A Second Genesis Stepping-stones Towards the Intelligibillity of Nature (247 Pages)

A Second Genesis enquires why nature is intelligible. The fast growth of technology and deeper understanding of the humanities have provided significant clues. Answering the question why nature can be understood requires an introduction to the new science of astrobiology and the exploration of the Solar System. A careful discussion of a "second Genesis" is presented, namely our present awareness that life may have emerged on other worlds. Writing this volume has been motivated by the need to encourage a constructive dialogue between science and faith. Such an objective for a new book is timely, since science is inserted with well-defined frontiers in the context of human culture. Similarly, the frontiers of faith do not require religion to justify itself in scientific terms, avoiding current unnecessary controversies. This book intends to engage readers interested in the position of humans in nature. It makes a serious effort to avoid demanding detailed knowledge of science, philosophy, or theology, but will require some careful reading and meditation. Contents: An Integrated Study of Western Civilization; From a First to a Second Genesis; Implications of a Second Genesis; The Destiny of the Universe; The Destiny of Life in the Universe; Towards the Intelligibility of Nature; Towards the Intelligibility of Life; Is Life Ubiquitous in the Universe? Testing the Universality of Biology; The Emergence of Intelligence in the Universe; Intelligibility in the Dialogue between Science and Religion; The Ultimate Frontier of Science and the Humanities; Can Nature be Intelligible?. Contents......Page 16 Preface......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 12 1.1 An outline of the book......Page 20 1.3 A second “Genesis”......Page 21 1.4 Three stepping-stones towards the intelligibility of nature......Page 22 1.5 Recommendations to the reader......Page 23 2.1 The three branches of culture......Page 24 2.2 The growth of monotheism......Page 25 2.3 The emergence of science and philosophy......Page 26 2.4 Faith and reason......Page 29 2.5 The Enlightenment......Page 30 2.6 The unity of nature......Page 32 2.7 The evolution of culture......Page 33 2.9 What is needed to duplicate our intelligence?......Page 35 2.10 Constraints imposed by theology on our view of life......Page 36 2.11 Questions in philosophy, science and theology......Page 37 2.12 The anthropic approach and the emergence of life......Page 39 2.13 Is there evidence of purpose in evolution?......Page 40 3.1 The fitness of the environment......Page 44 3.2 Life appeared spontaneously in the remote past......Page 45 3.3 Philosophical issues related to life in the universe......Page 46 3.4 The question of design in biology......Page 47 3.5 Towards a general interest in the origin of life......Page 48 3.6 Cultural implications of life in the cosmos......Page 49 4.1 Convergence of the evolutionary process......Page 50 4.2 Is biology sufficient to discuss a second Genesis?......Page 52 4.3 Is fine-tuning related to a second Genesis?......Page 53 4.4 Reflections by theologians......Page 54 4.5 Naturalism in philosophy......Page 56 4.6 Non-foundational premises of Christian belief......Page 58 5.1 The concept of convergence in the life sciences......Page 60 5.2 Intelligibility of the cosmos according to Aristotle......Page 62 5.4 Intelligibility of the cosmos in the Middle Ages......Page 64 5.5 The Copernican revolution, Digges and Bruno......Page 66 5.6 Cosmogonical and cosmological models......Page 68 5.7 The cosmic microwave background......Page 69 5.8 From the composition of the universe to eventual insights into its destiny......Page 71 6.1 Cosmic pathways towards a second Genesis......Page 74 6.2 Astrochemistry......Page 75 6.3 The origin and evolution of the Solar System......Page 77 6.5 The terrestrial tree of life......Page 78 6.6 The evolution of life in the universe......Page 80 6.7 Pathways towards intelligence in the cosmos......Page 81 7.1 Convergence in the synthesis of the elements......Page 84 7.3 Convergence in the formation of interstellar gas......Page 85 7.4 The evolution of the Sun and the origin of life......Page 86 7.5 Convergence in the direct records of solar evolution......Page 87 7.7 The solar wind after the Genesis mission......Page 88 7.8 Space climate and the early earth......Page 90 7.9 Extra solar radiation during the evolution of life......Page 91 7.10 The search for life in the Solar System......Page 92 8.1 The universal driving force of evolution......Page 94 8.3 Convergence at the biochemical level......Page 95 8.4 The birth of chemical evolution......Page 96 8.5 The universality of the life sciences......Page 97 8.6 Convergence at the level of animals......Page 98 9.1 Introduction......Page 100 9.2 Is intelligence a universal phenomenon?......Page 101 9.3 Is cellular evolution bound to take place?......Page 103 9.4 Where can we search for a second Genesis?......Page 104 9.5 Habitability in the Solar System......Page 105 9.6 Implications of life in the cosmos in the humanities......Page 106 9.7 Ultimate implications of evolution in the cosmos......Page 107 10.1 Contingency and convergence in evolution......Page 108 10.2 Evolutionary history tends to repeat itself......Page 109 10.3 The ubiquity of convergent evolution......Page 111 10.4 The Solar System is not unique......Page 112 10.5 Can the universality of biology be tested?......Page 114 10.6 Searching for biosignatures in the Solar System......Page 116 10.7 A case for the search for a second Genesis in the Saturn system......Page 117 11.1 On the inevitability of biological evolution......Page 120 11.2 Evolution should be convergent in the cosmos......Page 121 11.3 Natural selection and convergent evolution......Page 122 11.4 Constraints on convergent evolution......Page 123 12.1 The dialogue between science and religion......Page 126 12.2 Is there a second Genesis in our Solar System?......Page 128 12.4 Future missions to Europa......Page 130 12.5 On the implications of Darwinism......Page 131 12.6 Darwinism, philosophy and theology......Page 132 12.7 On the progress of the different areas of culture......Page 133 13.1 A fruitful dialogue between science and religion......Page 136 13.2 Frontiers of the humanities......Page 137 13.3 Questions from the philosophical area of ethics......Page 138 13.5 Further insights into our origins......Page 139 13.6 Darwinism within natural theology......Page 141 13.7 Beyond the natural boundaries of science......Page 142 13.8 Some questions may escape the scope of science......Page 143 14.1 Intelligibility of nature: a cultural problem......Page 146 14.2 What is the likely destiny of life?......Page 149 14.4 Further thoughts on the universality of science......Page 151 14.5 A dialogue across the frontiers of science and the humanities......Page 153 Bibliography......Page 156 Abbreviations......Page 184 Glossary and Short Biographies......Page 188 Supplementary Reading......Page 226 Index......Page 238 The Author......Page 248 1. Introduction. 1.1. An outline of the book. 1.2. The target audience of the book. 1.3. A second "Genesis". 1.4. Three stepping-stones towards the intelligibility of nature. 1.5. Recommendations to the reader -- 2. An integrated study of Western civilization. 2.1. The three branches of culture. 2.2. The growth of monotheism. 2.3. The emergence of science and philosophy. 2.4. Faith and reason. 2.5. The Enlightenment. 2.6. The unity of nature. 2.7. The evolution of culture. 2.8. Is the position of humans special in the tree of life? 2. 9. What is needed to duplicate our intelligence? 2.10. Constraints imposed by theology on our view of life. 2.11. Questions in philosophy, science and theology. 2.12. The anthropic approach and the emergence of life. 2.13. Is there evidence of purpose in evolution? -- 3. From a first to a second genesis. 3.1. The fitness of the environment. 3.2. Life appeared spontaneously in the remote past. 3.3. Philosophical issues related to life in the universe. 3.4. The question of design in biology. 3.5. Towards a general interest in the origin of life. 3.6. Cultural implications of life in the cosmos -- 4. Implications of a second Genesis. 4.1. Convergence of the evolutionary process. 4.2. Is biology sufficient to discuss a second Genesis? 4.3. Is fine-tuning related to a second Genesis? 4.4. Reflections by theologians. 4.5. Naturalism in philosophy. 4.6. Non-foundational premises of Christian belief -- 5. The destiny of the Universe. 5.1. The concept of convergence in the life sciences. 5.2. Intelligibility of the cosmos according to Aristotle. 5.3. Intelligibility of the cosmos according to Ptolemy. 5.4. Intelligibility of the cosmos in the Middle Ages. 5.5. The Copernican revolution, Digges and Bruno. 5.6. Cosmogonical and cosmological models. 5.7. The cosmic microwave background. 5.8. From the composition of the universe to eventual insights into its destiny -- 6. The destiny of life in the Universe. 6.1. Cosmic pathways towards a second Genesis. 6.2. Astrochemistry. 6.3. The origin and evolution of the Solar System. 6.4. From chemical to cellular evolution. 6.5. The terrestrial tree of life. 6.6. The evolution of life in the universe. 6.7. Pathways towards intelligence in the cosmos -- 7. Towards the intelligibility of nature. 7.1. Convergence in the synthesis of the elements. 7.2. Convergence in the delivery of the biomolecules. 7.3. Convergence in the formation of interstellar gas. 7.4. The evolution of the Sun and the origin of life. 7.5. Convergence in the direct records of solar evolution. 7.6. Isotopic fractionation of noble gases on Earth. 7.7. The solar wind after the Genesis mission. 7.8. Space climate and the early earth. 7.9. Extra solar radiation during the evolution of life. 7.10. The search for life in the Solar System -- 8. Towards the intelligibility of life. 8.1. The universal driving force of evolution. 8.2. General aspects of convergence in biology. 8.3. Convergence at the biochemical level. 8.4. The birth of chemical evolution. 8.5. The universality of the life sciences. 8.6. Convergence at the level of animals -- 9. Is life ubiquitous in the universe? 9.1. Introduction. 9.2. Is intelligence a universal phenomenon? 9.3. Is cellular evolution bound to take place? 9.4. Where can we search for a second Genesis? 9.5. Habitability in the Solar System. 9.6. Implications of life in the cosmos in the humanities. 9.7. Ultimate implications of evolution in the cosmos -- 10. Testing the universality of biology. 10.1. Contingency and convergence in evolution. 10.2. Evolutionary history tends to repeat itself. 10.3. The ubiquity of convergent evolution. 10.4. The Solar System is not unique. 10.5. Can the universality of biology be tested? 10.6. Searching for biosignatures in the Solar System. 10.7. A case for the search for a second Genesis in the Saturn system -- 11. The emergence of intelligence in the universe. 11.1. On the inevitability of biological evolution. 11.2. Evolution should be convergent in the cosmos. 11.3. Natural selection and convergent evolution. 11.4. Constraints on convergent evolution -- 12. Intelligibility in the dialogue between science and religion. 12.1. The dialogue between science and religion. 12.2. Is there a second Genesis in our Solar System? 12.3. The possibility of the emergence of life on Europa. 12.4. Future missions to Europa. 12.5. On the implications of Darwinism. 12.6. Darwinism, philosophy and theology. 12.7. On the progress of the different areas of culture -- 13. The ultimate frontier of science and the humanities. 13.1. A fruitful dialogue between science and religion. 13.2. Frontiers of the humanities. 13.3. Questions from the philosophical area of ethics. 13.4. Views on science and religion. 13.5. Further insights into our origins. 13.6. Darwinism within natural theology. 13.7. Beyond the natural boundaries of science. 13.8. Some questions may escape the scope of science -- 14. Can nature be intelligible. 14.1. Intelligibility of nature : a cultural problem. 14.2. What is the likely destiny of life? 14.3. The destiny of life and a second Genesis. 14.4. Further thoughts on the universality of science. 14.5. A dialogue across the frontiers of science and the humanities