ADVANCE NOTICE – 2011 CONFERENCE

INSPIRATION IN SCIENCE AND RELIGION

25-27 SEPTEMBER 2011,

at CUMBERLAND LODGE, WINDSOR

Inspiration is twofold: on the one hand it is a sense of purpose which permeates everyday activities. On the other hand it refers to a moment of clarity, a moment in which some internal struggle becomes resolved or some inchoate idea becomes formed. But where does inspiration come from and what is its status in different areas of human endeavour?

Source: Science and Religion Forum

Artists are used to talking about inspiration; they are notorious for seeking it and channelling it. It must be the case, though – or is it? – that inspiration is central to scientific endeavour and religious experience. Scientists often have a strong sense that the purpose of their work is to reveal the truth about the way things are. Equally, ‘eureka’ moments are not uncommon in scientific work. Religious people of all persuasions often refer to the inspiration which guides their life, perhaps as ‘a calling’. They, too, have the other kind of inspiration, the moment of clarity; epitomised by the road to Damascus experience.

This conference seeks to address an ambitious set of questions: to what extent is inspiration a feature common to science and religion? Are they categorically different forms of inspiration insofar as they are derived from different sources? What is the status and role of inspiration in these different fields? Can inspiration be defined in neurophysiological terms or is it quintessentially ineffable? Is inspiration somehow an intrinsic part of all pursuits of truth and knowledge? If so, is our educational system fostering inspiration or stifling it?