Rarefied Design: The Privileged Planet, 20 Years On
It’s a big universe out there. Could life exist on another planet? Maybe, but it’s not just the size of the universe that matters, it’s also the size of the massive chasm between non-life and life. On this ID The Future, bestselling author and radio host Michael Medved sits down with philosopher of science Dr. Jay Richards to preview the theme of this year’s Dallas Science and Faith Conference and discuss the arguments of his popular book The Privileged Planet, written 20 years ago with co-author and astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez.
It turns out the planet we’re all living on is still special in every sense of the word. “Everything we’ve learned since we discovered the first extra-solar planet in 1995 is pointed in one direction,” says Dr. Richards, “and that is in the direction of increased rarity; an increase in the number of conditions that has to go right even to get a single habitable planet.” Over 5000 extra-solar planets have been discovered in that time, and there’s suitable hype at the possibility of these planets harboring the potential for life. But as Richards explains, even if you detect some of the prerequisites required for habitable life to exist, you still need a transition from non-life to life. That’s a massive chasm, a profound problem, that we can’t gloss over.
Richards gives his host a summary of what scientists have learned about our privileged place in the universe in the last century. He also teases details of a new and updated edition of his book The Privileged Planet that’s coming soon.
Dig Deeper
- Stream this year’s Dallas Science and Faith Conference, featuring Dr. Jay Richards, at scienceandfaith.com.
- Watch the full-length documentary film The Privileged Planet, based on the bestselling book! Don’t let the 4:3 TV aspect ratio dissuade you; it still packs a punch!