Markus Ekkehard Locker - Postgraduate Profile
My research, entitled “The Power of PaRa(oX: Systems Epistemology and the Role of Paradox in Science and Faith and Sociology and Ethics Communications”, addresses the problem that the well intended and needed dialogue between the sciences and religion and sociology and ethics is often stalled by evidently incommensurable truth claims (like the notion of ‘miracle’ and ‘natural law’) within each respective discipline. Abiding by the principles of Aristotelian logic, truth claims are essentially necessary to generate and communicate meaning, and thus constitutive of all intelligible systems of knowledge. In the end, the very nature of truth leaves genuine science and faith communications next to impossible.
This difficulty can be addressed and perhaps overcome by pointing to the existence and role of paradoxes in all communication systems. Paradoxes are akin to the mystery that is fundamental to religious knowing (such as seen in God’s self-revelation in the burning bush near the mountain of Horeb), and equally met in advanced scientific experiments and theory (like for example the wave-particle paradox in quantum physics). All scientific and religious knowledge is embedded in paradoxes. The paradox precedes precise knowledge and particular truth claims.
An epistemology intended for science and faith communications that is based on the paradox will retain seemingly contradicting truths while proposing a discourse on a meta-level on which these truths are equally true. In this way truth claims are not contested and dismantled, but combined into yet another truth that does not exclude contradictions, but – like an impossible figure – uses oppositions to form paradoxical images that are acceptable for both the scientist, and the believer.
Establishing meta-communications on the basis of paradox will not only provide for a non-discriminatory dialogue between science and faith, but also make room for professing one-and-the-other belief, in stead of defending either-or truth. Paradoxes are portals to inspiring ambiguity and mystery, where science and faith finally meet on a higher plane of dialogue.
Papers
“‘And Who Shaves God?’ Nature and Role of Paradoxes in Science-Faith Communications”, presented at the Symposium Paradox and Indirect Communication with Peter Murphy, Justin Clemens and Dimitris Vardoulakis, organized by Communications and Media Studies, Monash University, on May 5, 2008.
“Pre-Cultural Globalization: the Role of Ambiguity and Paradox”, presented at the Conference on International and Intercultural Communications in the Age of Digital Media, August 11-13, 2008, Monash University.
“‘Talking Science - Speaking of Faith:’ Religious Imagination through Scientific Paradoxes”, read at the conference Creative Fantasy in Religious Imagination, University of Sydney on Friday-Saturday, September 26-27, 2008, and presented in a modified version on October 15, 2008 at the School of Behavioural and Social Sciences and Humanities, Humanities and Social Sciences Seminar Series, Ballarat University.
Seminars and fellowships
Visiting fellowship at Cambridge University, UK, in November 2008, concerning “The Psychology of Religious and Scientific Paradox” under the supervision of Dr. Fraser Watts, Starbridge Lecturer in Theology and Natural Science, who is a leading figure in research on the relationship of science and religion. The fellowship will generate research on the psychology of paradoxes met in religion and science.
Research Seminar at King’s College, London, in the 1st week of December 2008, in collaboration with Professor Clemens Sedmak, (Dr. phil., Dr. theol., Dr. phil.fac.theol.), F.D. Maurice Professor for Social Theology and Moral Theology on the proposed topic of “The Role of Paradox in Theology and Sociology”.
Publications
The New World of Jesus’ Parables (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008).
“Solidaridät: Spurensuche auf den Philippinen” [Traces of Solidarity in the Philippines], to be published in the series Die Grundwerte Europas [Europe’s Foundational Values], ed. Clemens Sedmak, vol. 1, Solidarity (Wien: Tyrolia, 2009), 15 pp.
Reviews of the books: “Ruben Zimmermann (Hrsg.), Kompendium der Gleichnisse Jesu (Gütersloher Verlagshaus) 2007, XIII u. 1101 S., geb. EUR 78,-; ISBN 978-3-579-08020-0, Klyne Snodgrass, Stories with Intent. A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus, Grand Rapids (Eerdmans) 2008, XVIII u. 846 S., geb. EUR 50,-; ISBN 978-0-8028-4241-1, for Biblische Zeitschrift (2009), 6 pp.
“Jesus’ Language-Games: The Significance of the Notion of Language-Game for a Reformulation of ‘New Testament Biblical Theology,” Heythrop Journal (in press 2008).
“Entwurf einer biblischen Theologie der Tragik. Erfahrungen und Begegnungen.“ Essay in a collection (in Press: Salzburg 2008), 15 pp.
“Perceiving Freedom and Meaning in Nature: Operationalizing Trans-Classical Systems Theory for Converging Scientific and Religious Knowing.” Global Spiral (8/2) published on 2007.05.24, Available from http://www.metanexus.net/Magazine/tabid/68/id/10040/Default.aspx
“Systems Theory and the Conundrum of ens: Thoughts and Aphorisms.” Foundations of Science 11 (2006) 297-317.
“Systems Theory in Theology: Challenges and Chances for a Meta-Discourse.” Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Systems Research, Informatics and Cybernetics (IIAS, summer 2006).
“Of ‘First’ and ‘Last’ Things: A Trans-Classical Approach.” Proceedings of the 17thInternational Conference on Systems Research, Informatics and Cybernetics (IIAS, summer 2006).
“Trans-Classical Systems Theory: A New Emerging Paradigm of “Complementarity” of Faith and Science.” Proceedings of the 17thInternational Conference on Systems Research, Informatics and Cybernetics (IIAS, summer 2006).
“Reviving Paradoxes: Transclassical Systems Theory as Meta-theory for a Science-Faith Dialogue,” e-conference proceedings: Continuity and Change 2006. Philadelphia, June 2006, on-line. Available from http://www.metanexus.net/conferences/pdf/conference2006/Locker.pdf
“Systems-Theoretical Considerations on the Role of the Observer in Teilhard’s Human Phenomenon: Viewing the Universe from Within,” e-conference proceedings: Teilhard Asia 2006. Manila, August 1 to September 31, 2006, 7 pp. on-line. Available from http://www.geochris.net/tasiapapers.htm
“The Systems Position of “Non-Intelligence” for an Ethical A.I.: Emmanuel Levinas and `Beyond Language.´ In Cognitive, Emotive and Ethical Aspects of Decision Making in Humans and Artificial Intelligence. Vol. IV, edited by Iva Smit, et. al. (Windsor Ontario, Canada: IIAS, summer 2005).
“Glimpses of Truth: Obituary Alfred Locker,” Cybernetics and Human Knowing 12/3 (2005) 103-5.
“A Church of Lesser Members. 1Cor 12 as a Model of Paul’s Vision of Building the Corinthian Church.” Proceedings of the 5th Annual Convention of Catholic Biblical Association of the Philippines (Quezon City: Catholic Biblical Association of the Philippines, 2005) 131-139.
“Ethical Dimensions in the Teaching of Jesus and Paul.” Proceedings of the 5th Annual Convention of Catholic Biblical Association of the Philippines (Quezon City: Catholic Biblical Association of the Philippines, 2005) 6-10.
“Obituary Alfred Locker,” Systems Research and Behavioral Science 22/6 (Nov/Dec 2005) 571-575.
“Reading and Re-reading Matthew’s Parable of the Talents in Context.” Biblische Zeitschrift 49/2 (2005) 161-173.
“Von Gleichnissen und Systemen.” Biblisches Forum (February 2004). E-Journal on-line. Available from http://www.bibfor.de/archiv/04.locker.htm
“System-Theorie als Theorienbasis für die Theologie. Ein Versuch und Vorschlag.“ IBW Journal 4 (2004) 16-22.
“A.I. and Ethics: A Language Philosophical Question & Systems Theoretical Reply.” In Cognitive, Emotive and Ethical Aspects of Decision Making in Humans and Artificial Intelligence. Vol. III, edited by Iva Smit, et. al. (Windsor Ontario, Canada: IIAS, 2004) 63-68.
& Ma. Lucia C. Natividad, Joseph L. Roche. “The Use of Scripture in Theology and Religious Education: A Holistic Approach.” The Loyola Schools Review. School of Humanities III (2004) 3-32.
“Parables as ‘Systems’ of the Kingdom.” In Advances in Sociocybernetics and Human Development, Vol. XI, edited by George E. Lasker (Windsor Ontario, Canada: IIAS, 2004) 47-52.
“Die Bedeutung des Sprachspiels für eine Neufassung biblischer Theologie: Die Sprachspiele Jesu.“ In Experience and Analysis, Proceedings of the 27th International Wittgenstein_ _Symposium, August 8 to 14, 2004 (Kirchberg, Austria: Austrian Ludwig Wittgenstein Society) 206-208.
“Revelation’s New Jerusalem: A sign of Christian Identity.” Semiotics (2003) 234-242.
“Hamann – Wittgenstein: Towards Pre-Critical Biblical Hermeneutics.” The Loyola Schools Review. School of Humanities II (2003) 115-131.
“Die Aktualität des Buches der Offenbarung.” IBW Journal 4 (2003) 3-11.
“A Semiotic Analysis of the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation” American Journal of Biblical Theology 4/23 (July 2003). E-Journal on-line. Available from http://www.biblicaltheology.com/research.html.
“Kann eine Biblische Theologie „gut“ sein? Die Gleichnisse Jesu: Eine Philippinische Erfahrung.” in Clemens Sedmak, ed. Was ist gute Theologie? Salzburger Theologische Studien 20 (Innsbruck/Wien: Tyrolia, 2003) 151-163.
“Seeing Actions of Hope in a World of Tragedy. Re-reading Matthew’s Parable of the Talents.” Proceedings of the 4th Annual Convention of Catholic Biblical Association of the Philippines (Quezon City: Catholic Biblical Association of the Philippines, 2003) 110-125.