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Caring for nature: from fact to value, from respect to reverence

Date

2004

Authors

Rolston, Holmes, 1932-, author
Joint Publication Board of Zygon, publisher

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Abstract

Despite the classical prohibition of moving from fact to value, encounter with the biodiversity and plenitude of being in evolutionary natural history moves us to respect life, even to reverence it. Darwinian accounts are value-laden and necessary for understanding life at the same time that Darwinian theory fails to provide sufficient cause for the historically developing diversity and increasing complexity on Earth. Earth is a providing ground; matter and energy on Earth support life, but distinctive to life is information coded in the genetic molecules that superintends this matter-energy. Life is generated and regenerated in struggle, persists in its perishing. Such life is also a gift; nature is grace. Biologists and theologians join in celebrating and conserving the genesis on Earth, awed in their encounter with this creativity that characterizes our home planet.

Description

This is an electronic version of an article published in Zygon®: Journal of Religion and Science.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 300-302).

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Subject

respect for nature
reverence for nature
genetic information
value distinction
environmental conservation
evolutionary natural history
fact distinction
order versus contingency
nature as grace

Citation

Associated Publications