On the irreconcilability of science and religion - Dan Brown's mystery-thriller "Angels and Demons"
Thanks to Liora for this suggestion - Dan Brown's thriller Angels and Demons combines history, science (although both are somewhat distorted at times) and religion in this exploration of the apparent and ongoing controversy between religion and science.
The text is an entertaining read - it takes place around a "24-hour" style action-packed life-and-death scenario. Science threatens religion, which threatens science. With a few ironic turns of events, the main characters, educated and well-respected members of the historical and scientific communities, find themselves working with the Catholic Church and the Vatican to solve the mystery and save key religious figures from the figure who has decided to use science as a weapon against faith.
A controversy surrounding the novel is that, while Brown is creating a work of fiction and thus to a degree is awarded "artistic licence," the liberties he has taken with presenting historical or scientific information have resulted in a following of individuals who seek to rectify or "debunk" his part-truths or misrepresentations. Examples of this are the timeline of the Illuminati (who have themselves become central to enticing conspiracy theories over time) and a superficial understanding of antimatter.
Either way, it is a book praised for its attempts to further explore the dichotomy between religion and science and the seemingly ongoing battle between the two.
The text is an entertaining read - it takes place around a "24-hour" style action-packed life-and-death scenario. Science threatens religion, which threatens science. With a few ironic turns of events, the main characters, educated and well-respected members of the historical and scientific communities, find themselves working with the Catholic Church and the Vatican to solve the mystery and save key religious figures from the figure who has decided to use science as a weapon against faith.
A controversy surrounding the novel is that, while Brown is creating a work of fiction and thus to a degree is awarded "artistic licence," the liberties he has taken with presenting historical or scientific information have resulted in a following of individuals who seek to rectify or "debunk" his part-truths or misrepresentations. Examples of this are the timeline of the Illuminati (who have themselves become central to enticing conspiracy theories over time) and a superficial understanding of antimatter.
Either way, it is a book praised for its attempts to further explore the dichotomy between religion and science and the seemingly ongoing battle between the two.
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