilson today, seeing such progress and using this belief as a peg on which to hang social and moral views, in major respects alternatives to the social and moral views of Christianity. Often, as in the case of Julian Huxley, the intent to produce an alternative religion is made explicit. Rival views on the illicit use of seminal fluid are used as an illustration. For Christians, through self-abuse, it leads to degeneration. For Darwinians, through the failures of the sexually profligate, it leads to advance.

From Hitler to UNESCO

Familiar lines of argument were followed in the interwar years and into the second great conflict. There was concern about the eugenical effects of war, with some reassuring, biologically informed thinking by the geneticist J. B. S. Haldane. Julian Huxley was significant in the period, arguing that evolution is indeed a progressive process up to humankind; that biological arms races play a significant role in this process, thus showing that in some sense war has been a good thing; and that now, thanks particularly to technology, we are in a position to move beyond war. Against this we have continued bellicose thinking in Germany, although the extent to which Hitler was influenced by Darwin is often overestimated. Homegrown philosophies were more important. We do see the rise of influential peaceful interpretations of Darwinism, notably by the American Quaker evolutionist, Warder Clyde Allee. He wrote in opposition to Austrian ethologist Konrad Lorenz who was happy to report on the support his thinking gave to National Socialism. The Inklings, the Christian fantasy writers, especially C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, hated the thinking of Julian Huxley. They knew an alternative religion when they saw one.

Neutraal of sekularisties, humanisties en paganisties: Die alternatiewe godsdiens van die Weste?

Die soeke na neutraliteit in die wetenskapsbeoefening van die Weste het daartoe gelei dat ’n alternatiewe godsdiens na vore gekom het. Hierdie godsdiens is sekularisties, humanisties en paganisties. Die Christelike grondslae is verruil vir uitgangspunte wat die Christelike boodskap ondergrawe. Is daar ’n Christelike antwoord op die problematiek van die alternatiewe godsdiens wat in die Weste na vore kom? Die Christelike boodskap behoort ’n volledige en omvattende saak te wees. Wetenskap wat vanuit ’n Christelike geloofsperspektief beoefen word, behoort daarom onder andere die volgende aspekte te vertoon: ’n Verruimende perspektief van die erkenning van God, waarin die vryheid in Christus die ware vryheid tot die lewe is; ook medemenslikheid in die wetenskapsbeoefening vanuit die perspektief dat God die Een is wat in Jesus Christus die ware lewe gee. ’n Eskatologiese perspektief moet ook nie ontbreek nie. Die reformatoriese vernuwing van die samelewing en veral die wetenskap vereis die erkenning van Jesus Christus se lewensomvattende invloed en heerskappy. Hierdie apekte sal in die artikel bespreek word.In search for neutrality in the scientific endeavour in the West an alternative religion was established. This religion is secularistic, humanistic and paganistic. Christian views in science and society were changed for views that in reality reject the Christian gospel. Is there a Christian reply to the deep problems of the alternative religion which presents itself in the West? The Christian message must be in total and encompassing. Science which is practiced from the perspective of faith should therefore, among others, have the following aspects: A broad perspective in acknowledging God in whom the freedom in Christ is the true freedom for life; and also a respect for humanity in the practice of science from the perspective that God is the One who in Jesus Christ gives true life. There must also be an eschatological perspective. Reformational renewal of the community and especially in science requires the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ’s life-changing influence and rule. These aspects will receive attention in the article.