Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- 1. Introduction -- 1.1 An outline of the book -- 1.2 The target audience of the book -- 1.3 A second "Genesis" -- 1.4 Three stepping-stones towards the intelligibility of nature -- 1.5 Recommendations to the reader -- 2. An Integrated Study of Western Civilization -- 2.1 The three branches of culture -- 2.2 The growth of monotheism -- 2.3 The emergence of science and philosophy -- 2.4 Faith and reason -- 2.5 The Enlightenment -- 2.6 The unity of nature -- 2.7 The evolution of culture -- 2.8 Is the position of humans special in the tree of life? -- 2.9 What is needed to duplicate our intelligence? -- 2.10 Constraints imposed by theology on our view of life -- 2.11 Questions in philosophy, science and theology -- 2.12 The anthropic approach and the emergence of life -- 2.13 Is there evidence of purpose in evolution? -- 3. From a First to a Second Genesis -- 3.1 The fitness of the environment -- 3.2 Life appeared spontaneously in the remote past -- 3.3 Philosophical issues related to life in the universe -- 3.4 The question of design in biology -- 3.5 Towards a general interest in the origin of life -- 3.6 Cultural implications of life in the cosmos -- 4. Implications of a Second Genesis -- 4.1 Convergence of the evolutionary process -- 4.2 Is biology sufficient to discuss a second Genesis? -- 4.3 Is fine-tuning related to a second Genesis? -- 4.4 Reflections by theologians -- 4.5 Naturalism in philosophy -- 4.6 Non-foundational premises of Christian belief -- 5. The Destiny of the Universe -- 5.1 The concept of convergence in the life sciences -- 5.2 Intelligibility of the cosmos according to Aristotle -- 5.3 Intelligibility of the cosmos according to Ptolemy -- 5.4 Intelligibility of the cosmos in the Middle Ages -- 5.5 The Copernican revolution, Digges and Bruno -- 5.6 Cosmogonical and cosmological models.

5.7 The cosmic microwave background -- 5.8 From the composition of the universe to eventual insights into its destiny -- 6. The Destiny of Life in the Universe -- 6.1 Cosmic pathways towards a second Genesis -- 6.2 Astrochemistry -- 6.3 The origin and evolution of the Solar System -- 6.4 From chemical to cellular evolution -- 6.5 The terrestrial tree of life -- 6.6 The evolution of life in the universe -- 6.7 Pathways towards intelligence in the cosmos -- 7. Towards the Intelligibility of Nature -- 7.1 Convergence in the synthesis of the elements -- 7.2 Convergence in the delivery of the biomolecules -- 7.3 Convergence in the formation of interstellar gas -- 7.4 The evolution of the Sun and the origin of life -- 7.5 Convergence in the direct records of solar evolution -- 7.6 Isotopic fractionation of noble gases on Earth -- 7.7 The solar wind after the Genesis mission -- 7.8 Space climate and the early earth -- 7.9 Extra solar radiation during the evolution of life -- 7.10 The search for life in the Solar System -- 8. Towards the Intelligibility of Life -- 8.1 The universal driving force of evolution -- 8.2 General aspects of convergence in biology -- 8.3 Convergence at the biochemical level -- 8.4 The birth of chemical evolution -- 8.5 The universality of the life sciences -- 8.6 Convergence at the level of animals -- 9. Is Life Ubiquitous in the Universe? -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Is intelligence a universal phenomenon? -- 9.3 Is cellular evolution bound to take place? -- 9.4 Where can we search for a second Genesis? -- 9.5 Habitability in the Solar System -- 9.6 Implications of life in the cosmos in the humanities -- 9.7 Ultimate implications of evolution in the cosmos -- 10. Testing the Universality of Biology -- 10.1 Contingency and convergence in evolution -- 10.2 Evolutionary history tends to repeat itself.

10.3 The ubiquity of convergent evolution -- 10.4 The Solar System is not unique -- 10.5 Can the universality of biology be tested? -- 10.6 Searching for biosignatures in the Solar System -- 10.7 A case for the search for a second Genesis in the Saturn system -- 11. The Emergence of Intelligence in the Universe -- 11.1 On the inevitability of biological evolution -- 11.2 Evolution should be convergent in the cosmos -- 11.3 Natural selection and convergent evolution -- 11.4 Constraints on convergent evolution -- 12. Intelligibility in the Dialogue Between Science and Religion -- 12.1 The dialogue between science and religion -- 12.2 Is there a second Genesis in our Solar System? -- 12.3 The possibility of the emergence of life on Europa -- 12.4 Future missions to Europa -- 12.5 On the implications of Darwinism -- 12.6 Darwinism, philosophy and theology -- 12.7 On the progress of the different areas of culture -- 13. The Ultimate Frontier of Science and the Humanities -- 13.1 A fruitful dialogue between science and religion -- 13.2 Frontiers of the humanities -- 13.3 Questions from the philosophical area of ethics -- 13.4 Views on science and religion -- 13.5 Further insights into our origins -- 13.6 Darwinism within natural theology -- 13.7 Beyond the natural boundaries of science -- 13.8 Some questions may escape the scope of science -- 14. Can Nature be Intelligible -- 14.1 Intelligibility of nature: a cultural problem -- 14.2 What is the likely destiny of life? -- 14.3 The destiny of life and a second Genesis -- 14.4 Further thoughts on the universality of science -- 14.5 A dialogue across the frontiers of science and the humanities -- Bibliography -- Abbreviations -- Glossary and Short Biographies -- Supplementary Reading -- Index -- The Author.