The Veritas Forum

Hey Siri, How Do I Find Myself? A Conversation on Spirituality & Technology | Haidt & Crouch Oct 17, 2024

It’s not hard to figure out what to do with our phones. But what is hard to figure out is what our phones are doing to us.

Today’s speakers have written a lot about this topic. The first speaker is Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at NYU and author of, The Anxious Generation, which has topped the New York Times bestseller list for 27 weeks in a row. In dialogue with Jon is Andy Crouch, a partner for theology and culture at Praxis Labs and author of the book, The Life We’re Looking For.

In this conversation, Jon and Andy discuss the effects of technology on our personal and spiritual lives and whether flourishing is possible without our phones. Their discussion is moderated by Wendy Suzuki, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, professor of neural science at NYU, and author of the book Good Anxiety.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Three Skills for Disagreeing Better in 2024 w/John Inazu | Beyond the Forum Apr 04, 2024

One of our faculty partners and frequent Veritas Forum speakers, John Inazu (WUSTL), has a new book out — Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect.

His book isn’t about the election per se, but so many of his ideas and tools will be helpful this year. As November approaches, we'll have to decide not just who or what we will vote for, but how we will engage in political conversations, especially with people we love.

In this episode, you’ll hear about his book and the empathy we need, the challenges of compromise, and his recommendations for difficult conversations. He also talks about the model of Jesus for how to disagree in truth and love.

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

What Mother Teresa Taught Me | Mary Poplin Mar 21, 2024

It would be great if the world was a better place. More kindness and friendship. Less war and injustice. For “everything sad to become untrue” (to paraphrase Tolkien).

Our speaker in this episode is Mary Poplin (Claremont), and she cares about making the world a better place. In fact, she’s dedicated her life to it. Yet her dedication was challenged when she encountered someone else who was dedicated to social justice but was going about it in a completely different way. That person? Mother Teresa.

In this episode, you’ll hear Mary Poplin share how her life was changed by Mother Teresa. Mary walks us through her personal faith journey, her time spent working with Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, and how this experience led her to better understand the inextricable role of Jesus in making the world a better place.

This forum was held at the University of Michigan in 2012. Thank you to the Forums planning team at University of Michigan for making this event possible.

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Happier Doctor—Healthier Patient? | Arthur Brooks & Bernard Chang Mar 07, 2024

We spend — on average — 90,000 hours of our life working. So it’s no wonder we want our jobs to bring us happiness. Yet, all too often, work doesn’t make us happy. Why is that? And is there anything we can do about it?

In this episode, we discuss just that.

You’ll hear from social scientist and New York Times bestselling author, Arthur Brooks (Harvard). Arthur talks with Dean of Harvard Medical School, Bernard S. Chang, about happiness, vocation, faith, and physician burnout. They discuss Arthur’s empirical research on happiness, explore the role of transcendence in a happier life, and how to best set expectations about the role of work in our lives.

This Forum was held at Harvard Medical School in February of 2024. Thank you to the Forum planning team at Harvard Medical School for making this event possible.

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Are We Living in the Best of All Possible Worlds? | Lennox & Lowenstein Feb 22, 2024

The concept of a “multiverse” — formerly an obscure idea in philosophy and theoretical physics — is now mainstream. Movies like best-picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once or Marvel’s Spider Man: Into the Spiderverse invite us into an expansive vision of the cosmos: one where there are infinite worlds, possibilities, and comparisons. Even though these multiverse films feature outlandish sci-fi story lines (like hot dog fingers), their characters wrestle with many of the same questions we do, like, are we living in the best possible world?

In this episode, we discuss just that.

You’ll hear from mathematician John Lennox (Oxford) and moderator Daniel Lowenstein (UCLA) in a Forum event at UCLA in 2015. Together, they explore the toughest questions surrounding our existence. What do we do in the face of tragedy? Why do we experience pain? And, if there is a God who created the world, why did he make it like this?

Thank you to the Forum planning team at UCLA for making this event possible.

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The Messiness of Meaning | Devadoss & Firestein Feb 08, 2024

Meaning can be straightforward — a red octagon means “Stop!”, a hand wave with a smile means “Hello,” or adding two and two equals four.

But meaning is often more complicated — a friend saying they’ll eat “whatever” for dinner or a significant other texting, “We need to talk.”

In this episode, our speakers invite you into the messiness of meaning — and discuss how best we can search for it.

You’ll hear a conversation between mathematician Satyan Devadoss (U San Diego) and biologist Stuart Firestein (Columbia). Satyan and Stuart bring their scientific backgrounds and religious perspectives as they explore the role of reason in the search for meaning, what can and can’t be taken at face value, and what strategies can help us find truth — from the scientific method to literary analysis to religious tradition.

This Forum was held at Columbia University in 2014. Thanks to the forums planning team at Columbia for making this event possible.

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Mental Health Takes a Village | Curt Thompson & Jill Stratton Jan 25, 2024

The "group projects" of high school and college never fully go away. Even outside of the classroom, we still have to depend on people who may disappoint us, wade through tricky relational dynamics, and face goals that can’t be accomplished on our own.

One of the speakers in today’s episode invites us to embrace these group projects. In fact, he suggests that they're what we’re made for and that, ultimately, they help us better know who we are.

You’ll hear from Curt Thompson, a practicing psychiatrist, and Jill Stratton, the self-described “Dean of Joy” at Vanderbilt. Drawing from their own work, experience, and faith traditions, Curt and Jill explore the question “Who am I… really?” Their conversation touches on the role of community in identity, how to live with vulnerability, and what redemption might look like.

This conversation was held at Vanderbilt University in Spring 2023 and moderated by student moderator Alexys Ahn. Thank you to the Forum planning team at Vanderbilt for making this event possible.

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Has Science Made Spirituality Irrelevant? An Interfaith Discussion | Sethupathy & Shamoo Jan 11, 2024

While the beginning of the year often inspires a hopefulness and expectancy for life, New Years isn’t all excitement and courage. For you personally, this year may be a continuation of past sickness, relational strife, or financial uncertainty. For listeners in the United States, 2024 is an election year — which may mean fractured friendships, families, and even communities of faith ... none of which made your resolution list. Given all this, what is there to hope for in 2024?

As we enter into the new year, the speakers in today’s episode meet you in this uncertainty through an invitation to consider who you are — from your genetic makeup, to your relationships, to your beliefs about life’s biggest questions. In their discussion, today’s speakers explore the limits of our wills, the role of reason, and where true hope can be found.

You’ll hear from genomics researcher Praveen Sethupathy (Cornell), BioScience professor Yousif Shamoo (Rice), and moderators Rabbi Oren Hayon and Dr. Elaine Ecklund (Rice). This forum was hosted at Rice University in 2016, and a link to the full discussion is shared in the episode description. Thank you to our Forums planning team at Rice for making this event possible.

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That's A Wrap! Top Episodes of 2023 Dec 28, 2023

This year has been another incredible one for The Veritas Forum podcast — all thanks to you, our amazing listeners. Thanks for making The Veritas Forum podcast be in the top 1% of all podcasts worldwide.

In this episode, host Carley and special guest Seth share some top stats from the podcast in 2023 (300,000 listens!), discuss the recent changes to our format and release schedule, and count down our top three episodes of 2023. Listen to hear excerpts from Praveen Sethupathy (Cornell), Ken Miller (Brown), and John Lennox (Oxford). Links to the full episodes featured in this wrap up episode are shared below.

Listen to episode #3 here.
Listen to episode #2 here.
Listen to episode #1 here.
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Can Truth Be Found Through Fantasy? | Madeleine L'Engle Dec 14, 2023

This time of year, fantasy is in the air — tales of a red-nosed reindeer, a jolly North Pole resident, a virgin birth of God incarnate, and more.

In this episode, we explore the role of fantastic stories in our lives — and what believing in them can mean for us. You’ll hear from Madeleine L’Engle, the best-selling author of A Wrinkle in Time, in a Forum presentation at UC Santa Barbara in 1998. Weaving together tales from her life and work, Madeleine invites us to consider the gift of the fantastical — and how the Christian story might be more than a fairy tale.

Thank you to the Forum planning team at UC Santa Barbara for making this event possible! The full forum is linked in the episode description.

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Does Belief Need a Reality Check? | Sean McDowell & Matthew Vess Nov 30, 2023

Sometimes belief can get you the job, secure the win, or help you make a difference. And, sometimes, belief doesn't seem to help at all. So, can we know which beliefs are worth believing in? And, when do we just need to take a leap of faith?

In today’s episode, our speakers wrestle with these questions. Psychology professor Matthew Vess (Texas A&M) is in dialogue with Sean McDowell (Biola), a professor of Apologetics. They discuss how certainty and belief interact and whether the claims of Christianity could ever be worth dying for.

This Forum event was held at Texas A&M in Spring 2023. Thank you to the Forum planning team who made this discussion possible!

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Is Faith More Than Fiction? | Meghan Sullivan & Sam Mitchell Nov 16, 2023

In the US, more and more adults believe in “nothing in particular.” Recent surveys from Pew Research and the Associated Press suggest that around 30% of American adults are religiously unaffiliated, up 10% from a decade ago.

Surveys like these are helpful for religious belief in the abstract. But, when it comes to the questions and doubts you hold about your faith — or lack thereof — you need a different tool: story.

You'll hear two such stories today — and be invited to consider your own story, too. Hear Sam Mitchell (Mount Holyoke), an atheist philosopher, in dialogue with Christian philosopher, Meghan Sullivan (Notre Dame). They share how they developed their worldviews and discuss the challenges of belief in the particular. This Forum conversation was held in 2016 at Mount Holyoke College and is moderated by economics professor Jim Hartley. Thank you to the Forum planning team who made this event possible!

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Can we engineer a perfect world? | Tyler VanderWeele & Steven Pinker Nov 02, 2023

Today, you may be wrestling with what "progress" means — whether it's in relation to your own journey, your family’s, or your community’s. What do you want? And how will you get there?

In this episode, two Harvard professors explore these questions. In this 40-minute Forum excerpt, you’ll hear first from Tyler VanderWeele, the director of Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program. Tyler is in dialogue with Steven Pinker, a cognitive psychologist at Harvard and author of the best-selling book, Enlightenment Now. Tyler and Steven discuss their differing beliefs about what it means to be human, the role of faith in human flourishing, and if humanity tends towards dystopia or utopia. Their discussion is moderated by Rosalind Picard, a professor at MIT’s Media Lab and an inventor. This Forum was held on MIT's campus in Spring 2023.

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What Gods Do We Believe in Now? | N.T. Wright Oct 19, 2023

Much of our external circumstances differ from how they were 2,000 years ago — largely, to our benefit. However, our internal lives are surprisingly similar. Our desires for money, sex, and power — and the extreme lengths we’re willing to go to get them — remain.

In this episode, you’ll hear from best-selling author and New Testament Scholar, N.T. Wright (Oxford). He suggests that the sacrifices we make for a “ideal” life are, in a way, worship. Our sacrifices may not be the burnt incense of ancient times, but, he says, our hearts are captivated by money, sex, and power just the same.

This Forum was held at Northwestern University in 2012 and originally titled “What Gods Do We Believe in Now?” Since then, it’s earned over 100,000 views on YouTube. Watch the full Forum — featuring great discussion with Dr. Gary Morson of Northwestern — here.

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Should You Be a Know-It-All? | Jonathan Feng Oct 05, 2023

What would your life be like if you knew everything? While it would be nice to remember everyone’s names and not have to study for tests, knowing everything has its drawbacks, too. You’d no longer feel surprised, curious, or filled with wonder. And, you'd miss out on getting to know people, asking hard and big questions, and the joy of learning new things.

Our speaker today knows firsthand all the good that not knowing can bring. In fact, he’s made a career out of it. Jonathan Feng (U.C. Irvine) is a theoretical physicist researching one of the biggest unknowns in the scientific world: dark matter. In this Forum event from 2018, Dr. Feng embraces the unknowns of the universe. He discusses how our ignorance can lead us to greater appreciation of the complicated and beautiful world we live in, push us towards humility and curiosity, and, perhaps, help us better know a powerful, creative, loving God.

This Forum was originally titled "The Post Hawking Universe" and was hosted by The Veritas Forum at the University of Southern California.

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I Could Be Happy, If Only... w/ Arthur Brooks | Beyond the Forum Sep 21, 2023

Today’s guest has some unexpected news for you: being happy isn’t possible. Instead, he says, work towards being happy-er.

You'll hear today from social scientist, happiness scholar, and best-selling author Arthur Brooks (Harvard). We talk with Arthur about this journey towards happier-ness and discuss his new book with Oprah Winfrey called Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier. If you struggle with turning negative emotions into positive ones, if you're curious about the science behind the promises and claims of happiness scholarship, or if you simply want to live a happier life (and wonder if faith is a part of that), then this episode is for you.

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Do You Ever Think About Dying? | Lydia Dugale & Susanna Siegel Sep 07, 2023

Anthropologist Ernest Becker, in his Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Denial of Death, says that denying death is a necessary part of functioning in the world. It’s what inspires us to create culture, religion, and love, allowing us to avoid death and achieve immortality.

But perhaps there is another way — besides denial — to relate to death. What should our relationship with death look like? And, how often — and to what degree — should we contemplate our mortality?

Today's episode addresses these questions. You'll hear from philosophy professor Susanna Siegel (Harvard), and medical ethicist Lydia Dugdale (Columbia) in a Forum Event hosted at Harvard University in February 2023.

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Where Is God in Places of Pain? | John Lennox Aug 24, 2023

On November 8th, 2013, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones in recorded history hit the Philippines. Winds as high as 145 MPH tore through communities, causing $3B damage and killing over six thousand people.

A few weeks later, the Forum in this episode took place. The world was still grappling with what happened, wondering what meaning could be found in such a tragedy — or if there was any meaning at all.

In this 27-minute excerpt, you’ll have the space to mull over these questions of meaning. You’ll hear from John Lennox, a professor emeritus of mathematics at Oxford, and moderator Rosemary Avery, a professor of public policy at Cornell. They discuss the problem of evil, the goodness of God, and what the Christian scriptures suggest we do when our “whys” remain unanswered.

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Searching for Proof, Finding Faith w/ Tom Rudelius | Beyond the Forum Aug 10, 2023

Watching a few “how-to” videos on YouTube doesn’t make you an expert. To really know “how-to” change a tire, make puff pastry, or play the piano, you have to do it. Through experience, you discover new dimensions of your knowledge — from finding holes in your reasoning, to growing in flexibility and nuance, to even reassessing who you are and maybe even what you believe in.

In this episode, you’ll hear a story of such a discovery with guest Dr. Tom Rudelius, a theoretical physicist and string theory researcher with degrees from Cornell and Harvard.

Tom's story is shared in his new memoir: Chasing Proof, Finding Faith. This episode follows the arc of Tom’s book — how he and his twin grew up, to the lie detector test that sparked his faith in Jesus, to the deepening of his faith even in the face of mental illness, anxiety, and doubt.

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What Our Genes Can (and Can't) Tell Us | Praveen Sethupathy Jul 27, 2023

Do you remember your last biology class? Maybe it’s been decades since your junior year of high school. Or maybe you just went to lab last Thursday. But no matter what you do or don’t remember from biology, this episode is for you. Today, our speaker invites you to consider your biology — what you’re made of and why it matters.

In this Forum excerpt from March 2023, you’ll hear from Dr. Praveen Sethupathy, a genomics researcher at Cornell University and director of Cornell’s Center for Vertebrate Genomics. Dr. Sethupathy’s opening remarks in this episode showcase both his commitment to genomic research and his formation in the Christian faith. Over the next 35 minutes, you’ll find out that we humans aren’t that unique — and why that leads us towards greater understanding of our purpose, meaning, and beauty.

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What Can We Know about the Soul? | Miller & Byrne Jul 13, 2023

There’s a sort of spark to life — moments that stir up something inside of us that we can’t explain. Maybe you've experienced this while playing with your dog, or singing along at a concert, or seeing the Northern Lights.

Perhaps these sparks are simply neurons firing, chemicals releasing, and muscles contracting. Or perhaps these sparks point to something like a soul, something transcendent. How do we know which it is? And what do we do when our evidence remains elusive?

This episode is an excerpt from a Veritas Forum at MIT in 2016. You’ll hear from biologist Dr. Ken Miller (Brown University), and philosopher Dr. Alex Byrne (MIT), as they discuss the human soul, evidence, and what gods we do — or don’t — believe in. This vibrant conversation is moderated by Dr. Ian Hutchinson, a nuclear physicist at MIT.

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It's Brain Science: Ethics, Purpose, and Our Complex Minds | Picard & Khosbin Jun 15, 2023

If new and improved A.I. tools can write your next essay, create Picasso-style art, or produce a believable deep-fake, it’s fair to ask: Are we manufacturing human brains?

In this episode, we dive into the complexity of the human brain — and what this means for morality, meaning, and purpose. You’ll hear from Dr. Rosalind Picard (MIT Media Lab) and Dr. Shahram Khoshbin (Harvard Medical School). This excerpt is from a Forum event at Harvard Medical School in 2016, and is moderated by Dr. Patrick Smith, a principal faculty member for the Initiative on Health, Religion, and Spirituality at Harvard Medical School.

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It's Time to Think More Deeply about A.I. | Swamidass & Wolf May 18, 2023

A.I. is no longer the stuff of science fiction. From Siri and Alexa to Chat GPT, our world is now inundated with artificial intelligence. One senses that it’s time to think more deeply about A.I. — its implications and its assumptions.

In this episode, you'll hear an excerpt from a Forum event at Iowa State University from March 2023. Josh Swamidass (WashU), a medical doctor and computer scientist, discusses the role of artificial intelligence today with Clark Wolf (Iowa State), a bioethicist and philosopher. Their conversation is moderatored by Alex Tuckness (Iowa State), a political science professor.

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Everything Sad Is Untrue w/ Daniel Nayeri | Beyond the Forum Apr 27, 2023

Do the stories we tell about ourselves have the power to change us? Our guest today says they can.

To wrap up our season on meaning and purpose, we talk with author Daniel Nayeri. In his award-winning young adult novel, Everything Sad is Untrue, Daniel writes from the perspective of his twelve-year-old self, sharing the story of how he, his sister, and his mother immigrated from Iran to Edmond, Oklahoma, after his mother’s conversion from Islam to Christianity. Although this immigration kept his family out of prison (or worse), life in the U.S. came at a cost, too. Through his storytelling, Daniel also processes what he left behind: his beloved stuffed animal ("Mr. Sheep Sheep"), a life of comfort in Iran, and his larger-than-life father.

In this episode, we explore finding meaning through storytelling, the impact of an active imagination, and how the sustaining hope of the Christian story makes even a refugee camp in the Italian countryside a place of opportunity and joy.

Order Everything Sad Is Untrue here
Order Daniel's newest book, The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams, here
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Where Is God in Suffering? | John Lennox Apr 20, 2023

For the religious believer and the atheist alike, the problem of evil and suffering is troubling. If there is a God, why does he allow so much evil? And if there isn’t a God, how can we say that anything is evil?

In this Forum event from 2014 at Harvard Medical School, Oxford mathematician John Lennox addresses one of the most challenging human questions: where is God in suffering?

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How Much Faith Is Enough? | Satyan Devadoss Apr 13, 2023

What matters isn't how much faith you have, but what you're putting your faith in.

In this forum episode, University of San Diego mathematics professor, Satyan Devadoss, talks about how he trusts in Christianity for the same reasons that he trusts in quantum mechanics — not because he is has zero doubt about their veracity, but because he has faith that they are the best explanations for what he sees in the world.

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Encore | Hope for Our Loneliness Epidemic | Curt Thompson Apr 06, 2023

Scholars, journalists, practitioners, and other thought leaders all agree — we’re facing a loneliness epidemic that’s as grave a threat to public health as obesity or substance abuse. Where do we go from here?

In this Forum from 2019 at the University of Minnesota, psychiatrist Curt Thompson discusses human flourishing and community. When it comes to mental health, he says, don’t go it alone.

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Beyond the Forum | Three Questions That Change Every Teenager w/ Kara Powell Mar 30, 2023

At every age, we ask questions of identity, community, and meaning — Who am I? Where do I belong? What is my purpose? But college students today are asking them with unique urgency and anxiety.

In today's episode, we interview Kara Powell, a researcher at Fuller Youth Institute and co-author of 3 Big Questions that Change Every Teenager. We discuss how young people can better determine their purpose in life, how they can prepare for that purpose to change, and what the Christian tradition might have to offer.

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How to become failure-resilient | Charles Lee at Vanderbilt Mar 23, 2023

Want to be successful? You might need to get better at failing.

In this episode, Charles Lee (Stanford) and Andy Van Schaack (Vanderbilt) explore what it takes to be failure-resilient. In this Forum from October 2022 at Vanderbilt, they discuss success, failure, and how we might find a resilient self-worth.

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Is College Worth It? | Nancy Hill & Rakesh Khurana at Harvard Mar 16, 2023

With the average college student graduating with about $40,000 of student debt, you may be asking: Is college worth it?

To answer that question, though, you have to ask another question first: What’s college for?

In this Forum from April 2022, you’ll hear two Harvard professors — Nancy Hill and Rakesh Khurana — discuss the purpose of college, and whether or not the classroom is the only place where we learn.

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A decision-making tool that’s flexible, not fixed | Dave Evans & Bill Burnett Mar 09, 2023

“What’s my passion?” “What do I want to do for the rest of my life?” These aren’t great questions because they’re fixed. They assume you’ll only have one job or one passion for the rest of your life. But, the reality is, both you and the world around you will change. You need a career decision-making tool that isn’t surprised by change but assumes it.

In this Forum from CalTech in 2017, you'll learn about this tool. Hear from two Stanford professors — Dave Evans and Bill Burnett — as they discuss their New York Times bestselling book, Designing Your Life. They share about design thinking — and how its flexibility can help you navigate your career for years to come.

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Hear reviews from listeners like you! Mar 02, 2023

Do you love The Veritas Forum Podcast? Let us know by writing a review on Apple Podcasts. For inspiration, take a listen to today's episode and hear what listeners like you shared.

We're also interested in hearing from you via email! Shoot us a message at podcast@veritas.org

What's the value of truth? | Meghan Sullivan & Katja Vogt Feb 23, 2023

In today's world of misinformation and misrepresentation, it's wise to be skeptical. But has our skepticism gone too far? What does it look like to not only refute what is false — but also to follow what is true?

In this episode, hear from two philosophy professors, Dr. Meghan Sullivan of Notre Dame and Dr. Katja Vogt of Columbia University. Their conversation from April 2022 draws from philosophers like Aristotle and Plato, and they discuss how truth can be appreciated and acted upon, what it means to pursue truth together, and how rediscovering the value of truth just might make our lives and society better.

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Is Science Enough? | Troy Van Voorhis Feb 16, 2023

The same facts can lead to different stories. You see this daily in your news feed — major events produce dozens of headlines, and each article has its own interpretation of the facts. This is how we make sense of the world: when we get information, we want to interpret it. But, with so many choices, is there a right interpretation?

In today’s episode, we ask this question. How can you interpret the facts of your life and make sense of your meaning and purpose? Our speaker is Dr. Troy Van Voorhis, a professor of Chemistry at MIT. He discusses how interpretations may not always be in conflict with each other, and how his Christian faith informs his approach to certainty.

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Beyond the Forum | Do I have to have God to have meaning? | Ard Louis Feb 09, 2023

In this episode, we're going Beyond the Forum with theoretical physicist Dr. Ard Louis (Oxford). He’s on the cutting edge of research about symmetry, and directs a research lab at Oxford. Yet for all of his scientific expertise, he doesn’t think science alone can answer questions of meaning and purpose. For those questions, he turns to his Christian faith — a faith rooted in a loving Creator.

Listen as we discuss Ard’s documentary with filmmaker David Malone, “Why Are We Here?” and explore whether believing that there’s meaning in our lives requires a belief in God.

Watch Ard's documentary, Why Are We Here? on Curiosity Stream.
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Encore | Meaning, Evidence, and Truth | Ard Louis Feb 02, 2023

Science is powerful — and our speaker today, Oxford theoretical physicist Dr. Ard Louis, agrees. But when it comes to life's biggest questions, like “Why is there something rather than nothing?” and “What makes us human?”, what does science's power contribute?

In this encore episode, you'll hear from Dr. Ard Louis in a 2019 Veritas Forum at the University of Birmingham in the UK. He explores science’s strengths and limitations and invites us to consider how the big questions in our lives might have more than solely scientific answers.

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Spring 2023 Trailer: Meaning & Purpose Jan 26, 2023

For the twelfth season of The Veritas Forum Podcast, we're exploring some of life's biggest questions: “What’s the purpose of my work?” “How do I know if I’m successful?” “Am I living a meaningful life?”

Each week, starting Thursday, February 2nd, we'll share the best Veritas content on meaning and purpose — Forums you love and engaging interviews with top scholars — that will help you wrestle with the big questions in your life.

If you think a friend of yours would benefit from this season of the podcast, share this trailer with them — and, please, subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode.

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Winterlude | Can doctors "do no harm"? w/ Dr. Lydia Dugdale Jan 12, 2023

In this Winterlude episode, we interview Dr. Lydia Dugdale — a physician and medical ethicist at Columbia University — about the historic medical pledge, the Hippocratic Oath, and how it is not required by medical schools in the United States. (Surprising, right?) Listen to hear what's replacing it, what the Christian tradition might offer medical ethics, and how you can become a better patient.

Dr. Dugdale's recent Plough piece on the Hippocratic oath, here.
Her recent book, The Lost Art of Dying, here.
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Winterlude | An Insider's Guide to the University w/ John Inazu Dec 15, 2022

In this Winterlude episode, we interview Dr. John Inazu, the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. He gives us an insider's view of how we might engage with the university — not as consumers but as participants who faithfully serve, start conversations that matter, and seize the fleeting time students have on campus.

Dr. Inazu's Substack, Some Assembly Required, here
His recent book with Tim Keller, Uncommon Ground, here
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Beyond the Forum | You Are Not Your Own w/ Alan Noble Nov 17, 2022

This season we've asked: "What does it mean to be human?" And not too far downstream from this question is one you probably ask on a regular basis: "Who am I?"

Both questions can be overwhelming. What if your answer isn’t right? Do you even know if there is a right answer? Can you change your mind? And is there a point when you have to have it all figured out? In our final episode of the season, we address that anxiety — that burden. Perhaps “having to figure it all out” is too much pressure. What if you don’t have to come up with all the answers?

In this episode, we are going beyond the forum with Dr. Alan Noble. He’s an English professor and author, and we talk about the struggle that comes with making sense of what it means to be human. His most recent book is entitled, "You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World."

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Can anyone know your authentic self? | University of Chicago Nov 10, 2022

You — like most of us — are likely fed up with social media. The apps that promised us more social connection and genuine communication instead gave us doom-scrolling, photoshopped vacation photos, and hordes of influencers. But in our quest for authentic community, have we looked in the wrong places? Can we express our true selves on social media platforms like BeReal or Instagram? And is *real* authenticity — whether online or in person — even possible?

We explore these questions through a Forum from April 2022 at the University of Chicago. In it, a fashion designer and philosopher contemplate selfhood. What does it mean to “be ourselves”? The first speaker is Dr. Fiona Dieffenbacher, an Associate Professor of Fashion at Parsons School of Design. The second speaker is Dr. Benjamin Callard, a philosopher professor at the University of Chicago.

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Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Humanity | John Lennox & Paul Davies Nov 03, 2022

We live in a culture saturated with technology. From a helpful autocorrected text to a friend to the suspiciously targeted ads in your Instagram feed to the deepfakes that can create your likeness without your consent.

Given technology's prevalence today, how should we think about our relationship with it? What does this relationship mean for what it means to be human? And is it possible for our tech to become *more* human than we are?

Our conversation today centers around these questions. In this Forum event from April 2022, you’ll hear first from Dr. John Lennox, emeritus professor of mathematics at Oxford. He’s the author of 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity, and he discusses topics from this book with Dr. Paul Davies, a theoretical physicist at Arizona State University. Dr. Lennox and Dr. Davies explore the ever-expanding impact of artificial intelligence on our lives, the plausibility of creating human-like technologies, and the importance of ethical guidelines and agreements in these morally fraught developments.

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How to Disagree | Harvard Law School Oct 27, 2022

Last week, you heard from Dr. Jennifer Frey about how you need other people to know who you are.

That sounds great when these "other people" are kind, generous in dialogue, and want the best for you. But in our quest to discover what it means to be human, we will encounter other people whose ideas challenge us, expose us to new viewpoints, and uncover significant areas of disagreement.

So what do we do? How can we engage with others across ideological divides? What would it look like to bring our unique insights to conversations — and see others’ contributions as meaningful, too?

Today’s Forum is entitled “How to Disagree” — and it dives into the limits and virtues of intellectual charity. This conversation was hosted by the Veritas Forum at Harvard Law School in April 2022. The first speaker is Diana Hess, the Dean of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The second speaker is Randall Kennedy, a professor at Harvard Law School. And the third speaker is Steven Harris, the Senior Director of Academic Programs at the Center on Faith and Justice for Georgetown University.

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Beyond the Forum | What makes a good friend? w/ Jennifer Frey Oct 20, 2022

We're going *beyond the forum* with Dr. Jennifer Frey, our guest from last week. Dr. Frey is a philosopher at the University of South Carolina, and she teaches the philosophy of Aristotle, Plato, and other perennial philosophers.

We look at happiness in our relationships with others and how friendship plays a role in what it means to be human. In our discussion, we explore Aristotle’s three types of friends, how friendship and justice relate, and what it means to be a good friend.

Check out Jennifer Frey's podcast, "Sacred & Profane Love," here.
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What Good is Happiness? | Jennifer Frey & Jonathan Masur Oct 13, 2022

If you're wondering if you'll get the "happily ever after" promised by fairy tales, you're not alone. For the past three decades, the General Social Survey has tracked a slow decline in happiness in the United States. Responses in 2021 suggest the lowest percentage of "Very Happy" Americans (19%) since 1988. But, what exactly *is* happiness — or its lack thereof? Is it something that we can measure in a survey or promise at bed time? And, how does it contribute to what it means to be human?

In today’s episode we dive into happiness — what it is, how we get it, and its purpose for us today — in a Forum entitled, "What Good Is Happiness?” This Forum event was hosted at the University of Chicago in February 2020. The first speaker is Jennifer Frey, professor of philosophy at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Frey is in dialogue with Jonathan Masur, an economist at the University of Chicago.

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Healing the Whole Person | Praveen Sethupathy & Lori Alvord Oct 06, 2022

How would you answer the question, "How much are you worth?"? Based on your body's iron, magnesium, oxygen, etc., you could sell your body for around $18. Or you could check your transcript and report your 4.0 GPA. Or with the help of social media, you could tally up your followers on Instagram and Twitter. But $18, a 4.0, and 3,000 followers are poor approximations for you and the worth of your life. How, instead, should we approach this question?

Today, we’re exploring what it means to be human — holistically. How can we approach our humanness with an understanding of our bodies, minds, and souls? By the end of this episode, you’ll gain a better understanding of how you are worth more than the sum of your parts. This Forum event was hosted at Dartmouth in 2022. The first speaker is Praveen Sethupathy, the director for the Center for Vertebrate Genetics at Cornell University. The second speaker is Lori Alvord. She’s a General Surgeon at Astria Health. The conversation is moderated by Ross Douthat, opinion columnist at the New York Times.

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Time, Eternity, & Finding Value in Our Lives | Meghan Sullivan & Alan Lightman Sep 29, 2022

Do you find yourself frustrated by life's inefficiencies? Wouldn't it be better if we could live entirely productive, completely predictable lives? Surprisingly, minor inconveniences can be more beneficial to you than you might think. Perhaps they can even bring meaning to your life and remind you of your ultimate lack of control. In this episode, we’ll investigate how time impacts what it means to be human. Can we find meaning and purpose in our short lives? And how can we begin to see time — however much of it we get — as a gift?

This Forum event was held in 2019 at MIT and features Dr. Alan Lightman, professor of the practice of the humanities at MIT, and Dr. Meghan Sullivan, professor of philosophy at Notre Dame.

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Beyond the Forum | How to Inhabit Time w/ James K. A. Smith Sep 22, 2022

If only you had 15 more minutes, or were 5 years younger, or a year into the future — then, things would be better. Maybe even *you* would be better.

But maybe time is more than a sparring partner. More than something you curse or see as a thief. It might just be an integral part of what it means to be human.

In today's episode, we discuss with Dr. James K. A. Smith what it might look like to *partner* with time. We talk about Jamie's new book, How to Inhabit Time, and how we can learn to appreciate the fleeting, ephemeral moments of this life.

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Encore | You Are What You Love | James K. A. Smith Sep 15, 2022

Whether it's a scoop of ice cream each night or a quick look at notifications on my phone, our unconscious habits — and their underlying desires — form us. (Even when we *think* they aren't.) So, what does it mean to be human in light of these habits and desires? And, can you use your desires to *enhance* your humanness — rather than take away from it?

Listen to one of our favorite Forums again in this encore episode featuring Dr. James K. A. Smith, professor of philosophy at Calvin College. This program was recorded at a Veritas Forum event at the University of Michigan in 2018, and the original title was "You Are What You Love." If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe!

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What Does it Mean to Be Human? | Joshua Swamidass & Scott Lilienfeld Sep 08, 2022

There's a lot that humans can do that other animals can't — we can make beautiful works of art and develop life-saving medicines. But, there's a lot we share in common. For example, we share 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees. You may wonder, then, where does our *humanness* lie? What makes humans unique?

This program was recorded at a Veritas Forum event at Emory University in 2018. The original title was, "What Does it Mean to Be Human?" and featured Dr. Joshua Swamidass, professor of biomedicine at the University of Washington at St. Louis and Dr. Scott Lilienfeld, a professor of psychology at Emory. If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe!

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Fall 2022 Trailer: What does it mean to be human? Sep 01, 2022

What makes you, *you*? And how can you live into the fullness of your life?

We're coming through a global pandemic that may have forced you to face your own mortality. You may be struggling to create loving relationships in a virtual and media-filled world. You might be figuring out who you are and what ‘identity’ means.

This fall, it's a great time to ask, "What does it mean to be human?"

The first episode of our eleventh season drops on Thursday, September 8th. Join us as we share insights from scholars working in various disciplines from particular viewpoints. This season's episodes feature archival Forum content and new interviews with your favorite Forum speakers.

You won't want to miss an episode! Be sure to subscribe NOW to our podcast — and leave us a rating and review on Apple podcasts, too.

Beyond the Forum | What do we do when things break? | Makoto Fujimura Jun 09, 2022

PART OF A SPECIAL 6-WEEK SERIES | This season is all about character and virtue — and how we can close our “character gaps” to become better people. But, what does it look like to grow more virtuous in a world with pain, trauma, and grief? Our guest for this episode, contemporary artist Makoto Fujimura, approaches this question through the lens of a centuries-old art form: kintsugi.

Mako’s most recent book, Art + Faith, is available here.

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Beyond the Forum | Can we change our brains for good? | Nii Addy Jun 02, 2022

PART OF A SPECIAL 6-WEEK SERIES | The pandemic upended all of our lives. As a response, we started different habits — and perhaps even formed addictions — that helped us to cope. But, after two years of pandemic living, is it possible to change? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Nii Addy, a researcher at Yale specializing in addiction, depression, and anxiety. And he says we can have hope — according to his research, it is possible to rewire our brains for greater mental health.

If you’re curious to hear more from Nii, check out his podcast, Addy Hour, wherever you listen to podcasts!

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Beyond the Forum | What’s up with kids these days? | Nancy Hill May 26, 2022

PART OF A SPECIAL 6-WEEK SERIES | People today reach the standard markers of adulthood — finishing education, getting married, becoming financially independent — later compared to people 50 years ago. Does that mean that kids these days are “behind” in their development? Or should these standard markers be rethought? Our guest today, Dr. Nancy Hill, is a Harvard professor and developmental psychologist. She invites us to consider how attending college might change how we develop — not just in our twenties, but for the rest of our lives.

You can order Nancy and her co-author Alexis’s book, The End of Adolescence, here.

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Beyond the Forum | Is "what's my passion" the right question? | Dave Evans May 19, 2022

PART OF A SPECIAL 6-WEEK SERIES | Career searches often begin with the same question: “What’s my passion?” If you’re in a period of job transition — maybe you’re about to graduate, retire, or have felt like a new job is on the horizon — we want to help. And, we don’t think that “passion” is the best place to start. Join us as we talk with Dave Evans, New York Times best-selling author of Designing Your Life and Stanford professor, about what questions we should be asking when it comes to making our next steps vocationally.

You can order Dave’s book, Designing Your Life, here.

See more of Dave’s books on his website, https://designingyour.life/

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Beyond the Forum | Why should you care about philosophy? | Meghan Sullivan May 12, 2022

PART OF A SPECIAL 6-WEEK SERIES | What academic study can help you live a better life today? Medicine, Business, Anthropology, Social Science… Our guest this week, Dr. Meghan Sullivan, argues that philosophy should be on that list. Meghan is a philosophy professor at Notre Dame — she teaches the popular course, God and the Good Life, the freshman intro philosophy course — and she discusses with us four philosophical skills that can help you live a better, happier, even Good, Life.

You can order Meghan and her co-author Paul’s new book, The Good Life Method, here.

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Beyond the Forum | I’m a good person…right? | Christian Miller May 05, 2022

PART OF A SPECIAL 6-WEEK SERIES | To kick off our third season, we’re starting with the question we’ve all asked ourselves: “Am I a good person?” Our guest, Dr. Christian Miller, has an answer — and it might not be what you think. Christian is a philosophy and ethics professor at Wake Forest University, and he’s spent over a decade studying character and virtue. Starting in 2010, Christian led the Character Project — a research group dedicated to the advancement of the scientific study of character. Recently, he’s honed in on one virtue in particular, honesty, through his direction of the Honesty Project.

You can order Christian’s trade book on character and virtue, The Character Gap, here.

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AI, Religion, & Humanity: How Might (or Should?) We Shape the Future? Apr 28, 2022

This program was recorded at a Veritas Forum event on Northwestern University in 2022. The original title was "AI, Religion, & Humanity: How Might (or Should?) We Shape the Future?" and featured Rosalind Picard, Director of Affective Computing Research, Sylvester Johnson, Professor and Director of the Center for Humanities, and Robert Geraci, Professor.
If you liked this episode, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast!