Authors:
- Examines not only Western monotheistic religions but also Eastern belief systems such as Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism
- Covers the history of the debate concerning extraterrestrial life and the current state of exoplanet research
- Applies comparative theology to a neglected but soon to be vital question
Part of the book series: Springer Praxis Books (PRAXIS)
Part of the book sub series: Popular Astronomy (POPULAR)
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Table of contents (21 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Discovering Extrasolar Planets
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Front Matter
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Major Religions of the World and Extraterrestrial Life
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Front Matter
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About this book
In the twenty-first century, the debate about life on other worlds is quickly changing from the realm of speculation to the domain of hard science. Within a few years, as a consequence of the rapid discovery by astronomers of planets around other stars, astronomers very likely will have discovered clear evidence of life beyond the Earth. Such a discovery of extraterrestrial life will change everything.
Knowing the answer as to whether humanity has company in the universe will trigger one of the greatest intellectual revolutions in history, not the least of which will be a challenge for at least some terrestrial religions. Which religions will handle the discovery of extraterrestrial life with ease and which will struggle to assimilate this new knowledge about our place in the universe? Some religions as currently practiced appear to only be viable on Earth. Other religions could be practiced on distant worlds but nevertheless identify both Earth as a place and humankind as a species of singular spiritual religious importance, while some religions could be practiced equally well anywhere in the universe by any sentient beings.
Weintraub guides readers on an invigorating tour of the world’s most widely practiced religions. It reveals what, if anything, each religion has to say about the possibility that extraterrestrial life exists and how, or if, a particular religion would work on other planets in distant parts of the universe.
Reviews
“This is a valuable and interesting survey of how many of the world’s major religions think about extraterrestrial intelligent life (ETIs). And for those with an interest in, but limited knowledge of, these religions the book also provides a handy introduction into their basic ideas.” (Alan Penny, The Observatory, Vol. 135 (1246), June, 2015)
Authors and Affiliations
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Department of Physics & Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA
David A. Weintraub
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Religions and Extraterrestrial Life
Book Subtitle: How Will We Deal With It?
Authors: David A. Weintraub
Series Title: Springer Praxis Books
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05056-0
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-05055-3Published: 30 July 2014
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-05056-0Published: 16 July 2014
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIII, 234
Topics: Religious Studies, general, Popular Science in Astronomy, Astrobiology, Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Exploration and Astronautics), Philosophy of Religion