Materialism

Perhaps the most celebrated defense attorney in the first half of the twentieth century, Clarence Darrow is best known for his role at the Scopes “monkey trial” in the 1920s. But he also was an early champion of the idea that criminals should not be held responsible for their crimes. On this episode of ID The Future, CSC’s John West explores Darrow’s worldview of deterministic materialism.

On this special Halloween edition of ID the Future, John West shares the inspiration for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Today on ID The Future, CSC’s Anika Smith sits down with journalist and blogger Denyse O’Leary to discuss the focus of her new book The Spiritual Brain. In this interview, O’Leary grapples with materialist arguments concerning the mind and spirituality. She also explains why materialism is a monistic philosophy and explores the effect this has on its line of reasoning.

A Meaningful World: How the Arts And Sciences Reveal the Genius of Nature By Benjamin Wiker & Jonathan Witt Publisher: InterVarsity Press In this podcast CSC fellow Jonathan Witt talks about his new book A Meaningful World which challenges the philosophy of materialism by exploring the fine-tuning of the laws of physics, the artistry of ordinary substances like carbon and water, the intricacy of biological organisms, and the drama of scientific enterprise itself. In contrast to contemporary claims that the world is ultimately meaningless, Witt and co-author and CSC fellow Benjamin Wiker reveal a cosmos charged with both meaning and purpose. To learn more about the book and read excerpts go to: www.ameaningfulworld.com

Recently Discovery President Bruce Chapman sat down for an interview with Discovery senior fellow, author, and technology guru George Gilder. The subject: evolution and intelligent design.

Gilder also has a major essay in the new issue of National Review, titled “Evolution and Me: Darwinian Theory has Become an All-Purpose Obstacle to Thought Rather than an Enabler of Scientific Advance.”(subscription required)