Professor Seungbae Park of the School of Liberal Arts at UNIST has published a new introductory book on the philosophy of religion, titled 《Reflections upon Religion》, released on January 2 by the Korean Studies Information Co., Ltd.
Unlike conventional introductions to the field, the book is specifically designed for students and readers with backgrounds in science and engineering. It approaches classical and contemporary philosophical questions through the lens of modern scientific theories, offering an accessible yet rigorous framework for readers more familiar with scientific reasoning than theological discourse.
Drawing on fields, such as quantum field theory, cosmology, evolutionary theory, and cognitive science, the book examines enduring philosophical questions including the existence and attributes of God, the origin of the universe, life after death, and the relationship between science and religion. For example, it explores whether consciousness can persist after bodily death in connection with quantum field theory, and revisits questions of divine creation in light of the Big Bang theory, conformal cyclic cosmology, relativity, and the laws of thermodynamics.
The book also incorporates perspectives from the cognitive science of religion to explain religious phenomena, such as ritual, proselytization, religious euphoria, moral behavior, and religious conflict. Rather than presuming religious belief, it critically examines how cognitive mechanisms and evolutionary processes may shape both belief and disbelief, encouraging readers to assess religious claims with analytical clarity.
《Reflections upon Religion》 is based on Professor Park’s extensive teaching experience at the University of Maryland and UNIST, where all courses are conducted in English and discussion-based learning is actively encouraged. Accordingly, the book is written in English and structured around carefully selected topics well suited to seminar-style classes, inviting critical engagement rather than doctrinal instruction.
Professor Park specializes in the philosophy of science and philosophy of religion and has published more than 80 articles in internationally recognized SCI-level journals. He has also authored two scholarly monographs published by Springer—《Embracing Scientific Realism》 in 2022 and 《Induction, Science, and Morality》 in 2025—becoming the first Korean scholar in the field of philosophy of science to publish specialized volumes with such a prestigious publisher.
