This book is the eighth collection of essays by the author that in a good part deal with science. The first essay deals with a strange and very late awakening to the bearing of Gödel's theorem to physics. The second is concerned with a similar though much earlier fact, namely, Galileo's oversight of a wholly mistaken statement of Aristotle on the laws of motion. The next five essays have for their topic, in part with an eye on Duhem’s work, the role which Christ, or rather belief in him played and still plays in a proper grasp of the history of science and even of brave utterances about extraterrestrials. In chapter 8 attention is focused on the relation of relativity theory to religion, with special reference to Einstein's own statements, whereas the qestion of purpose as a problem in biology is discussed in chapter 9. The next three chapters deal with the broader societal questions of bioethics. Chapter 13 offers an analysis of the conversion to Catholicism of Karl Stern, a noted Jewish psychiatrist. Chapters 14-15 deal with Chesterton, whereas the thought of Thomas Aquinas constitutes the topic of the concluding two chapters.

By Fr. Stanley L. Jaki

ISBN 978-0-9774826-4-1  •  viii + 261 pages  •  softcover