God Chance and Necessity - by Keith Ward (Paperback)

About the Book

This work challenges the assumptions made by so many than religion and scientific belief are incompatible, exposing a number of fallacies through a carefully argued refutation of scientific atheism.

Book Synopsis

The 'new materialism' argues that science and religious belief are incompatible. This book considers such arguments from cosmology, from biology and from sociobiology and exposes a number of crucial fallacies and weaknesses.
With a carefully argued, point by point refutation of scientific atheism, God, Chance and Necessity shows that modern scientific knowledge does not undermine belief in God, but actually points to the existence of God as the best explanation of how things are the way they are. Thus it sets out to demolish the claims of books like The Selfish Gene, and to show that the overwhelming appearance of design in nature is not deceptive.

From the Back Cover

The 'new materialism' argues that science and religious belief are incompatible. This book considers such arguments from cosmology (Stephen Hawking, Peter Atkins), from biology (Charles Darwin, Richard Dawkins) and from sociobiology (Michael Ruse), and exposes a number of fallacies and weaknesses. With a carefully argued, point-by-point refutation of scientific atheism, God, Chance and Necessity shows that modern scientific knowledge does not undermine belief in God, but actually points to the existence of God as the best explanation of how things are the way they are. Thus it sets out to demolish the claims of books like The Selfish Gene, and to show that the overwhelming appearance of design in nature is not deceptive.

Review Quotes

-- "The Guardian"

a profound and richly satisfying book that illuminates better than anything I have come across the most important issue of our time and which sooner or later will consign atheism to the dustbin of philosophical ideas.-- "Catholic Herald"

a very accessible, highly engaging work a well argued apologetic for theistic metaphysics This book displays a maturity and clarity far surpassing Ward's earlier works-- "Theology Today"

admirable effort to engage the scientist and the philosopher in the question of meaning, and human destiny.-- "Muslim World Book Review"

incisive, logically structured and not cluttered with technical language.-- "Methodist Recorder"

it engages with the issues of the day from a position of profound and rational faith and deserves to be widely read and discussed-- "Science and Christian Belief"

A rare synthesis of intellect and conviction, this book offers valuable insights to readers struggling to reconcile faith and science.-- "Booklist"

Prof. Ward has written a tightly reasoned and highly accessible book that seeks to show the fallacies of modern scientific atheism-- "One Country"

The philosophical and scientific arguments for the existence of God - well summarised, for instance in Professor Keith Ward's God, Chance and Necessity (Oneworld, 1996) - are now almost overwhelming.-- "The Times"

Ward combines elegant rendering of familiar arguments with his own creative contribution.-- "Theology Today"

About the Author

Keith Ward is the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford.