Data, Laws & Evidence: Philosophy of Science in Dialogue with religious Thought

Scientific inquiry is shaped by evolving understandings of data, evidence, and the laws that appear to govern the natural world. Whether through the rise of big data, new empirical methods, or debates about the nature of scientific explanation, contemporary philosophy of science continues to refine how we interpret what science tells us about reality. These developments raise important questions not only for scientists and philosophers but also for theologians and scholars of religion who seek to engage constructively with scientific knowledge.

This conference explores how concepts such as evidence, natural laws, causation, and explanation function within scientific practice, and how these concepts intersect with religious and theological perspectives. As scientific disciplines generate increasingly complex forms of data and expand into new domains—from climate modelling to neuroscience and artificial intelligence—long‑standing questions about meaning, agency, and truth gain fresh urgency.

Bringing together philosophers of science, theologians, historians, and scientists, this conference will examine how religious thought can respond to, challenge, or be enriched by contemporary accounts of scientific reasoning. We will consider how different traditions interpret evidence, whether religious and scientific explanations can coexist or complement one another, and how metaphysical commitments shape our understanding of natural laws.

Through interdisciplinary dialogue, we aim to explore how scientific and religious communities might engage more fruitfully—offering deeper insight not only into the workings of the natural world but also into the broader human search for understanding.

Approximate running times BST (tbc):

20th November: 12noon - 5pm (conference)

21st November: 9am - 2pm