Study on Relations between Science and Religion in Angels & Demons

Abstract
The relation between science and religion has always been a popular topic for discussion. Published in 2000, Dan Brown’s best-seller Angels and demons focuses on the conflict between science and religion, and elaborately demonstrates the clash and unification of the two sides. This paper will firstly give a brief introduction to the history of religion and science, especially on the famous “Galileo Affair” and its function in the novel. Then, four main characters will be analyzed respectively and their views on the relation between science and religion will be discussed. Combined with history and reality, a conclusion will be made about the general view of this novel on the topic，which is that this novel believes that the future for science and religion will be cooperation and joint development. Both of them are the necessary parts for human society.
Through the study of the relation between science and religion on Angels & demons，we can observe people’s attitude about it in Western Society, especially in America, where this novel was written, thus develop a deeper apprehension about western culture and society, apart from a better understanding on the theme of this novel. Meanwhile, this paper hopes to make some contributions on the discussion of this topic, and provide reference to others.
Key words: Angels & Demons, Science, Religion

摘        要

科学与宗教的关系长期以来就是人们关注与争论的热点,由美国作家丹•布朗出版于2000年的畅销书《天使与魔鬼》，更是直接将科学和宗教的论战作为小说的主题，把人性与神性、宗教与科学的碰撞与融合表现得淋漓尽致，也引起了学界的关注与热烈讨论。本论文将首先简要介绍科学与宗教的关系发展史以及影响深远的伽利略事件，随后选取四个典型人物进行深度剖析，对他们有关宗教与科学关系的言行加以讨论，并结合历史及现实生活中科学与宗教关系的现状，梳理出小说对于科学与宗教二者关系的态度及思考，最终总结出，小说中认为宗教与科学的关系的是走向互相合作、共同发展的,并且他们二者都是社会发展中不可或缺的一部分。
本论文认为，通过对这一部小说中宗教与科学关系的探析，除了加深对这一有着深刻主题的小说的理解外，还可以做到以小见大，通过小说的内容来间接折射出当今西方社会，尤其是小说的创作地——美国，对于这两者关系的其中一种态度与思考，同时也可加深对西方社会文化中宗教因素对其社会发展影响的理解。在目前国内这一方面的研究及对这一小说的研究还不是非常丰富的现状下，增加一些可供讨论的主题及思考。
关键词：天使与魔鬼，宗教，科学