Why an Atheist Thinks the Shroud of Turin is the Real Deal

The Modernizing Importance of Darwin and

The fact of the matter is that Darwin, Lyell and thousands of other scientists have had an extraordinary modernizing, important and positive impact on civilization, culture and religion. Before that could happen, a revolution of sorts had to take place. We speak of the Scientific Revolution, and indeed there was one. But it had its roots in philosophy. A distinct branch of philosophy, that was science, not to be confused with what has become known in our age as the philosophy of science, had to speciate into science apart from its parent. It had to do so in the same sense that the game of rugby evolved into American football with its own rules, associations and fans.  Philosophers had their societies. Scientists needed their own. That, perhaps more than anything, spawned the Scientific Revolution and empowered scientists.