THE PLACE OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THEOLOGY AND SCIENCE

Abstract

Being in its totality constitutes the domain of philosophy. Truth and beauty are transcendental properties of being, and are convertible. Truth is the perception of beauty in the intellectual order, and Aristotle articulated the beauty inherent in this expression with the simplicity of genius itself, when he stated, at the beginning of the Book of the Metaphysics , that all men by nature desire to know. The material object which lies at the basis of all the fields of human knowledge is being. However, it is the formal object that distinguishes one field of knowledge from another, thereby giving each field of knowledge is own sphere of fundamental intelligibility. “ The Place of Philosophy in the Interaction between Theology and Science ” examines the sphere of fundamental intelligibility inherent in these different fields of knowledge, by raising the question of “theology” and the question of “science,” it pays attention to the interaction that exists and could exist between “theology” and “science,” and the challenges within the context of this interaction. The contention of this paper is that in the interaction between Theology and Science, a warfare paradigm characterized by conflict and antagonism need not be accepted as the paragon demonstrative of ideological innocence, rather, with greater analytical awareness, the “warfare model” in the relationship between theology and science must be superseded. The insight offered by the interaction between theology and philosophy in the understanding of the Logos, as the foundation of the universe gives further insight into the order of the universe and the logic of science. Wisdom is the greatest perfection of the intellect. It is the place of wisdom to provide order, very significantly therefore, it is important to examine the place of philosophy “as the love of wisdom,” in the exploration of the various degrees of eidetic perception and intellectual visualization in relation to different modes of knowledge, and the models of interaction between them. Each discipline has its specific methodological framework; therefore it is a disservice to truth and wisdom to confuse the distinctive methodological frameworks peculiar to different modes of knowledge. The goal is the achievement of creative insight in relation to new ideas in the interaction between these modes of knowledge and the advancement of human culture and development. Article visualizations: