About the Author

 

I grew up at the feet of the majestic mountains of Provo, Utah and spent as much of my childhood as I could outdoors. By the time I was in fifth grade, I knew I wanted to be a biologist. I received a B.S. in Molecular Biology and Conservation Biology from Brigham Young University and a M.S. in Wildlife Resources from the University of Idaho. I spent several years working as a genetics researcher, first in the biotech industry and then in the field of conservation genetics, and one year teaching at a private school. I am the wife of an architect and the stay-at-home mother of three children in Spokane, Washington. I enjoy (among other things) reading, bird watching, playing various Celtic and folk instruments, and eating ice cream.

As a long-time student of biology and a life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I have had many occasions to wrestle with questions at the interface between science and religion. Throughout this process, I have found great harmony in being a person of faith and a scientist. The two ways of knowing complement each other, and I find that my view is greatly enriched when I learn both by study and by faith, with my mind as well as with my heart. This does not mean that I have an answer for every perplexing puzzle that arises from our current, incomplete understanding of the world. But I "...welcome truth from whatever source, and take the view that where religion and science seem to clash, it is often because there is insufficient data to reconcile the two." (Quote from "The Mormon Next Door," a presentation developed by the Church of Jesus Christ to familiarize others with the basic features of the Church.)

References Used in Posts

 

• Brooke, J.H. 1991. Science and Religion. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

• Dembski, W. 1996. What every theologian should know about creation, evolution and design. Princeton Theological Review. http://www.discovery.org/a/122

• Dembski, W. 1998. The Intelligent Design Movement. http://www.designinference.com/documents/1998.03.ID_movement.htm

• Gould, S.J. 1999. Rocks of ages: science and religion in the fullness of life. The Ballantine Publishing Group, New York

• Hickman, C.P Jr., L.S. Roberts, and F.M. Hickman. 1988. Integrated principles of zoology. 8th edition. Times Mirror/Mosby College Publishing, St. Louis.

• Hume, D. 1740. A treatise of human nature. Volume 3. Thomas Longman, London.

• Kitzmiller vs Dover. 2005, available at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Kitzmiller_v._Dover_Area_School_District/4:Whether_ID_Is_Science

• Krebs, C.J. 2001. Ecology: the experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. 5th edition. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA.

• Mayr, E. 1982. The growth of biological thought: diversity, evolution, and inheritance. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.

• Meffe, G.K , C.R. Carroll, and contributors. 1994. Principles of conservation biology. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.

• Miller, K. R. 1999. Finding Darwin’s God: a scientist’s search for common ground between God and evolution. Harper Collins Publishers, New York.

• National Academy of Sciences. 1998. Teaching about evolution and the nature of science. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.

• Noon, B.R. and D.D. Murphy. 1994. Management of the spotted owl: the interaction of science, policy, politics, and litigation. Pp. 380-388 in Meffe and Carroll 1994.

• Orr, D. 2004. The corruption (and redemption) of science. Conservation Biology 18:862-865.

• Pigliucci, M. 2002. Denying evolution: creationism, scientism, and the nature of science. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.

• Popper, K.R. 1959. The logic of scientific discovery. 2002 Printing. Routledge (UK), London, New York.

• Ruse, M., ed. 1996. But is it science?: the philosophical question in the creation/evolution controversy. Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY.

• Stenmark, M. 2004. How to relate science and religion. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI.

Links in the Posts

Here is a list of the links referenced in the posts, as accessed on the dates when the posts were written.

Defining Faith and Science: Part 2

How Science Works: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/howscienceworks_01

Do Science and Religion Overlap?

Science and Religion: Reconcilable Differences: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/science_religion

Peters’ Typology: https://counterbalance.org/ghc-outl/peter-body.html

Worldviews about Science, Religion, and Reality

The Counterbalance Foundation: https://counterbalance.org/ghc-outl/logie-body.html

Too Much Faith in Science?

Evangelical Atheism Today: A Response to Richard Dawkins: https://counterbalance.org/new-atheism/index-frame.html

Is Science Value-Free?

Science Has Limits: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/whatisscience_12

Calling for Education Reform in Science

Understanding Science: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/index.php

About Understanding Science: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/about.php

Why God is Not a Scientific Hypothesis– And Why We Would Not Want Him To Be

Science has limits: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/whatisscience_12

What About Evolution?

For the “Miriam on Evolution” link, you will just have to read my book

Does Evolution Support Atheism?

Dave’s post: http://www.mormonsandscience.com/religion--science-blog/whats-up-with-atheism-and-agnosticism-in-science

Methodological naturalism quote: https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Intelligent_design

Fertile Common Ground: Conservation

Alliance of Religions and Conservation: http://www.arcworld.org/

Forum on Religion and Ecology: http://fore.research.yale.edu/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi

Society for Conservation Biology: https://conbio.org/

Religion and Conservation Biology resource page: https://conbio.org/groups/working-groups/religion-and-conservation-biology/resources5

Fact or Theory?: Getting it Right

UC Berkeley Understanding Science website: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/teaching/misconceptions.php#a1

See more on testability: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/whatisscience_05

See “Falsifiable” here: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/teaching/misconceptions.php#a1

Understanding Science Project summarizes: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/howscienceworks_19

Proving the Impossible is Probably Implausible

Kenneth R. Miller quote is found in the post, “A Most Exquisite Little Creature.”