DAWKINS VS. DARWIN : ON "NON OVERLAPPING MAGISTERIA"( NOMA)

Richard Dawkins attacked his fellow evolutionist Stephen Jay Gould practicing "The art of bending over backwards to positively supine lengths in one of his less admired books ,(an insult !---D)"Rock of All Ages" , There he coined the acromyn NOMA for the phrase 'non ovelapping magesteria':

The net,or magisterium,of science covers impirical realm : what the universe made of (fact) and why does it work (theory). The magisterium of religion extends over the questions of ultimate meaning and moral value>These two magisteria do not overrlap,nor do they encompass all inquiry (consider,for example the magisterium of art and the meaning of beauty).To cite the old cliche,science get to the ages of rocks,and religion the rock of the ages;science studies how the heaven go, religion how to go to heaven". (p.55)

He criticized " Martin Rees,the distinguish Cambridge astronomer...(who) posed two candidate ultimate questions and giving a NOMA friendly answer."The pre-eminent mystery is why anything exist at all.What breathes life into the equations,and actualized them in a real cosmos?Such questions lies beyond science.however,they are the province of philosophers and theologians."(p.55)

Dawkins posed a question:"What are these ultimate questions in whose presence religion is an honored guest ( he can add philosophy ,as M.Rees suggested---D) and science must respectfully slink away?"( p.55)

REPLY:

Jay Stephen Gould, in his dictum " science sudies how the heavens go,religion how to go to heaven" is a paraphrase adoption of the astronomer Galileo Galilei :"Galileo invoked the now famous remark by Cardinal Cesare Baronius (1598-1607) that the Bible tell us how to go to heaaven (the realm of religion)---D),not how the heavens go (the realm of sciece---D)." Richard J.Blackwell."Galileo Galilei."in Ferngren 2002: 111)

Galileo an early believer of NOMA !

How about Charles Darwin?

. Francis Darwin ,Charles Darwin's son, quoted Darwin's correspondence regarding his father's view on religion: darwin described his state of mind as "Agnostic" and he "never systematically thought much on religion in relation with science or morals in relation with society (as Dawkins et.al do- ,Darwin a believer of NOMA ---D)" he further continued and gave his reasons;:"and without steadily keeping my mind on such subjects for a long period,I am realy incapable of writing anything worth sending to the Index (a periodical---D)" and as a pure agnostic he wrote"the whole subject ( question on God's existence---D) is beyond the scope of man's intellect;but he can do his duty." (F.Darwin 1902/1995 : 56,57)

Francis Darwin,have this to say why his father did not publish his view on religion :" He naturally shrank from wounding the sensibilities of others in religious matters,and he was also influence by the consciousness that a man ought not to publish on a subject to whicb he has not given special and continous thought."(p,55)

Dawkins must include his mentor Darwin among those scientists who are "guilty of bending over backwards to be nice to an unworthy but powerful opponent ( religion--- D) " (p.57)

Question : If religion is an "unworthy...opponent" ,why did Dawkins spend his precious time writing his book "The GOD Delusion"?

Is it about fame and money ?