The Battle of Science and Spirituality: Reflections on the History of Western Philosophy

Have you ever wondered why two intelligent people can find it impossible to agree on simple things?

It appears that there are two different types of human temperaments. One is romantic, artistic, and spiritual, the other is factual, logical, and scientific – and they often see things very differently. Even though we all live in the same world, we occupy different worldviews. Knowing this helps explain why there is so much division and polarization among us.

In this book you will discover how at the very start of Western philosophy this fundamental division was set in place because Plato was a dreamer, and his student Aristotle was a scientist. This split in our psyche propagated through the entire history of Western philosophy until in modern times we see it in the deep-seated clash between science and religion that keeps us from gaining widespread consensus on some of the most pressing concerns of our time. From climate change to abortion rights, we see things differently, and each temperament passionately and rationally argues for their point of view until it almost impossible to find common ground.

In The Battle of Science and Spirituality you will take a fascinating journey through some of the ways that human beings have attempted to understand what is real, how we know it, and why it matters. You will see that you have both a scientist and a romantic inside you. Which is stronger in you? Are you a champion of the supremacy of facts gained through objective evidence, or are you more likely to trust your own inner revelations and creative impulses? As you learn how these two temperaments developed in Western philosophy you will gain understanding about why it is sometimes so hard for us to agree and get along.