Society for Philosophical Study of Religion, Science and Asian Thought (SPSRSAT)

Society for Philosophical Study of Religion, Science and Asian Thought (SPSRSAT)

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West Chester University
West Chester, Pennsylvania

The core-planning group of SPSRSAT consists of members from faculties of philosophy, physics, communication, peace and conflict studies, and ethnic studies of West Chester University, as well as members of the faculties of history and sociology of science, Chinese, and the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Dialogue plans cover a variety of themed topics: “Origins”—using contemporary texts as a guide, with an emphasis on cosmology and myth in a cross-cultural analysis of the origins of humanity in relation to divinity; approaches will include theism, monotheism, creation, myths of origin, scientific evolution, deism, process thought, and existentialism. “Processes”—questioning how the universe operates from theological and scientific perspectives to identify laws and principles of quantum mechanical inter-relatedness and the notion of free will; contemporary texts used will cover a broad range of philosophical, theological and scientific perspectives. “Futures”—considering the future of humanity in the face of enormous scientific advances in biotechnology and the implications of globalization in relation to theological, philosophical, and scientific interpretation. In addition to students, faculty and staff of the universities, outreach will invite high school educators, local clergy and religious leaders, and retirees from the surrounding area. Matching funds are provided by the Office of Sponsored Research, the Department of Philosophy, and the Department of Physics at West Chester University, and additional support is provided by the WCU’s College of Arts and Sciences.