Storytellers and scenario spinners: Some reflections on religion and science in light of a pragmatic, evolutionary theory of knowledge

Abstract

Asserting that both scientists and religious thinkers are involved in telling stories about the past and spinning scenarios about the future, I first compare and contrast the purposes of scientific and religious storytelling. Then, in light of some recent work on brain and language evolution, I offer a possible story about how humans might have become storytellers. Finally, I discuss how religious stories might be evaluated pragmatically and even scientifically by developing Lakatosian-type research programs. © 1997 by the Joint Publication Board of Zygon.