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For 11-16 year olds:

Topic 1 - How do we make sense of the world

  • How does science make sense of the world?
  • How does religion help us make sense of the world?
  • How does Buddhism make sense of the world?
  • How does Christianity make sense of the world?
  • How does Hinduism make sense of the world?
  • How does Islam make sense of the world?
  • How does Judaism make sense of the world?
  • How does Sikhism make sense of the world?

Topic 2 - How do we find out about the world?

  • What is an explanation?
  • What is real?
  • Wholes and parts?
  • Scientism and Materialism
  • How is language used in Science and Religion?

Topic 3 - Historical perspectives on the debate?

  • Early influences
  • The Greeks
  • The Golden Age of Islam
  • Christianity and the development of modern science
  • Mechanism
  • Darwin
  • The rise of fundamentalism in the C20th

Topic 4 - In the beginning: scientific and religious accounts of creation

  • A scientific account of the beginning
  • A religious account of the beginning
  • Literal or literary understanding of creation

Topic 5 - Ethical Issues: some key areas of concern

  • Introduction to ethics
  • Environmental ethics
  • Genetic issues
  • Medical issues
  • Animal issues
  • Terraforming

For 16-19-16 year olds:

Topic 1 - Basic Philosophical Questions

  • What is real?
  • Knowing and believing
  • What is an explanation?
  • Miracles

Topic 2 - Language and Communication in Science and Religion

  • Langauge in science and religion
  • Models
  • How does the media treat science and religion

Topic 3 - Historical perspectives on the debate

  • The late 18th and early 19th centuries
  • The 19th century
  • The 20th century
    • Fundementalism
    • The New Physics
    • Crick and Watson
    • The Human Genome
    • Women in Science and Religion

Topic 4 - The origin and history of the universe

  • Cosmology and Eschatology
  • The Anthropic principle
  • Evolution and Creation

Topic 5 - Perceptions of Science and Religion by the major world faiths

  • A Buddhism perspective
  • A Christian perspective
  • A Hindu perspective
  • A Muslim perspective
  • A Jewish perspective
  • A Sikh perspective

Topic 6 - Ethical Issues

  • Environmental Issues (short version)
  • Environmental Issues (long version)
  • Medical ethics and biotechnology
  • Animal rights
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