The Veritas Forum

Latest Episodes:

What's the Point of Pluralism? | Tim Keller Oct 03, 2024

Show notes

It’s election season in America, and that brings a lot of questions about how we interact in the public square. How do we disagree respectfully across our differences? What do we do with competing truth claims in a pluralistic society?

In today’s episode, you’ll hear pastor and author Tim Keller (1950 — 2023) discuss these questions. Tim lays out a brief history of pluralism in America, four perspectives on building a pluralistic society, and what his Christian faith can offer to the conversation.

This forum was held at New York University in 2017 and originally titled “The Closing of the Modern Mind.” It’s one of our most popular forums, with over 300,000 views on YouTube. Thank you to the forums team for making this event possible.

Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

Physics, Beauty, and God | Ard Louis Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

In today’s episode, a physicist explores this question: Where do you see beauty in the world, and does it point to a higher purpose?

You’ll hear from Ard Louis, a professor of theoretical physics at Oxford. Ard shares why he finds his research beautiful, where he believes the laws of nature come from, and how his Christian worldview helps him make sense of science.

This forum was held at MIT in 2013. Thank you to the forums team for making this event possible.

Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

Changing My Mind: A Skeptical Professor Meets a Surprising God | Molly Worthen Sep 05, 2024

Show notes

In today’s episode, you’ll hear the story of Molly Worthen. As a journalist and historian at UNC, Molly has written about Christians for years as an outsider. But in this conversation, she shares how something unexpected happened to her recently: she became one.

Molly talks with Lorien Foote, a history professor at Texas A&M. They explore Molly’s worldview before becoming a Christian, the evidence that led her to faith, and how changing her mind wasn’t as scary as she expected.

This forum was held at Texas A&M in Spring 2024. Thank you to the forum planning team for making this event possible.

Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

How Your Worldview Affects Your Life | Dallas Willard Aug 08, 2024

Show notes

Today’s episode is about worldviews. What is one? Do you have one? And, if so, how does it influence your daily life?

You’ll hear from Dallas Willard (1935 — 2013), a philosophy professor from USC. Willard explores how we can identify worldviews, why we should question ours, and how Jesus offers a unique and satisfying one.

This forum was held at UCLA in April 2003. Thank you to the forums team for making this event possible.

Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

Is Science the Only or Best Path to Knowledge? | Sethupathy & Rudge Jul 11, 2024

Show notes

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from two scientists as they discuss the topic of knowledge. Is scientific knowledge the only true form of knowledge? Or are there other equally valid ways of knowing?

You’ll hear from Praveen Sethupathy, professor of physiological genomics at Cornell, and David Rudge, professor of biological sciences at Western Michigan. Praveen and David discuss other forms of knowledge outside of science, how certainty is often misunderstood, and the role of faith in a curious life.

This forum was held at Western Michigan University in February 2023 and was moderated by Western Michigan philosophy professor Tim McGrew. Thank you to the forum planning team at Western Michigan for making this event possible.

Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

What Technology Can (And Can't) Do | Rosalind Picard & Joshua Knobe Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

Advances in artificial intelligence and computing technology are happening at breakneck speed. Yet even the best A. I. today still falls short. Whether it's a frustratingly unhelpful chatbot, the uncanny valley of immersive virtual reality, or the nonsensical answers of ChatGPT.

Are these glitches a short-term problem? Or is there something about human experiences that make them impossible to program?

In today’s episode, a computer scientist and an experimental philosopher discuss just that. In this Forum event from 2013, you’ll hear from Rosalind Picard (MIT) and Joshua Knobe (Yale). In a conversation moderated by neuroscientist Nii Addy (Yale), Roz and Joshua attempt to define what it means to be human, discuss how agency and experience shape our view of others, and how we ought to fight against dehumanization.

Thank you to the forum planning team at Yale for making this event possible.

Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

More Than Just Okay? Religion, Purpose & Human Flourishing | Thompson & Strecher May 30, 2024

Show notes

The speakers in today’s forum engage with two main questions: What stories are you telling yourself? And how can you learn to tell better ones?

You’ll hear today from practicing psychiatrist Curt Thompson and Health Behavior and Health Education professor Victor Strecher (UMichigan). Curt and Vic discuss what it looks like to tell better stories, the role community plays in storytelling, and what difference the Christian story can make in our lives.

This forum was held at the University of Michigan in January of 2024 and was moderated by graduate student Annika From. Thank you to the Forum planning team at the University of Michigan for making this event possible.

Find additional resources and quotes on the podcast episode page here.

Can Truth and Tolerance Coexist? | Volf & Pendakur May 16, 2024

Show notes

For many of the key issues today, it’s challenging to simply agree to disagree. Not only do we have serious differences in opinion and belief, but how we choose to act in light of them can have profound consequences.

How, then, should we live together? Is compromise a necessary component of community?

In a forum originally titled “Can Truth and Tolerance Coexist,” theologian Mirsolav Volf (Yale) and Dean of Students Vijay Pendakur (Cornell) delve into the complexities of a diverse, democratic society. Volf and Pendakur discuss how we can go beyond simply agreeing to disagree, what the role of physical and emotional safety is on college campuses, and what speaking the truth in love really means.

Their conversation was held at Cornell University in 2019. Thank you to the Forum planning team at Cornell university for making this event possible.

Watch the full Forum event here.
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Visit veritas.org to learn more about the mission of the Veritas Forum and find more resources to explore the ideas that shape our lives

Is the Grindset Mindset Working? | Dugdale & Fontaine May 02, 2024

Show notes

In college, it's common to feel the pressure to do everything—overload classes, join clubs, apply to internships, and more. But rarely do we stop to ask why. Behind all of our striving, what’s the purpose of our work anyway?

The speakers in this episode ask this question. You'll hear from Lydia Dugdale, a primary care physician and director of the Center for Medical Ethics at Columbia University, and Mike Fontaine, professor of Classics at Cornell. They discuss our desire to cling to life, how to find a purpose that transcends the daily striving of school and career, and what ancient wisdom might offer us that the “grindset mindset” can’t. This forum was held at Cornell in Fall 2023. Thank you to the forums team at Cornell for making this event possible.

Sign up for our newsletter here.
Watch the full Forum here.
Visit veritas.org to learn more about the mission of the Veritas Forum and find more resources to explore the ideas that shape our lives.

The Opposite of Depression Is More Than Just Mental Health w/ David Carreon | Beyond the Forum Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

What if there was a way to alleviate the symptoms of depression in just five days by changing a person’s brain activity? Obviously, this kind of shift would radically change a person’s life, finally letting them find happiness and satisfaction.

Our guest today in this episode is David Carreon. He’s the co-founder of Acacia Clinic, a mental health clinic in Silicon Valley that uses a radically fast treatment for mental illness. He’s just released a new book called The Opposite of Depression to share what he’s learned.

In this conversation, David and Seth discuss how depression affects more than just the mind, why removing symptoms of depression doesn’t remove habits of depression, and what the opposite of depression really is. We also talk about how Jesus is an emotional exemplar for us today.

Find additional resources and a link to David's book on the podcast episode page here.

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