Where the Conflict Really Lies

Science, Religion, & Naturalism

By: Alvin Plantinga

Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray

Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

This audiobook is a long-awaited major statement by a pre-eminent analytic philosopher, Alvin Plantinga, on one of our biggest debates - the compatibility of science and religion. The last twenty years has seen a cottage industry of books on this divide, but with little consensus emerging. Plantinga, as a top philosopher but also a proponent of the rationality of religious belief, has a unique contribution to make. His theme in this short book is that the conflict between science and theistic religion is actually superficial, and that at a deeper level they are in concord.

Plantinga examines where this conflict is supposed to exist - evolution, evolutionary psychology, analysis of scripture, scientific study of religion -- as well as claims by Dan Dennett, Richard Dawkins, and Philip Kitcher that evolution and theistic belief cannot co-exist. Plantinga makes a case that their arguments are not only inconclusive but that the supposed conflicts themselves are superficial, due to the methodological naturalism used by science. On the other hand, science can actually offer support to theistic doctrines, and Plantinga uses the notion of biological and cosmological "fine-tuning" in support of this idea. Plantinga argues that we might think about arguments in science and religion in a new way - as different forms of discourse that try to persuade people to look at questions from a perspective such that they can see that something is true. In this way, there is a deep and massive consonance between theism and the scientific enterprise.

©2011 Oxford University Press (P)2014 Audible Inc.

thorough arguments about naturalism

naturalism and evolutionary theory are apparently incompatible. I enjoyed the ride that led to that conclusion and this helped me move the needle as I fill in my personal beliefs as a post-christian.

Time well spent: lucid

Solid reading for those wanting to understand the issues underlying the conflict among naturalists and theists and how science and theism are at root allies.

Technical but accessible

I love probability and logic, so enjoyed the book. I think some of the probability equations need to be seen in print form to really concentrate on them enough for them to sink in.

Historical Work by Plantinga

Powerfully persuasive since the book is airtight logical. Hope future discussions among others involved on the relevant topics to be at the equivalent level. For otherwise, they would be mere meaningless waste.
There are minor but irritating reader mistakes toward the end of the book: Page 320 (11:31:52) the reader reads the word "Neural" "Natural". Page 339 (footnote) on the third sentence, the reader misreads "Suppose" "Some", rendering the whole sentence incomprehensible.

a well-written and fair presentation

although I am an atheist I still have to admit this book presents the best argument I have yet heard for theistic belief. the author is fair and thorough. I appreciate this critique of naturalism as it gives me a lot to think about.

great

Taking up Dawkins, Hitchens, Dennet, and Harris. Nicely done. searching for their response would be interesting.

difficult for an audiobook

The book was good and the content good too. The main issue that I have is that some books are not meant to be listened to and this is one of them. maybe someone can understand the arguments a lot by listening to the audio, but the discussions about probabilities we not easy.

Very Powerful Book

What made the experience of listening to Where the Conflict Really Lies the most enjoyable?

Alvin Plantinga is spot on. The logical layout and the real world examples make this an easy and fun read. (listen)

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The intense logic was beautiful.

What does Michael Butler Murray bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think the narrator did an excellent job.

A Remarkable Engagement between Science and Theism

This is a powerful and well written book that directly engages the fault line in western intellectual discourse between theism and naturalism that has been so disputed since the enlightenment and the amazing development of modern science. It is not a history of that development but an analytic philosophical exploration of the issues at stake in the claims of naturalism or reductive materialism and of a theistic description of reality. The arguments are clearly and forcefully presented, often complete with logical formulae, and with a clear mastery of all the technical tools of modern analytic philosophy.

Along with the forceful argument, however, there is also a self-deprecating sense of humor and a use of everyday illustrations that make Plantinga's investigation of issues easy to follow.

He argues that the fundamental character of the relationship between science and a theistic understanding of reality have been misunderstood in most recent discussion. There is no substantial conflict between science and theism, but that in fact the real conflict is between the great intellectual edifice of science and naturalism or reductive materialism.

The book is very well read and easy to follow with a few exceptions. Logical formulae do not lend themselves to being easily understood when read orally. The book requires thoughtful concentration, but well repays the effort required.

Difficult in Audio Format

Any additional comments?

This is a very well written book, but it uses many logical proofs in the form of "If A, then B-C, C then B-D..." Very difficult these proofs in an audio book.