Stay ConnectedPoint of Inquiry is the Center for Inquiry’s flagship podcast, where the brightest minds of our time sound off on all the things you’re not supposed to talk about at the dinner table: science, religion, and politics.
Guests have included Brian Greene, Susan Jacoby, Richard Dawkins, Ann Druyan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Eugenie Scott, Adam Savage, Bill Nye, and Francis Collins.
Point of Inquiry is produced at the Center for Inquiry in Amherst, N.Y.
Copyright: © Center for Inquiry
Robert M. Price is professor of theology and scriptural studies at Coleman Theological Seminary and professor of Biblical Criticism at the Center for Inquiry Institute. He's a fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion and the Jesus Seminar. Dr. Price is the author of a number of books such as Deconstructing Jesus, Incredible Shrinking Son of Man, and The Da Vinci Fraud. He has appeared widely in the media, and was featured in the movie The God Who Wasn't There. In this discussion with D.J. Grothe, Dr. Price discusses his new book, The Reason Driven Life, which is a rationalist response to Pastor Rick Warren's wildly best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life. Also in this episode Tim Binga, Directory of CFI Libraries, talks about Banned Books Week.
Michael Shermer is one of the most well-known skeptics in America. He is a contributing editor and monthly columnist for Scientific American, and is the host of the Skeptics Distinguished Lecture Series at Caltech. He is also the co-host and producer of the Fox Family TV show, Exploring the Unknown. He is the author of many books, including Science Friction: Where the Known Meets the Unknown, and Why People Believe Weird Things. Since founding the Skeptics Society in Southern California and Skeptic magazine, he has appeared widely on TV and radio advancing the scientific and skeptical point of view, on shows such as 20/20, Dateline, Charlie Rose, Oprah, Unsolved Mysteries, and many more. In this discussion with D.J. Grothe, Shermer discusses evolution and Intelligent Design theory, Darwin's impact on the world today, the conflict and the compatibility of science and religion, and the meaning of life without God. Also in this episode, Tom Flynn asks Did You Know? about Darwin, sharing facts and trivia about one of the most influential scientists of the modern era.
Ann Druyan is a renowned author, lecturer, and television and motion picture writer/producer whose work mostly explores the implications of science and technology for our society. She is the widow of the great Carl Sagan with whom she was a co-writer of the Emmy and Peabody Award winning television series Cosmos. She served as Creative Director for the NASA Voyager Interstellar Record Project that included music and images on the Voyager Spacecrafts that serve as a greeting to possible alien civilizations. She co-created and co-produced of the Oscar nominated movie Contact starring Jodie Foster, which is based on the novel of the same name that she co-wrote with Carl Sagan. She is also the author or co-author of several other books, including A Famous Broken Heart, and Comet, which was on the New York Times best seller list for two months. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, also written with Carl Sagan, was another New York Times best seller. Druyan has a new book out in November entitled The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God, which explores hers and Sagan's views on science and religion. Druyan is co-founder and CEO of Cosmos Studios, which produces science-based entertainment across many types of media. Since 2000, Cosmos Studios has produced four documentaries, including "Cosmic Journey" which was nominated for an Emmy for the best nature/science documentary. She is a Fellow of CSICOP at the Center for Inquiry. In this discussion with DJ Grothe, she stresses the point that people can have a sense of awe and wonder about the universe without having to believe in God or the supernatural, discusses the work of Carl Sagan and his lasting impact, examines the growing need for scientific literacy in our society, and shares why, despite the current cultural war against science, she is optimistic about the future. Also in this episode, Carl Sagan's last public address for CSICOP, from its conference in Seattle in 1994, is presented in its entirety. In this keynote, entitled "Wonder and Skepticism," Sagan eloquently conveys prescient insights about the future of science and technology, argues why science is the best way of looking at the world, shares almost prophetic statements about the cultural war against science in America today, passionately calls for tempering skepticism with a humane understanding of why it is so easy in our society to not be skeptical, and encourages the listener to foster such appreciation for this kind of skepticism especially among young people. And in addition, Lauren Becker shares a moving piece entitled "The Gifts of Carl Sagan."
Paul Kurtz is founder and chair of the Center for Inquiry and a number of other organizations. A Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo, chairman of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), the Council for Secular Humanism, and Prometheus Books. He is editor-in-chief of Free Inquiry. He is the author or editor of over forty five books, including the recent Science and Religion: Are They Compatible. Throughout the last almost 40 years, Paul has been a leading defender of science and reason against the prevailing cults of irrationality in our society. He has been interviewed widely in the media on subjects ranging from alternative medicine and communication with the dead, to the historicity of Jesus. In this discussion with D. J. Grothe, Kurtz talks about the what he calls "creedal fascism," the connection between religion and violence, why it is so vital for humanity's future to critically examine religion, and also recounts his first published fears about Islamic extremism leading to world-wide violence over ten years ago in Free Inquiry. Also in this episode, David Koepsell, executive director of the Council for Secular Humanism, shares "An Open Letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld."
Amy-Jill Levine is E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, where she also holds the position of Director of the Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality. Her many books, articles, and essays address topics like Christian origins, Jewish-Christian relations, and women in the Bible. She has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Biblical Literature and the Catholic Biblical Quarterly and has held office in the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association, and the Association for Jewish Studies. A widely sought-after speaker and favorite at the Chautauqua Institute in upstate New York, she has given hundreds of talks on biblical topics to both academic and nonacademic audiences. She is also a fellow of CSER, the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion, one of the organizations at the Center for Inquiry. Her awards include grants from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Council of Learned Societies. She has a book out in the next few months called The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus. About this episode: Over 2 billion people worldwide live their lives to one extent or another focused around the man who is central to Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth. Even as skeptics of religion, most listeners to Point of Inquiry will agree that Jesus was one of the most important figures in history, affecting so much of the world we see today: the Christian Church is very influential in politics and society, and fundamental to Christianity is this figure of Jesus of Nazareth; millions of Americans live their lives regularly asking What would Jesus Do? In this interview with DJ Grothe, Amy-Jill Levine explores the question Who Was Jesus of Nazareth? She also touches on the role old Christianity in American politics and the possible relationship between religion and violence. Also in this episode, Tom Flynn asks Did You Know about Christiantity in the ancient and modern world, and also discusses the Jesus-cross monument debacle on Mount Soledad in San Diego, California.
Joe Nickell, Senior Research Fellow for CSICOP, is considered the world's leading paranormal investigator. A former professional stage magician and private investigator, he has used his varied background to investigate myths and mysteries, frauds, forgeries, and hoaxes. He has been called "the modern Sherlock Holmes," "the original ghost buster," and "the real-life Scully" (after the character in The X-Files). A veteran of hundreds of TV and radio appearances, he is the author of over 20 books, including Secrets of the Supernatural, Entities, Psychic Sleuths, Real Life X Files, and The UFO Invasion. In this discussion with DJ Grothe, Joe talks about his recent trip to Peru for CFI's second South American conference, and also about his visit to the world famous Nazca lines, which some people argue is evidence for ancient visits to earth from extra-terrestrials. He recounts his years of investigations into such "geoglyphs," and suggests some alternative scientific theories for their existence. Also in this episode, Debbie Goddard, a campus organizer with the Center for Inquiry, gives a back-to-school message.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, one of America's superstars of science, focuses his research on star formation, exploding stars, dwarf galaxies, and the structure of our own galaxy, the Milky Way. In addition to dozens of scholarly publications, Dr. Tyson is one of America's most eloquent and popular science writers. He has a monthly column for Natural History magazine simply titled the "Universe." Among his seven books is his memoir The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist; and also Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution, co-written with Donald Goldsmith. Origins is the companion book to the PBS-NOVA series of the same title, in which Dr. Tyson serves as the on-camera host. Beginning Fall 2006, he will appear as the on-camera host of PBS-NOVA's program ScienceNow, which will explore the frontiers of all the science that shapes our understanding of our place in the universe. Dr. Tyson is the recipient of seven honorary doctorates and the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal. His contributions to the public appreciation of the cosmos have been recognized by the International Astronomical Union in their official naming of asteroid "13123 Tyson". On a lighter note, a few years ago he was voted "Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive" by People Magazine. In this wide-ranging interview with DJ Grothe, Dr. Tyson discusses new developments this week in astronomy which may increase the count of planets in the solar system, reveals why he believes it is likely that there is life elsewhere in the universe, examines Intelligent Design and what he calls "stupid design," eloquently explains how parents may foster an appreciation for science in children, and also discusses science education's real-world economic impact for America. Also in this episode, DJ and Lauren Becker discuss the new collaborative effort between the Center for Inquiry and the State University of New York called Science and the Public.
Eugene Straus, M.D., is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the State University of New York Downstate College of Medicine. He's also served as a senior faculty member at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. In these positions, he directed research, teaching, and clinical activities for thirty-five years. He has published over 150 scientific papers and text book chapters. He has also traveled very widely to observe health care in many parts of the world, and has advised the Health Ministries of India and China. He is a member of many research and clinical societies. In this interview with DJ Grothe, he discusses his new book, Medical Marvels: The 100 Greatest Advances in Medicine. He also explores some of the problems he sees in current medicine and gives advice to consumers who are inundated with so many suggested alternatives to medical science. Also in this episode, Lauren Becker examines some of the possible reasons Alt Med attracts so many ailing our society.
Bill Cooke, former international director for the Center for Inquiry, is a senior lecturer at the School of Visual Arts at University of Auckland at Manukau. He is a fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion and now serves as CFI's Asia/Pacific coordinator. He is an acknowledged expert on the history of humanism and has written widely on the subject. He is author of the Dictionary Of Atheism, Skepticism, & Humanism, The Gathering of Infidels: A Hundred Years of the Rationalist Press Association and Heathen in Godzone: Seventy Years of Rationalism in New Zealand among other books. In this interview with DJ Grothe, Dr. Cooke discusses the history of humanism, how it is different than religion, and whether or not humanism is anti-religious. Also in this episode, Austin Dacey reports on the state of secularism in Bangladesh.
Derek Araujo was one of the founders and the first student president of the Campus Freethought Alliance in 1996. At the time he was attending Harvard College where he also founded the Harvard Secular Society before graduating magna cum laude in 1999. Mr. Araujo has since received a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School where he was a senior editor of the Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, and is now an attorney based in the New York City. On July 15th 2006 Derek Araujo addressed a crowd of over 70 student leaders and 35 community leaders gathered at the Center for Inquiry headquarters in Amherst NY to mark the 10th anniversary of the Campus Freethought Alliance, what is now known as Center for Inquiry On Campus. This special episode of Point of Inquiry features Mr. Araujo's remarks, in their entirety, with an introduction by Paul Kurtz. Also in this episode, student leaders Eric Toedter from the University of Florida and Adria Updike from Clemson University share their thoughts about the importance of student activism.
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