NOMA

Non-Overlapping Magisteria or NOMA was first poposed by the paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould in his book Rock of Ages.

Description

Gould described described a "magisterium" as "a domain where one form of teaching holds the appropriate tools for meaningful discourse and resolution". And went on to develop his idea writing: "the magisterium of science covers the empirical realm: what the Universe is made of (fact) and why does it work in this way (theory). The magisterium of religion extends over questions of ultimate meaning and moral value. These two magisteria do not overlap, nor do they encompass all inquiry (consider, for example, the magisterium of art and the meaning of beauty)." Beauty is an abstract quality and impossible to measure scientifically. Human behaviour when people make things considered beautiful and appreciate beauth can be studied as can all aspects of our behaviour. Perhaps we can say that beauty exists tangible in the brain states that beautiful things stimulate.

Criticism of NOMA

In reality NOMA gives religion a "get out of jail card for free card" when it gets caught out making real-world predictions. As Richard Dawkins has pointed out god either exists or he doesn't - and there is no reason that this hypothesis could not be tested in the same way as any other.

Furthermore the religious supporters of NOMA seem quite coy about where their NOMA line should be drawn. Religious beliefs are the basis of creationism, Intelligent Design and theistic evolution. While many science-friendly NOMA advocates happily attack creationism, they then hold the NOMA shield up to defend other (their own) religious beliefs - a position which could seem a little intellectually dishonest. Creationists are in any case not noted for intellectual honesty.