On this episode, we’re pleased to share a recent conversation between astronomer Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez and author and teacher Dr. Ken Boa on the Explorers Podcast. The topic is Dr. Gonzalez’s passion for astronomy and the wonders of the cosmos. Dr. Gonzalez explains how he developed a passion for astronomy at an early age and how it fueled his career. He also discusses his book The Privileged Planet and his recent young adult novel The Farm at the Center of the Universe. Read More ›
On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid reads an exclusive excerpt from the newly revised, rewritten, and updated twentieth anniversary edition of The Privileged Planet. In 2004, astronomer Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez and author Dr. Jay Richards issued a daring hypothesis: that a pattern exists between the requirements for advanced life in the universe and the requirements for fruitful scientific discovery. They argued that this pattern was more conspiracy than coincidence. Now, twenty years later, a new edition of The Privileged Planet brings fresh analysis, new supporting evidence, and a completely revised text. In this episode, McDiarmid reads the Foreword to the 2024 Edition and the Introduction to the book. Read More ›
In 2004, Dr. Jay Richards and Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez published a bold hypothesis: not only is Planet Earth well-suited for advanced life like ourselves, it’s also finely tuned for scientific discovery. Materialists call it a cosmic coincidence, but the array of evidence Richards and Gonzalez marshal in support of their argument suggests otherwise. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid sits down with Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez to discuss his newly revised, rewritten, and updated twentieth anniversary edition of The Privileged Planet. Read More ›
In 2004, Dr. Jay Richards and Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez published a bold hypothesis: not only is Planet Earth well-suited for advanced life like ourselves, it's also finely tuned for scientific discovery. Materialists put this down to cosmic coincidence, but the array of evidence Richards and Gonzalez marshal in support of their argument suggests otherwise. On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid speaks with Dr. Jay Richards about his work on a revised, rewritten, and updated 20th anniversary edition of The Privileged Planet. Read More ›
In 1936, Albert Einstein wrote that "the fact that [the world] is comprehensible is a miracle." But why is the universe comprehensible to us? And is it an evolutionary fluke or a hallmark of design? On this episode of ID The Future, we’re sharing a recent conversation between Dr. Jonathan Witt and author and teacher Dr. Ken Boa. The topic is Dr. Witt's book A Meaningful World: How the Arts and Sciences Reveal the Genius of Nature. In this discussion, Dr. Witt and Dr. Boa discuss the meaning and purpose inherent in our comprehensible universe, with examples from mathematics, literature, architecture, and more. Read More ›
The Big Bang theory changed how we understand our universe. But who do we have to thank for it? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes his conversation with esteemed cosmologist Jean-Pierre Luminet, who sets the record straight on the real heroes of the Big Bang Theory with his new book The Big Bang Revolutionaries, available now from Discovery Institute Press. In Part 2, Dr. Luminet sheds more light on chief architect George Lemaitre, as well as Alexander Friedmann and George Gamow. He also discusses how the Big Bang model stands up to scrutiny today. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Read More ›
The discovery that the universe had a beginning was one of the most remarkable achievements of 20th century science, sparking a cosmological paradigm shift and a radical new way to understand our world. But the three scientists most responsible for the big bang revolution are largely unknown to the public and underestimated by other scientists in their field. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid begins a conversation with esteemed cosmologist Jean-Pierre Luminet, who sets the record straight on the real heroes of the Big Bang Theory with his new book The Big Bang Revolutionaries, available now from Discovery Institute Press.
This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Look for Part 2 next! Read More ›
While the West reeled from America's stock market crash of 1929, another crisis was brewing in the field of cosmology. One of the most ambitious scientific theories in history--that the universe had a beginning--was beginning to take shape, ushering in a new cosmological paradigm. But the real heroes of the Big Bang revolution have been largely forgotten. A new book from Discovery Institute Press amends the record and tells the remarkable story. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid reads an excerpt from The Big Bang Revolutionaries, by distinguished astrophysicist Jean-Pierre Luminet. Read More ›
If the phrase "Bayesian calculus" makes you run for the hills, you're not alone! Bayesian logic can sound intimidating at first, but if you give it a little time, you'll understand how useful it can be to evaluate the evidence for design in the natural world. On this ID The Future, Dr. Jonathan McLatchie gives us a beginner's guide to Bayesian thinking and teaches us how it can be used to build a strong cumulative case for intelligent design, as well as how we can use it in our everyday lives. Enjoying the podcast? Leave a written review at Apple Podcasts to help new listeners find the show! Read More ›
Do humans project mathematical order onto nature? Or was it there all along? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes his conversation with Dr. Melissa Cain Travis about her recent book Thinking God’s Thoughts: Johannes Kepler and the Miracle of Cosmic Comprehensibility.
In Part 3, we look at how Kepler's ideas and work can inform the scientific enterprise today. Many scientists recognize the mystery of cosmic comprehensibility, including such respected voices as Albert Einstein, Sir Roger Penrose, and Paul Davies. Materialists remain agnostic or put it down to chance. But there's a more satisfying explanation, says Travis. "Centuries ago, Kepler already held the trump card. Science itself...can't be explained within the framework of scientific materialism." Genuine human rationality - the very thinking that helped fuel the enormous success of the natural sciences - would not exist if a naturalistic account of the human mind were correct. To get an intellectually satisfying answer for the cosmic comprehensibility we enjoy as humans, we have to think outside the materialist box. Travis explains how we can do that using Kepler's tripartite harmony of archetype, copy, and image. It turns out Keplerian natural theology is more robust than ever before and can help us make sense of the mysteries of our age, including the multiverse, the limits of AI, transhumanism, and more.
This is Part 3 of a 3-part discussion. Read More ›
