ID the Future Intelligent Design, Evolution, and Science Podcast
Topic

Steven Weinberg

Vintage book of poetry outdoors
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A Cosmos Charged With Meaning and Purpose

Nearly 30 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 about the central questions of his 2006 book A Meaningful World, co-written with Benjamin Wiker. Witt explains that the more we learn about the universe, the more it seems laden with meaning. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Read More ›
Hermann_(Arminius)_at_the_battle_of_the_Teutoburg_Forest_in_9_CE_by_Peter_Jannsen,_1873 Public Domain (Wikimedia)
Image is in the public domain. Hermann (Arminius) at the battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE by Peter Jannsen, 1873.

Berlinski: Men Are Not About to Become Like Gods

Are humans progressing morally as well as materially? What does it mean to be human in the cosmos? On this ID The Future, we bring you the second half of a stimulating conversation between Dr. David Berlinski and host Eric Metaxas on the subject of Berlinski's recent book Human Nature. In Human Nature, Berlinski argues that the utopian view that humans are progressing toward evolutionary and technological perfection is wishful thinking. Men are not about to become like gods. "I'm a strong believer in original sin," quips Berlinski in his discussion with Metaxas. In other words, he believes not only that humans are fundamentally distinct from the rest of the biological world, but also that humans are prone to ignorance and depravity as well as wisdom and nobility. During the second half of their discussion, Berlinski and Metaxas compare and contrast the ideas of thinkers like psychologist Steven Pinker, author Christopher Hitchens, and physicist Steven Weinberg. The pair also spar gracefully over the implications of human uniqueness. Berlinski, though candid and self-critical, is unwilling to be pigeonholed. Metaxas, drawing his own conclusions about the role of mind in the universe, challenges Berlinski into moments of clarity with his usual charm. The result is an honest, probing, and wide-ranging conversation about the nature of science and the human condition. This is Part 2 of a two-part interview. Read More ›
boat sailing away
Sunset in the sea, a small sailing boat at sunset away
Image Credit: Seva_001 - Adobe Stock

Bidding Adieu to Steven Weinberg’s Take on Science and Faith

On today’s ID the Future, Casey Luskin, associate director of Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, discusses his Evolution News article about the recently deceased Steven Weinberg. On Weinberg’s view, one of science’s social functions is to undermine religion, which he sees as superstition. Luskin takes the opposite view and points to skilled and successful scientists he got to know in Africa. He says these scientists are convinced that the supernatural is real and would find Weinberg’s secular Western rejection of the supernatural as blinkered. Luskin and host Robert Crowther also discuss a hopeful trend among some atheists toward a more civil and respectful way of engaging intelligent design, even to the point of acknowledging that design theorists are Read More ›