Science & Religion (V7098)

30 credits, Level 4

Spring teaching

Many people view science as a uniquely powerful source of knowledge about the world and our place within it. But what is science? And how does it differ from other ways in which people seek to understand the world, such as through religion, literature, or philosophy? Is science objective but religion subjective? Is science evidence-based but religion faith-based?

On this module, you’ll consider the nature of science and think about similarities and differences between science and religion by engaging with:

• traditional debates in contemporary philosophy of religion, such as:
• arguments for the existence of God
• the problem of evil
• the nature of religious knowledge
• less traditional topics that are often-overlooked, such as:
• feminist philosophy of religion
• humanism
• the question of whether different religions can be understood as worshipping the same God.

Throughout the module you’ll develop your ability to construct reasoned arguments in order to make appropriate and well-informed decisions.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 50 hours of contact time and about 250 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses:

• History and Philosophy BA
• Philosophy BA
• Philosophy and English BA
• Philosophy and Sociology BA
• Politics and Philosophy BA