Astrobiology and Humanism

“We can divide scientists into two camps, believers and non-believers. Believers in what? In the religious claims of the three Abrahamic traditions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This is the way Julian Chela-Flores, Venezuelan physicist and astrobiologist, cuts the pie. The book, Astrobiology and Humanism, cites a number of well-respected scientists who have been believers such as Muslim Abdus Salam and Roman Catholic Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini. For such scientists to integrate their naturalistic grasp of the world with their respective beliefs in God, they must reject natural theology – the attempt to demonstrate God’s action via the methods of science – in favour of a theology of nature, which derives belief in God from revelation and tradition. ‘Theology of nature’, he contends, begins by ‘accepting science’ and then ‘attempts to come to a more fundamental understanding. It relies on the unifying explanatory power of science’ (30-31). […] Much of the book, Astrobiology and Humanism, consists of staccato ruminations combined with a scientific hagiography of luminaries such as Paul Dirac, Frank Drake, and Charles Townes. In the case of Nobel Prize winning Townes, Chela-Torres takes us beyond the two-language model in the direction of consonance.”

“In a clear and orderly manner, in this book are presented important aspects that are topics of interest in astrobiology, such as the possibility of a second genesis, the theological implications of astrobiological studies, and the relevance of studying Europa, the moon of Jupiter. [I]n the text, we are also guided in a humane manner [as to] how astrobiology has emerged and is being gradually constructed. The human aspect of its narrative is evident. Besides, the book contains numerous references that give its readers the opportunity to continue going deeper into this topic. This book is a work that anyone who is interested in astrobiology should own, and which any professional who is interested in finding support for links between science, philosophy and astrobiology should also own.”