The clock work image: A Christian perspective on science

by Donald MacCrimmon MacKay

Book by MacKay, Donald MacCrimmon

Genres: Science

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Paul Dubuc · Rating 4 out of 5]

If C. S. Lewis were a scientist, I think he would have written like Donald M. MacKay. This small book, published in 1974, is one that has been unread on my shelf for a long time. Though it may be a little dated, the substance of the argument in this book goes a long way toward an understanding of the complementary relationship between science and religion without diminishing the importance of either. Dr. MacKay offers illustrations that illuminate the perennial questions about free will and determinism much along the lines of his later book, Brains, Machines, and Persons. There's also an interesting discussion between Dr. MacKay and the behaviorist, Dr. B. F. Skinner on William Buckley's Firing Line TV program here: https://youtu.be/1DMyDYgxFlo

Reading this book will require some effort to understand some parts but, for those who wonder about the questions raised by the relationship between science and faith, the effort is well worth the expense.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

MacKay concisely (and I think successfully) argues that there are a small handful of misconceptions and a couple of related fallacies which have produced the widespread impression that science is incrementally displacing religious doctrine, and that religious claims are consequently to be regarded as false by default. Quick, short read.