An edition of Brother Astronomer (2000)

Brother Astronomer

Adventures of a Vatican Scientist

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Last edited by ImportBot
September 17, 2023 | History
An edition of Brother Astronomer (2000)

Brother Astronomer

Adventures of a Vatican Scientist

1 edition
  • 0 Ratings
  • 0 Want to read
  • 0 Currently reading
  • 0 Have read

In the current debate over science and religion, we tend to overlook the fact that not all religious traditions are anti-scientific. People are often surprised to hear that the Vatican supports an astronomical observatory, yet the Vatican Observatory is one of the oldest astronomical institutes in the world, with its beginnings dating back to the reform of the calendar in 1582. Astronomy was one of the core subjects (along with arithmetic, geometry, and music) in the great medieval universities, taught by the Jesuits. Following the tradition of his order, Jesuit brother and working astronomer Guy Consolmagno considers himself to be a "missionary of science;" his mission: to undo the false assumption that the Church remains hostile to science. Blending memoir, science, history, and theology, Consolmagno takes us on a grand adventure. We revisit the infamous "Galileo affair" and see that it didn't unfold in quite the way we thought. We tour the Vatican's extensive meteorite collection and learn how astronomy progresses despite its dearth of tactile evidence. We get a rare glimpse into the world of working scientists and see how scientific discoveries are proposed and advanced (it hasn't changed much since Galileo's time). We learn the inside story of the "Mars meteorite": how can we be sure it's really from Mars, and why can't scientists agree on whether or not it contains evidence of life? With Consolmagno as our guide we travel to Japan and see how geology informs planetary science; we go to Africa and witness mankind's innate curiosity about the heavens, even in the midst of desperate poverty; and we hunt for meteorites in Antarctica. Most importantly, we see how science and religion can come together in one individual, and by extension, how they both are needed to answer the big questions. What would it mean to us if we did find life elsewhere in the universe? How did the world begin, and why does it follow natural laws? "Science and Religion have an intimate tie," Brother Guy writes, "Without faith in a Creator God, one who looks at His universe and declares it Good, how can you justify the belief that this universe is worth studying; indeed, that the universe even makes enough sense to be able to be studied?"

Publish Date
Publisher
McGraw-Hill
Language
English
Pages
256

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Previews available in: English

Edition Availability
Cover of: Brother Astronomer
Brother Astronomer: Adventures of a Vatican Scientist
February 12, 2001, McGraw-Hill Companies
in English
Cover of: Brother Astronomer
Brother Astronomer: Adventures of a Vatican Scientist
February 12, 2001, McGraw-Hill Companies
Paperback in English - New Ed edition
Cover of: Brother Astronomer
Brother Astronomer
2001, McGraw-Hill
Electronic resource in English
Cover of: Brother Astronomer
Brother Astronomer: Adventures of a Vatican Scientist
February 12, 2000, McGraw-Hill
Hardcover in English - 1 edition
Cover of: Brother Astronomer
Brother Astronomer: Adventures of a Vatican Scientist
February 12, 2000, McGraw-Hill
in English

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Book Details


The Physical Object

Format
Hardcover
Number of pages
256
Dimensions
9.1 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
Weight
1.3 pounds

ID Numbers

Open Library
OL9253075M
Internet Archive
brotherastronome00guyc
ISBN 10
007135428X
ISBN 13
9780071354288
Library Thing
125650
Goodreads
1234428

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Download catalog record: RDF / JSON
September 17, 2023 Edited by ImportBot import existing book
July 27, 2020 Edited by MARC Bot import existing book
July 22, 2019 Edited by MARC Bot remove fake subjects
June 18, 2010 Edited by ImportBot add details from OverDrive
December 8, 2009 Created by ImportBot add works page