Science is our best way of learning about many important aspects of reality, and one important reason is its ethos of critical self-reflection – which philosophy of science contributes to. Maintaining this ethos requires constant vigilance – not least because science is done by human beings, who are susceptible to bias and careerism as well as plain error; but also because science attracts pretenders who unjustifiedly claim its authority. Philosophy has a long tradition of contributing to the development of science – by clarifying scientific concepts and methods, developing technical tools such as classical and probability logics, and reflecting critically on the way in which scientists can be influenced by power dynamics, financial interests, and other social factors (overlapping with feminist and critical philosophy). Ideally, philosophy of science can help hold science accountable to its own standards of inquiry.

Both science and religion provide ways to make sense of reality, and many questions arise around their relationship; this is what the philosophy of science, applied to religion, investigates. Do scientific and religious sense-making endeavors conflict, or are they compatible? Perhaps they simply concern distinct domains, such as the empirical versus the spiritual. Some argue that scientific ways of thinking should be applied to religious belief systems, whereas others think this is a category mistake. And some argue that scientists can, or even should, harbor a quasi-religious commitment to their research programs. On top of these areas of intersection, religious and scientific thought as we know it today developed in tandem due to social and power dynamics, as religious authorities have sought to control science, and scientific communities seek to distance themselves from religious influence. Yet religion and science have much in common, not least their search for understanding, and their shared sense of wonder and awe at reality’s complexity and even beauty. The conversations between the philosophies of science and religion are multifaceted and ongoing.