Intelligent Design the Future

On this ID the Future from the vault, catch the first half of a public talk by political scientist John West on how Darwinism has poisoned Western culture. In the lecture, delivered at the Dallas Conference on Science & Faith, West explores how Darwin’s purely materialistic theory of evolution has drained meaning from nature, undercut the idea of inherent human dignity, and fueled the rise of scientific racism in the twentieth century. West is author of Darwin Day in America: How Our Politics and Culture Have Been Dehumanized in the Name of Science. This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Look for Part 2 in a separate episode. Source

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025

On this episode of ID The Future, hosts Andrew McDiarmid and Nathan Jacobson continue their conversation with Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger. In this segment, Sanger explains how his philosophy to decentralize the world's knowledge plays into science and truth-seeking in the age of AI. He talks about the shortcomings of large language models and why humans are irreplaceable and essential to increasing our understanding of the world. Sanger also discusses the challenges that online encyclopedias like Wikipedia have faced in accurately and fairly reflecting controversial or important topics. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Check out Part 1 in a separate episode! Source

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025

On this ID The Future, Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger joins hosts Andrew McDiarmid and Nathan Jacobson to delve into his personal evolution from longtime skeptical philosopher to belief in God. After falling out of faith in his teens, Sanger became a committed skeptic and agnostic, adhering to the principle of methodological skepticism for decades as he evaluated traditional arguments for the existence of God and found them wanting. And while Sanger was unconvinced by the claims of "new atheists" like Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett, he found himself drawn to the arguments of intelligent design scientists like Stephen Meyer, Michael Behe, and William Dembski. In this first half of a conversation, Sanger recounts his fascinating intellectual journey while unpacking the intelligent design arguments he found most convincing along his journey. This is Part 1 of a two-part interview. Look for Part 2 in a separate episode. Source

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025

On this episode of ID the Future out of the archive, biologist Ann Gauger walks listeners through the triumphs, flaws, and tragedies of Louis Pasteur, the French scientist whose scientific breakthroughs have saved millions of lives, and whose work on microbes sounded the death knell of the idea of spontaneous generation. Dr. Gauger also discusses his pioneering and life-saving work on vaccines, the Christian faith that saw him through the death of his three of his children, and more. Source

Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025

Did our universe come from nothing, as some physicists have proposed? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid critiques the audacious claim that our universe popped into existence out of nothing. What is nothing? What isn’t nothing? And how does the universe from nothing claim actually imply intelligent design? McDiarmid shares audio from the Science Uprising video series, as well a portion of an interview with Dr. Stephen Meyer, to help answer these questions. Source

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2025

Is origin of life research going round in circles? This is ID the Future, a podcast that isn't afraid to tackle the big questions about evolution and intelligent design. Today, host Eric Anderson chats with physicist Dr. Brian Miller about circular reasoning and other problems in origin of life research. They discuss the work of Stephen Meyer and James Tour, highlighting the information problem and the difficulties in natural chemical synthesis of life's building blocks. Miller analyzes a new paper on the supposed order of amino acid recruitment into the genetic code, critiquing its underlying circular reasoning. Dr. Miller also explains the concept of causal circularity in biological systems and reveals why intelligent design provides a better explanation for the origin of life than an unguided evolutionary scenario. Source

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

On this episode, Dr. Casey Luskin concludes his conversation about the basics of intelligent design with Sam Kleckley, host of the Live Life in Motion podcast. You'll find this interview (including Part 1) particularly helpful if you are new to the science of intelligent design yourself, or you have friends or family who are open to learning more. In Part 2, Dr. Luskin begins by discussing the fossil record and the abrupt appearance of new life forms. He also tackles the often-debated question of the intelligent agent behind the design found in nature. Finally, in the realm of education, he addresses the controversy surrounding teaching evolution and intelligent design in schools. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025

How would you explain intelligent design to someone who has just recently begun looking into it? Perhaps you are new to it yourself, or you have a friend or family member who is curious. Today, Dr. Casey Luskin begins a two-part discussion of the basics of intelligent design with Sam Kleckley, host of the Live Life in Motion podcast. Part 1 presents a nice overview of where and when intelligent design began, how it developed, and why it is such a compelling idea for so many. Luskin also discusses some key lines of evidence for intelligent design, including the complexity of living things at the cellular level and the evidence for the fine-tuning of the universe. This is Part 1 of a two-part discussion. Source

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2025

On this ID The Future, we bring you excerpts from a recent gathering to celebrate the life of biologist Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in September 2024 at the age of 82. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. In 2000, Wells took the science world by storm with Icons of Evolution, a book showing how biology textbooks routinely promote Darwinism using bogus evidence — icons of evolution like Ernst Haeckel’s faked embryo drawings and peppered moths glued to tree trunks. Dr. Wells's achievements in the field of biology are notable. In this episode you’ll get a glimpse into Dr. Wells’s life and character as well as his relentless search for scientific truth. This episode includes eulogies from Dr. John West, Dr. Paul Nelson, Dr. Richard Sternberg, and Dr. Casey Luskin. Learn more about Jonathan Wells at www.jonathanwells.org. Source

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2025

Traditional methods in biology have proven insufficient for understanding and accurately predicting complex biological systems. Why? The great majority of biologists are trained to study life from the bottom up, as the result of unguided evolutionary processes. It turns out there are better ways to observe, question, hypothesize, experiment, and analyze a complex system. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes biochemist and metabolic nutritionist Dr. Emily Reeves to the podcast to discuss her co-authored paper on how biologists can apply principles from systems engineering to biology to better approach the study of complex living systems. Dr. Reeves explains how the new methodology works and how it can produce fruitful scientific research. Source

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2025

Host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes science reporter David Coppedge to the show to explore some fascinating examples of intelligent design in the plant world. They look so helpless tied to the soil, but plants and fungi have perfected technologies for spreading themselves far and wide. Coppedge and McDiarmid unpack the ingenious methods plants and fungi use to disperse their spores. The conversation also touches on the engineering principles behind plant root systems, and how studying these natural designs can inspire advancements in human technology through biomimetics. Source

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2025

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid interviews Dr. Brian Miller about the Discovery Institute's Summer Seminar Program, which offers a unique opportunity for students and professionals to explore intelligent design across various scientific disciplines. Dr. Miller shares his personal journey from participant to teacher, highlighting the program's impact on his career and the transformative experiences of other past graduates. Miller and McDiarmid also review frequently asked questions about the program, including who is eligible to apply, the costs associated with the program, the focus of the curriculum, and more. Source

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2025

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid continues a series of interviews celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Jonathan Wells, our close colleague and friend who passed away in 2024 at the age of 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows of Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture and made significant contributions to science and to the arguments for intelligent design. Today, evolutionary biologist Dr. Richard Sternberg shares personal anecdotes and insights into Dr. Wells's character, his contributions to biology and epigenetics, and the profound impact he had on those around him. Source

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2025

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid invites Dr. Casey Luskin to share some of his memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. In a career spanning three decades, Wells made significant contributions to our understanding of the limits of evolutionary processes and the evidence for intelligent design. In this interview, Dr. Luskin describes the powerful impact Jonathan's work had on him and how it led to meaningful reform in textbooks and classrooms. He also identifies the character traits he most admired in Dr. Wells. Source

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2025

On today’s ID the Future out of the archive, astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez, co-author of The Privileged Planet, begins a two-part conversation with host Casey Luskin by providing a rapid survey of some of the growing evidence that Earth is finely tuned in numerous ways to allow for life. He draws a helpful distinction between local fine tuning and universal fine tuning. And he tells us about the many extra-solar planets astronomers have discovered in recent years and how all that new data continues to undermine the misguided assumption (encouraged by the misnamed “Copernican Principle”) that Earth is just a humdrum planet. Far from it, Gonzalez argues. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2025

On this ID The Future, Dr. Tom Woodward shares more memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, and his contributions over the last quarter century to the intelligent design movement have been formidable. In Part 2, Dr. Woodward kicks off by describing Dr. Wells's skills as a communicator. He also discusses Dr. Wells's mind-boggling insights on the design beyond DNA in every nook and cranny of the cell, layers of information that Wells knew only strengthen the case for intelligent design at the heart of biological life. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2025

On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes Dr. Tom Woodward to the podcast to share some of his memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. In Part 1, Dr. Woodward tells the story of Jonathan’s efforts to fight the battle over textbook misinformation with his 2000 book Icons of Evolution. When the book first came out, National Center for Science Education director Eugenie Scott said that Icons of Evolution would be a “royal pain in the fanny” for the evolutionist community. She was not wrong! Woodward talks about the reverberations caused by the book's release and the waves of textbook reform it has brought about. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2025

Dr. Richard Sternberg speaks on his mathematical/logical work showing the difficulty of identifying genes purely with material phenomena. Source

Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025

On this episode of ID The Future, philosopher of biology Paul Nelson continues to share his remembrances of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in 2024 at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, and his contributions to the intelligent design movement over the last quarter century have been monumental. In Part 2 of the conversation, Dr. Nelson shares another adventure he had with Jonathan, this time at the University of Chicago in the early 2000s. He also discusses the qualities that made Wells such a remarkable man, including his bravery and loyalty. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes philosopher of biology Paul Nelson to share some of his remembrances of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in 2024 at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, and his contributions to the intelligent design movement over the last quarter century have been monumental. In the first half of the conversation, Dr. Nelson takes listeners back to a famous meeting in the history of the modern intelligent design movement. He also shares some humorous stories of his adventures with Jonathan Wells at events in the United States and China. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 3 March 2025

Can we train AI models to help us detect evidence of intelligent design? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes science reporter and former NASA engineer David Coppedge to the podcast to talk about scientists who are doing just that: using artificial intelligence to make design inferences. Here, Coppedge tells us about a group of scientists who are training an AI model to search through imaging data to identify possible instances of human-made geoglyphs in the Nazca Plain in Peru. It's another intriguing example of intelligent design in action in the everyday world around us. Source

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2025

Did meaning and purpose arise from a bottom-up Darwinian process to give us an evolutionary advantage? Or is the universe infused with meaning and purpose for a deeper reason than survival? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid and Dr. Emily Reeves explore whether meaning and purpose can emerge from an unguided evolutionary process. They also discuss the machine metaphor in biology and how it can help us understand and explain living systems. Source

Transcribed - Published: 24 February 2025

What is wrong with the standard evolutionary story of human origins? On today’s ID the Future from the archive, host Eric Anderson begins a two-part conversation with geologist Dr. Casey Luskin to discuss why evolutionary models of paleo-anthropology, genetics, and evolutionary psychology fail to account for human origins. Dr. Luskin contributed a chapter on the topic in the 2023 book Science and Faith in Dialogue, which also features chapters from Stephen Meyer, Guillermo Gonzalez, James Tour, Marcos Eberlin, and others. In Part 1, Luskin describes his experiences in South Africa while earning a PhD in Geology from the University of Johannesburg. During his time there, Luskin had many opportunities to study various hominid fossils. Here he explains why he is Read More › Source

Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025

What's the best explanation for the origin of complex life? And while skepticism is healthy, can perpetual skepticism prevent us from moving closer to the truth? On this ID The Future, enjoy the second half of a stimulating conversation between philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer and historian of science and Skeptic Magazine founding editor Michael Shermer. The conversation was hosted by comedian and podcaster Bryan Callen on The Bryan Callen Show. In Part 2, Meyer and Shermer both address where they think complex life comes from. They also discuss the mind-body problem and debate the merits of skepticism. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. We're grateful to the producers of The Bryan Callen Show for permission to share this exchange on ID The Future! Source

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2025

Humans seem to be drawn in a certain direction toward truth and beauty. Is that an accident of nature? Or is there a higher truth prompting it? On this ID The Future, we're pleased to share the first half of an engaging conversation between philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer and historian of science Michael Shermer about science, God, the origin of information, and the nature of mind. The conversation was hosted by comedian and podcaster Bryan Callen on The Bryan Callen Show. In Part 1, Meyer and Shermer discuss arguments for design, the Big Bang, the origin of information, and the role of mind in the universe. This is Part 1 of a two-part interview. Look for Part 2 in a separate episode of ID The Future. We're grateful to the producers of The Bryan Callen Show for permission to share this conversation on ID The Future! Source

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2025

On this classic ID the Future out of the vault, we hear commentary on the singularity from distinguished cosmologist Frank Tipler, co-author of The Anthropic Cosmological Principle. The singularity in question isn’t the supposed future singularity imagined by transhumanists, but the evidentially well-supported singularity at the foundation of the Big Bang. The equations are clear, says Tipler, as are their implications: among its many arresting features, the Big Bang singularity had an existence outside of space and time, was intrinsically infinite, and was not subject to any laws of physics. Atheists today still resist this conclusion, Tipler says, but only this conclusion has experimental support, and the negative implications for atheism are hard to miss. Source

Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025

Happy Darwin Day! But what's the current status of Darwinism? And if modern Darwinism is broken, what's the best way to commemorate Darwin's life and achievements? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes Dr. Casey Luskin to give us answers to those questions. On this episode, Dr. Luskin reviews the current status of Darwinism, gives us an impressive sampling of the evidence for intelligent design, and instructs us on the most appropriate way to mark Darwin Day today. Source

Transcribed - Published: 12 February 2025

Why do so many evangelical Christians reinvent their theology to make it consistent with undirected Darwinism? On this ID The Future, Dr. John West reads an excerpt from his new book Stockholm Syndrome Christianity: Why Christian Leaders Are Failing And What We Can Do About It. As Exhibit A of an influential evangelical Christian that has been captivated by scientific materialism, West unpacks the work and troubled legacy of Dr. Francis Collins. During his tenure as director of the National Institutes of Health, Collins has led a years-long crusade to de-legitimize fellow Christian scientists, scholars, and laypeople who are supportive of intelligent design or skeptical of Darwinian evolution. This effort to reduce the range of voices allowed to pursue truth in science has confused many people and retarded scientific progress at precisely the time America should be taking the lead in scientific research and discovery. Listen to this compelling excerpt and then read the book! Source

Transcribed - Published: 10 February 2025

On this episode of ID the Future out of the vault, host Emily Kurlinski talks with Michael Egnor, professor of neurosurgery at Stony Brook University, about the dire warnings, stretching back at least to Thomas Malthus near the turn of the nineteenth century, that overpopulation would lead to starvation and civilizational ruin. Egnor discusses this and other scientific claims once widely embraced by scientific experts and later shown to be off base. The lesson, Egnor says, is that when someone tells you to believe something simply because it’s “the scientific consensus,” reserve judgment. Consensus, says Egnor, is “a political concept, not a scientific one.” And when much of the scientific community is held captive by a dogmatic adherence to materialism, Read More › Source

Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2025

When Christians in science embrace scientific materialism over historical biblical teaching, they mislead their fellow believers and hinder scientific progress. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes a two-part conversation about this problem with Dr. John West, author of the new book Stockholm Syndrome Christianity: Why Christian Leaders Are Failing and What We Can Do About It. In Part 2, Dr. West describes three biblical beliefs that have been corroded by theistic evolution. He discusses the flawed theology and troubled legacy of Dr. Francis Collins. He also stresses the importance of disagreement and open debate in science. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 5 February 2025

What if American culture isn’t collapsing because of crusading secularists? What if it’s failing because leading Christians identify more with secular elites than with their fellow believers? Those are the provocative questions posed by Dr. John West's new book Stockholm Syndrome Christianity, which exposes how influential Christian leaders are siding with their anti-Christian cultural captors on everything from biblical authority and science to sex, race, and religious liberty. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid begins a two-part conversation with Dr. West unpacking examples of how Stockholm Syndrome Christianity is harming the scientific enterprise and what can be done to repair the damage. In Part 1, West explains how Francis Collins, one of the most celebrated evangelical Christian scientists in America, has fallen prey to Stockholm Syndrome Christianity. Source

Transcribed - Published: 3 February 2025

On this ID the Future out of the archive, Nancy Pearcey, author of numerous books, including The Soul of Science (co-authored with Charles Thaxton) and Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality, challenges the common belief that Darwin’s leading early supporters were convinced of the main pillars of his theory. Many in the nineteenth century were already primed to accept a theory of evolution, but not necessarily by natural selection. As Pearcey explains, some of Darwin’s chief supporters had grave doubts about natural selection’s role, and some of them believed that God or a “vital force” guided evolution. But Darwin would have none of it. And what do evolutionary scientists think today? The disagreements persist and, if anything, have intensified. Source

Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2025

What part of neo-Darwinian evolution is actually random? Can random mutational processes account for the new information needed to drive the diversity of life on Earth? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid reads selections from Dr. Stephen Meyer and Dr. Casey Luskin to find answers to these questions. If you want the confidence to be able to tell your friends, family, and associates why modern evolutionary theory fails to account for the origin and diversity of life on Earth, you’ve got to, as Michael Behe says, “bite the bullet of complexity” and learn why evolution’s selection/mutation mechanism fails to deliver the goods. This commentary reviews a key tenet of the evolutionary perspective and shows why it weakens the argument for a naturalistic explanation for life on Earth. Source

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2025

One of the most incredible features of cellular life is the capability of self-replication. But can a Darwinian mechanism take the credit for the origin and design of the cell division process? On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes a four-part series with Dr. Jonathan McLatchie on the intelligent design and irreducible complexity of eukaryotic cell division. In his recent paper on eukaryotic cell division, Dr. McLatchie quotes a Latin expression Darwin uses in his famous book On The Origin of Species to describe natural selection: natura non facit saltus: nature does not make jumps. That’s the built-in limitation of Darwinian processes: by default they are stepwise and gradual. And of course, Darwin himself acknowledged this Read More › Source

Transcribed - Published: 27 January 2025

One of the most incredible features of cellular life is the capability of self-replication. And built into the remarkable process of cell division are several checkpoints that ensure the success of this life or death cellular practice. But can a Darwinian mechanism take the credit for this elegant cellular system? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid continues his four-part conversation with Dr. Jonathan McLatchie on the intelligent design and irreducible complexity of eukaryotic cell division. In this segment, Dr. McLatchie describes each checkpoint and the role it plays in successful self-replication. This is Part 3 of a four-part series. Source

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2025

Could the components of the eukaryotic cell division process have arisen through a gradual, unguided process? On this ID The Future, Dr. Jonathan McLatchie casts light on the unlikelihood of this proposition as he continues a four-episode series with host Andrew McDiarmid on the intelligent design and irreducible complexity of eukaryotic cell division. In this segment, McLatchie dives into some of the key molecular machinery responsible for the success of mitosis: the mitotic spindle and the motor proteins that aid in its assembly and function, explaining why their origin is beyond the reach of a Darwinian process. Source

Transcribed - Published: 20 January 2025

We are mourning the recent loss of our friend and colleague Günter Bechly. Gunter was a world-class paleontologist and an inspiration to many for his learned insight into the fossil record and his brave rejection of Darwinian dogma. Today we’re sharing the second half of a two-part interview with Dr. Bechly originally recorded in 2018 with host Sarah Chaffee. You’ve likely heard of the Cambrian Explosion of animal life. But what about all the other geologically sudden explosions of biodiversity in the history of life on Earth? Dr. Bechly is co-author (with Stephen C. Meyer) of the chapter titled “The Fossil Record and Universal Common Ancestry” in the book Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique.  In this part of Read More › Source

Transcribed - Published: 17 January 2025

On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin concludes a two-part conversation with Dr. Uditha Jayatunga, a medical doctor and consultant in rehabilitation medicine in the UK, about the challenges that biological complexity poses to evolutionary theory. Their chat is a helpful refresher on some of the biggest challenges to a Darwinian explanation for the origin and development of life on Earth. In Part 2, Dr. Jayatunga provides more examples of purposeful complexity from the animal world and unpacks the power and complexity of the human brain as evidence for intelligent design. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 15 January 2025

Does animal complexity suggest a Darwinian origin, or is it evidence of intelligent design? On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin begins a two-part conversation with Dr. Uditha Jayatunga, a medical doctor and consultant in rehabilitation medicine in the UK, about the challenges that biological complexity poses to evolutionary theory. Part 1 of the conversation covers the complexity of cells, the need for the simultaneous origin of complex systems, and some fascinating examples of design and complexity from the animal world. Source

Transcribed - Published: 13 January 2025

We were shocked and grieved to learn of the death of our friend and colleague Günter Bechly this week. Gunter was a world-class paleontologist and an inspiration to many for his learned insight into the fossil record and his brave rejection of Darwinian dogma. Over the next two Fridays, we're sharing a two-part interview originally recorded in 2018 with host Sarah Chaffee. In this exchange, Gunter spotlights some problems the fossil record poses for Darwinism and, specifically, the theory’s idea of universal common ancestry. Bechly was a proponent of Darwinism until he discovered, well into his career, what he sees as significant scientific reasons to doubt the evolutionary story. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2025

If a grand multiverse contains everything that’s possible, it ends up explaining nothing. On this ID The Future, physicist Brian Miller concludes his conversation with mathematician Elie Feder and physicist Aaron Zimmer, hosts of the Physics to God podcast, about their unique formulation of the fine-tuning argument and their rigorous examination of the multiverse hypothesis. In Part 2, Feder and Zimmer explain in detail three premises they use to critically evaluate the strength of multiverse theories. They contend that if a multiverse model posits infinite universes, each with their own different laws of nature, it’s a naive multiverse that hasn’t solved the fine-tuning problem. To properly evaluate multiverse proposals, a third premise is needed: one that can explain the typicality Read More › Source

Transcribed - Published: 8 January 2025

It can be tempting to dismiss the idea of the multiverse as unobservable fantasy. But what happens when the available evidence for it is given a fair shake? On this ID The Future, physicist Brian Miller begins a conversation with mathematician Elie Feder and physicist Aaron Zimmer, hosts of the Physics to God podcast, about their unique formulation of the fine-tuning argument and their rigorous examination of the multiverse hypothesis. In Part 1, Feder and Zimmer explain how their podcast got started and what they’ve covered so far. In their first season, they break down the fine-tuning and initial conditions of the universe and show how the evidence points to an intelligent cause. In Season 2, out this year, they Read More › Source

Transcribed - Published: 6 January 2025

On this episode of ID The Future from the archive, John West, Associate Director of the Center for Science & Culture and author of Walt Disney and Live Action, talks about how science is portrayed in Walt Disney’s films and theme parks. Disney’s worldview was an interesting blend of 19th century morals with a 21st century vision for science and technology. A futurist, Disney was given to techno-utopianism and his works tended to reflect this, but they have also offered warning messages about the dangers posed by both science and technology. John West explores these interests both in Disney’s exhibits and his film works. Dig Deeper Source

Transcribed - Published: 3 January 2025

Most people know Hawaii is famous for its beaches. But did you know it’s also home to one of the world’s leading stations for monitoring the atmosphere? On this ID The Future, self-taught citizen scientist Forrest Mims talks to host Andrew McDiarmid about the history and significance of the world-famous Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. He also shares some of his own experiences and adventures there over the last quarter century. In this episode, Mims reminds us of his dust-up with Scientific American, a controversy that would ultimately launch his career as an atmospheric scientist. He introduces us to some of the pioneering explorers and scientists who set the stage for atmospheric science in Hawaii, including Archibald Menzies, Charles Wilkes, Read More › Source

Transcribed - Published: 30 December 2024

On this classic ID The Future from our archive, Dr. John West, author of Walt Disney and Live Action: The Disney Studio’s Live-Action Features of the 1950s and 60s, talks about Walt Disney’s life-long fascination with evolution. By exploring various messages embedded in Disney’s theme parks and animated features, from the Magic Skyway created for the 1964 World’s Fair to the 1948 animated film Fantasia, we see Disney’s recurring contemplation of evolution. Source

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2024

On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid begins a short series with Dr. Jonathan McLatchie delving into the remarkable design and irreducible complexity of the eukaryotic cell cycle. The pair review the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, the phases involved in eukaryotic cell division, and the concept of irreducible complexity. They explore how various components of the cell division process, such as kinetochores and microtubules, are essential for successful mitosis and why these systems are more likely the product of intelligent design rather than an unguided evolutionary process. Source

Transcribed - Published: 23 December 2024

On today’s ID the Future out of the vault, Canceled Science author and physicist Eric Hedin concludes his conversation with host Eric Anderson about the challenge that the second law of thermodynamics poses for purely naturalistic scenarios of the origin of living organisms. The problem, Hedin argues, is generating the reams of exquisitely orchestrated biological information required for even the simplest self-reproducing cell. The fundamental principles of physics mitigate against chemical processes getting the job done. Hedin provides easy-to-grasp examples that illustrate his arguments. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 20 December 2024

On this episode of ID The Future, philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer concludes his conversation with Praxis Circle’s Doug Monroe. In this last section of a multi-part interview, Dr. Meyer explains why theistic evolution – the belief that God used the evolutionary process to create – is an incoherent position to take on the origin and development of life. There’s no need, Meyer says, to attempt to reconcile theistic belief with a dying theory. Meyer also discusses the topic of miracles. He thinks David Hume’s argument against miracles is weak and goes on to explain how miracles demonstrate the independent action of a conscious agent and why they don’t violate the laws of physics. It’s an intriguing conclusion to a wide-ranging conversation. Source

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2024

On today’s ID The Future, philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer continues his conversation with Praxis Circle’s Doug Monroe. In this section of a multi-part interview, Dr. Meyer discusses two of the crucial arguments of his latest book Return of the God Hypothesis: the information embedded in DNA code that demands an explanation, and the fine-tuning of the physical properties of the universe and what’s wrong with recent attempts to explain that fine-tuning by resorting to a theory of multiple universes. Dr. Meyer also addresses the question: can there be a theory of everything? Dig Deeper Source

Transcribed - Published: 16 December 2024

On today’s ID the Future from the archive, host Eric Anderson sits down with Canceled Science author and physicist Eric Hedin to discuss Hedin’s new book and, in particular, the book’s take on the origin-of-life problem. Hedin says the second law of thermodynamics poses a serious problem for the idea of a mindless origin of the first single-celled organism from prebiotic materials. Such an event would have involved a breathtaking increase in new information, and Hedin says that physics tells us pretty clearly that mindless nature degrades information; it doesn’t create it. Are there workarounds? Listen in as he explains why he’s not optimistic. Source

Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2024