Episode 1.8: Two Ways of Perceiving the Universe, Part 2

In 'Miracles', C.S. Lewis argues that miracles are not statistically anomalous events but rather 'an interference with Nature by supernatural power'. He challenges rationalists and naturalists by presenting a case for the possibility of miracles, defining them as events that do not break the laws of nature but rather operate outside of them. Lewis does not attempt to prove the historical accuracy of Christian miracles but instead lays a philosophical foundation for understanding and accepting the possibility of miracles. The book is a significant work in Christian apologetics, using lucid exposition and illuminating metaphors to make its case.

In 'A Secular Age', Charles Taylor explores the transformation of Western society from a pre-modern world where belief in God was inescapable to a modern secular age where believing in God is just one option among many. Taylor argues against the 'subtraction story' of secularization, which posits that religion has been removed from society. Instead, he describes a complex historical process involving the Reform movement in Christianity, the rise of disciplinary society, and the emergence of exclusive humanism. The book examines how these changes have affected the conditions of belief and unbelief, and how they have shaped modern social forms, moral orders, and spiritual experiences.