A Cosmos Charged With Meaning and Purpose
Almost 50 years ago, physicist Steven Weinberg wrote that “[t]he more the universe seems comprehensible, the more it also seems pointless.” But is our universe really just a meaningless accident? Or can we detect true genius by studying its workings? On this ID The Future, we are pleased to share the first half of an interview with Dr. Jonathan Witt on the Denison Forum podcast about a cosmos charged with meaning and purpose. In their 2006 book A Meaningful World, Dr. Witt and co-author Benjamin Wiker developed a philosophical argument that the more we learn about the universe, the more it seems laden with meaning. Dr. Witt unpacks this argument in his discussion with host Dr. Mark Turman.
In Part 1, Witt shares his personal journey of faith and notes why he became skeptical of Darwinism. He discusses why he and Wiker wrote their book, describing the volume as an antidote to the materialist thinking that has dominated academic and scientific circles for the last 150 years. Witt explains that after studying the hallmarks of genius in humans, they then looked for the same characteristics in nature, finding bountiful examples of the same challenges, surprises, mystery, and elegance one expects from a work of genius.
This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Look for Part 2 next.
This conversation originally aired on the Denison Forum podcast. We thank the Denison Forum for permission to share it.
Dig Deeper
- Get your own copy of A Meaningful World: How the Arts and Sciences Reveal the Genius of Nature