Agents Under Fire: Materialism and the Rationality of Science

by Angus J. L. Menuge Concordia University Wisconsin, Michael Ruse Florida State University

Overview

In the first study of its kind, Agents Under Fire defends a robust notion of agency and intentionality against eliminative and naturalistic alternatives, showing the interconnections between the philosophy of mind, theology, and Intelligent Design. Menuge argues that Behe's irreducible complexity is a challenge to reductionism not only in biology, but also in psychology, and shows the inability of the Darwinian psychology proposed by Dawkins, Dennett, and Steven Pinker to explain the integration, unity, direction, and reliability of rational thought.

This fascinating defense against scientific materialism is the only book-length study relating Intelligent Design to contemporary issues in the philosophy of mind. Drawing on his experience as both a philosopher and a computer scientist, Menuge deftly shows the reader that the materialist's attempts to rid science of all commitment to teleology can only result in incoherence, and presents instead his own unique argument for the legitimacy of Intelligent Design.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742534049
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	07/01/2004
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.34(w) x 9.02(h) x 1.01(d)

About the Author

Angus Menuge is associate professor of philosophy and associate director of the Cranach Institute at Concordia University Wisconsin. He holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Warwick, an M.A. and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a DCA in Christian Apologetics from the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism, and Human Rights. Dr. Menuge is editor of three books, C. S. Lewis: Lightbearer in the Shadowlands (Crossway Books, 1997), Christ and Culture in Dialogue (Concordia Publishing House, 1999) and Reading God's World: The Vocation of Scientist (Concordia Publishing House, forthcoming).

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Foreword Chapter 2 Preface Chapter 3 Skyhooks and Cranes: The Challenge of Reductionism Chapter 4 Strong Agent Reductionism: Materialism and the Rationality of Science Chapter 5 Weak Agent Reductionism: Science and the Rationality of Materialism Chapter 6 Bait and Switch: Indirectness and Biological Unity Chapter 7 The Alchemy of the Mind: Indirectness and Psychological Unity Chapter 8 Beyond Skinnerian Creatures: A Defense of the Lewis-Plantinga Argument Against Evolutionary Naturalism Chapter 9 Intentionality, Information and Displacement: The Legitimacy of Design Chapter 10 Science and Christianity: Dogmatism and Dialogue Chapter 11 Index Chapter 12 About the Author

Editorial Reviews

With marvelous clarity and wit, Angus Menuge lays bare the philosophical incoherence of materialism. He clears the fog to show that the universe contains not only matter and energy; it contains agents.

Michael Behe

In this wonderfully insightful book, Angus Menuge details how intelligent design is systematically dismantling materialism's scientific and philosophical underpinnings. Though for now materialism persists as academic orthodoxy, Menuge's withering attack against it in this book signals a coming sea of change.

William Dembski

Philosophical naturalism is frequently advocated as the only doctrine that a scientifically informed intellectual of our time can possibly consider. Angus Menuge has shown, however, that a wide range of powerful considerations can be brought forward against this philosophy. Menuge provides a close examination of leading naturalists such as Dawkins, Dennett, and Churchland, and draws upon a wide range of critics from C. S. Lewis to Michael Behe, to provide what is arguably the most comprehensive critique of naturalism yet to appear. A must-read for naturalists and for their opponents.

Victor Reppert

This book moves sharply against the grain of the naturalism and the materialism that dominate contemporary philosophy. It boldly portrays the world as laced with purpose, not just human purpose but divine purpose too. All readers can attend to this adventurous portrayal with very good purpose.

Keith Moser

With marvelous clarity and wit, Angus Menuge lays bare the philosophical incoherence of materialism. He clears the fog to show that the universe contains not only matter and energy; it contains agents.--Michael Behe, professor of biochemistry, Lehigh University

Philosophical naturalism is frequently advocated as the only doctrine that a scientifically informed intellectual of our time can possibly consider. Angus Menuge has shown, however, that a wide range of powerful considerations can be brought forward against this philosophy. Menuge provides a close examination of leading naturalists such as Dawkins, Dennett, and Churchland, and draws upon a wide range of critics from C. S. Lewis to Michael Behe, to provide what is arguably the most comprehensive critique of naturalism yet to appear. A must-read for naturalists and for their opponents.--Victor Reppert, author of C. S. Lewis's Dangerous Idea

This book moves sharply against the grain of the naturalism and the materialism that dominate contemporary philosophy. It boldly portrays the world as laced with purpose, not just human purpose but divine purpose too. All readers can attend to this adventurous portrayal with very good purpose.--Keith Moser

From the Publisher