Discussion held on science and religion

While the debate over evolution and religion dates back centuries, it's not about to be resolved anytime soon if last Thursday is any indication. In a talk entitled "Biological Evolution: What's All the Fuss About?" Biology Professor Neil Shubin discussed what evolution means for human development, his own discoveries in anthropology and science's place in the realm of religion. About 15 people, both Penn students and area residents, attended the event, which took place in the Newman Center and was sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Fellowship as part of their Distinguished Guest Lecture Series. In his introduction, Shubin, who is also Hamilton College House's faculty master, said he wanted to "convey the sheer excitement of being in this field." "Sometimes you can find things that change your world view, that's why we're in this business," he said. Shubin discussed the notion of Evolutionary Novelty, which involves the study of the origins of new plant life, structural designs, functional systems and biological roles. He focused on his study of Divonian times and limbs, which he said "opened the floodgates for evolution by building a common ancestral pattern." Shubin's native state of Pennsylvania, where he co-discovered the "eight-fingered fish fossil," played a central role in his work. Through his study of the geological structure and history of the state, he found that "more often than not our discoveries are along the side of the road, in your own backyard." While his work in Pennsylvania and in the Gobi desert and Arctic tundra have contributed greatly to the study of anthropology, Shubin noted that scientists "haven't fully answered any questions." "There's a lot we don't know, and that's great, it challenges me," Shubin said. Shubin also stated that scientific hypotheses are not necessarily the truth, a statement which helped to launch the question-and-answer session. "While religion and science are compatible, they are completely fundamentally different," Shubin said. "I see science and religion as different ways of knowing and not in conflict." One attendee mentioned the Kansas school board's decision to outlaw the teaching of evolution, which Shubin said he felt was "a disservice to both science and religion and a great tragedy." Some attendees said they felt that academia placed too much emphasis on science and downplayed the importance of religion. "I feel they teach science [in schools] without faith, as if it were fact," one Philadelphia resident said. Alexander Webster, the University Eastern Orthodox chaplain, said he felt the debate over science and religion existed more out of fear than out of actual disagreements over the issue. "Christians do in some way feel threatened because doctors' opinions are so highly regarded," he said. While the discussion did not reach a conclusion, most attendees nonetheless felt it was successful. "We brought him here for exactly what he spoke about, to find out whether religion conflicts with science and whether we should see science as a threat or as complementary," said Wharton senior Peter Margetis, the OCF's student president.

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