Best Irreducible Complexity Podcasts (2024)

1
Could Carl Sagan’s Methods Be Used to Make Design Inferences? 33:07

5m ago33:07

33:07

On today’s ID The Future out of the vault, host Robert Crowther welcomes philosopher of science Paul Nelson to explore an intriguing tension in the thinking of famous scientist and science popularizer Carl Sagan. Though Sagan was a committed Darwinist and agnostic, he embraced certain ideas consistent with the theory of intelligent design. Could Sa…

1
Metals: The Gifts That Keep On Giving 27:53

2h ago27:53

27:53

A confluence of conditions conspired to bring metals to Earth and make them accessible to humans. Can a Darwinian process take the credit? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes a two-part conversation with Dr. Eric Hedin, professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at Ball State University in Indiana. Dr. Hedin describes the condit…

1
Metals & Life: A Finely Tuned Alliance 28:49

20h ago28:49

28:49

Humans have successfully utilized metals for millennia, and trace amounts of metals are crucial to our survival. Is that coincidence or something more? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid begins a two-part conversation with Dr. Eric Hedin, professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at Ball State University in Indiana. Dr. Hedin tells the …

1
The Gollum Effect: When Guarding Research Impedes Progress 17:26

4d ago17:26

17:26

On this ID the Future out of the vault, host Andrew McDiarmid sits down with historian and philosopher of science Michael Keas to discuss a recent article at Times Higher Education, “My Precious! How Academia’s Gollums Guard Their Research Fields.” The article looks at how scientific progress is being impeded by a culture in which scientists jealou…

1
Richard Weikart Reads From His New Book Unnatural Death 30:34

7d ago30:34

30:34

On this episode, Dr. Richard Weikart reads selections from his new book Unnatural Death: Medicine’s Descent From Healing to Killing. Dr. Weikart is Emeritus Professor of History at California State University Stanislaus and a Senior Fellow with the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture. He is author of From Darwin to Hitler, Hitler’s E…

1
Richard Weikart: Medicine’s Descent From Healing to Killing 35:09

8d ago35:09

35:09

If we believe there is no qualitative distinction between animals and humans, are we more likely to protect human life or devalue it? On this episode of ID The Future, host Eric Anderson talks to historian Dr. Richard Weikart about his latest book, Unnatural Death: Medicine's Descent From Healing to Killing, now available from Discovery Institute P…

1
Three Types of Science, pt. 3: Fantasy Science 16:28

15d ago16:28

16:28

On this episode of ID the Future out of our vault, biophysicist Kirk Durston completes a three-part series on three categories of science: experimental, inferential, and fantasy science. Fantasy science makes inferential leaps so huge that virtually none of it is testable, either by the standards of experimental science or by those of the historica…

1
Finding Beauty and Harmony in the Sciences 43:05

17d ago43:05

43:05

Materialist philosopher Bertrand Russell once wrote that "only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation…be safely built.” But is this worldview of scientific materialism in line with what science has revealed to us in the last century? On this episode of ID The Future, we’re pleased to share a recent conversation betw…

1
Astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez Reads His Solar Eclipse Poem “Totality” 28:04

19d ago28:04

28:04

On this episode, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes astrophysicist Guillermo Gonzalez back to the program to read and discuss his poem "Totality: A Celestial Theater," written to commemorate the total solar eclipse that occurred in April 2024. You may already be familiar with Gonzalez's popular book The Privileged Planet, co-authored with Dr. Jay Richa…

1
Three Types of Science, pt. 2: Inferential Science 19:46

22d ago19:46

19:46

On this episode of ID the Future from the archive, host Andrew McDiarmid continues a three-part conversation with biophysicist and philosopher Kirk Durston. The topic is Durston’s article series unpacking three types of science: (1) experimental science, (2) inferential science, and (3) fantasy science. In this second of three episodes, Durston rec…

1
Can AI Help Us Assess Neo-Darwinism? 19:17

21d ago19:17

19:17

Can artificial intelligence be applied to the scientific theory of Darwinian evolution to help us evaluate its strengths and weaknesses? On this episode of ID The Future, host Casey Luskin concludes his conversation with two distinguished PhD scientists who are asking tough questions of Neo-Darwinism: Olen Brown, Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Sc…

1
Can Darwinian Evolution Be Rescued From Dogma? 26:26

26d ago26:26

26:26

If there's anything left to salvage from the Neo-Darwinian theory of life's origins, it must first be rescued from dogma. On this episode of ID The Future, host Casey Luskin begins a conversation with two distinguished PhD scientists who are asking tough questions of Neo-Darwinism: Olen Brown, Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Sciences at the Univer…

1
Three Types of Science, pt. 1: Experimental Science 17:17

29d ago17:17

17:17

On this episode of ID the Future out of the vault, host Andrew McDiarmid begins a three-part conversation with biophysicist and philosopher Kirk Durston. The pair discuss Durston's article series about three types of science — (1) experimental science, which is generally very trustworthy, with some exceptions; (2) inferential science, which can be …

1
Sleeping and Waking: A Designer’s Gift 22:08

1M ago22:08

22:08

Are we to credit an unguided evolutionary process for the gift of sleeping and waking? Or are these intricate systems further evidence of design? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes his conversation with Dr. Eric Hedin on the intelligent design of sleep. In Part 2, the pair dig deeper into the purpose of sleep and why it’s so ess…

1
Eric Hedin on the Intelligent Design of Sleep 21:39

1M ago21:39

21:39

We’re asleep an average of about 26 years of our life! Most people have a sense that sleep is important, but many of us aren't sure exactly why. Why is sleep so crucial to survival? And how did the processes of sleep emerge in living things? Could a gradual Darwinian process be responsible, or are the systems involved another instance of intelligen…

1
William Dembski on Why Intelligent Design Matters 24:35

1M ago24:35

24:35

On this ID the Future from the archive, intelligent design pioneer William Dembski unpacks one of his chapters in The Comprehensive Guide to Science and Faith: Exploring the Ultimate Questions about Life and the Cosmos, which Dembski co-edited with Joseph Holden and episode host Casey Luskin. Dembski discusses why intelligent design better explains…

1
Giving Up Darwin’s Brilliant and Beautiful Theory 37:26

1M ago37:26

37:26

Five years ago, Yale University professor of computer science David Gelernter wrote that he was bidding farewell to neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory. Why would he take such a bold step? What convinced him that the neo-Darwinian paradigm no longer satisfied the scientific evidence? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid marks the fifth annive…

1
Emily Reeves on Intersection of Biology and Engineering 42:58

1M ago42:58

42:58

The biochemical revolution of the last century has revealed powerful evidence of design in living things. Now, scientists are beginning to realize the benefits of studying designed systems through an engineering lens. On today's episode, Dr. Emily Reeves discusses the intersection of biology and engineering with Fred Williams and Doug McBurney, hos…

1
Stephen Meyer Visits the Multiverse of Madness 18:01

1M ago18:01

18:01

On today’s ID the Future out of the vault, radio host Michael Medved sits down with bestselling science author Stephen Meyer to discuss the Marvel movie Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Medved isn’t wild about the film, but he uses it as a springboard to dive into what he calls “the madness of the multiverse”—namely, the proposals in physi…

1
The Irreducible Complexity Found in Bacterial Cell Division 21:26

2M ago21:26

21:26

Ready to dip a toe in the ocean of biological ingenuity? Dr. Jonathan McLatchie is back, this time to discuss with host Andrew McDiarmid the engineering elegance and irreducible complexity of the process of bacterial cell division. You may wonder why we should care about something so minuscule as bacterial cells. After all, something so insignifica…

1
Is Vitalism Making a Comeback? 33:10

2M ago33:10

33:10

Vitalism is the age-old idea that living things possess a vital force – some fundamental element that generally does not exist in non-life. As a Darwinian paradigm took hold of the natural sciences in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, vitalism fell out of favor. But as writer and teacher Daniel Witt reports, a willingness to flirt with vitali…

1
Biochemist Michael Denton on Nature’s Fitness for Life 18:53

2M ago18:53

18:53

On this episode of ID the Future from the vault, biochemist and author Michael Denton and host Eric Anderson conclude their conversation about Denton's book The Miracle of the Cell, and about his epiphany of the many remarkable ways that nature’s chemistry is fine-tuned for life. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source…

1
The Engineered Adaptability of the Humble Guppy 39:13

2M ago39:13

39:13

Do living things evolve right before our eyes? Perhaps the most common evidence put forward to support evolutionary theory is the observation that organisms can adapt. But is this adaptability really a hallmark of a gradual Darwinian process? Or is it evidence of intelligent design? On this ID The Future, host Eric Anderson speaks with Dr. Emily Re…

1
How to Promote Intelligent Design in Your Local Community 21:10

2M ago21:10

21:10

If you enjoy the work of Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture, including our books, videos, articles, and research, you may wonder how you can get involved. Options include signing up for our weekly newsletter Nota Bene, joining the Discovery Society, and attending our events. But in the last few years, a new way to promote intellig…

1
From Galaxies to Atoms, a Vast Web of Fitness for Life 18:19

2M ago18:19

18:19

On this episode of ID the Future from the archive, host Eric Anderson begins a conversation with biochemist Michael Denton about Denton’s 2020 book The Miracle of the Cell, part of his continuing Privileged Species series exploring nature’s fine tuning for life. New research keeps unveiling ever more ways in which this fine tuning exists, from the …

1
What’s Next in the Search for Habitable Worlds 24:56

2M ago24:56

24:56

Are we common or rare? You can be on either side of the question and still be excited about the search for habitable planets capable of harboring life. On this episode of ID the Future, host and amateur astronomer Eric Anderson concludes his two-part conversation with Bijan Nemati, professional astronomer and expert on exoplanet search technology, …

1
Bijan Nemati on the Search for Habitable Planets 36:17

2M ago36:17

36:17

One of the most exciting areas of space research is the search for Earth-like planets around other stars. Since the first discovery some 30 years ago, thousands of exoplanets have been identified and catalogued, but the vast majority bear little resemblance to Earth and would not be conducive to even simple life, much less large organisms such as o…

1
David Galloway: The Fetal Circulatory System is Irreducibly Complex 18:37

2M ago18:37

18:37

On today’s ID the Future from the vault, distinguished British physician and author David Galloway explains why he’s convinced that the human fetal circulatory system is irreducibly complex and therefore beyond the reach of a blind gradualistic evolutionary process. In this second half of his conversation with host and fellow physician Geoffrey Sim…

1
Casey Luskin Reflects on His Recent Junk DNA Debate 27:26

2M ago27:26

27:26

For decades we were told that non-coding regions of our DNA are littered with evolutionary junk. But in recent years, numerous discoveries have revealed that function is the rule, not the exception, in the genome. On this episode of ID The Future, Casey Luskin reflects with host Jonathan McLatchie about his recent debate over junk DNA with Rutgers …

1
Stephen Meyer and Piers Morgan: Design, Atheism, and God 34:54

2M ago34:54

34:54

Does a scientific worldview require atheism? Or are scientific discoveries of the last century pointing back to a God hypothesis? On this ID The Future, Piers Morgan sits down with "one of the most controversial philosophical minds on the planet," Dr. Stephen Meyer, for a lively and wide-ranging discussion about the scientific arguments for intelli…

1
Distinguished Glasgow Surgeon David Galloway Dissects Darwinism 16:48

2M ago16:48

16:48

Today’s ID the Future from the archive brings onto the show Scottish physician David Galloway, author of the 2021 book Design Detected and former president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. In his conversation with guest host and fellow physician/author Geoffrey Simmons, Galloway describes how he found himself in the evolu…

1
Ronald Reagan’s Deeply Personal Argument for Intelligent Design 17:36

2M ago17:36

17:36

On this ID The Future marking the anniversary of President Ronald Reagan's death, we're delighted to share Discovery Institute Vice President Dr. John West's recent conversation with radio host Michael Medved discussing Reagan’s deeply personal argument for intelligent design. During remarks given at a National Prayer Breakfast event in 1988, Reaga…

1
Comedian Evan Sayet on the Failure of the Atheist Origin Myth 40:52

3M ago40:52

40:52

On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes comedian and author Evan Sayet to the podcast to discuss the failure of the atheist origin myth, his journey from liberalism to conservatism, and the role of humor in the scientific debate. His latest book, Magic Soup, Typing Monkeys, and Horny Aliens From Outer Space, takes a cuttingly humorous…

1
In a Nutshell: Three Great Problems for Evolution 16:49

3M ago16:49

16:49

On this episode of ID the Future from the archive, host Andrew McDiarmid continues his conversation with Robert Waltzer, chair of the department of biology at Belhaven University and co-author of Evolution and Intelligent Design in a Nutshell, on three big problems faced by naturalistic evolutionary theory. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation…

1
How the Myth of Junk DNA Hindered Science 49:40

3M ago49:40

49:40

On this ID The Future, host Eric Anderson and Dr. Casey Luskin unpack the myth of junk DNA and how it has hindered the progress of science. SourceBy Discovery Institute

1
A Reading From The Farm at the Center of the Universe 15:34

3M ago15:34

15:34

Is there evidence of purpose in the universe? Or is life just a collection of accidental processes that did not have us in mind? On a weekend visit to his grandparents' farm, Isaac is caught between two very different worldviews. He must choose for himself which makes the most sense. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid reads an excerpt fro…

1
Clarifying Loaded Words in the Debate over Evolution 18:09

3M ago18:09

18:09

On this episode of ID the Future from the vault, biologist and professor Robert Waltzer talks with host Andrew McDiarmid about Waltzer’s chapter in the Discovery Institute Press volume Evolution and Intelligent Design that clarifies some key terms in the evolution/ID conversation. SourceBy Discovery Institute

1
New Novel Invites Teens to Ponder our Privileged Planet 28:08

3M ago28:08

28:08

There's a wealth of books covering the arguments for intelligent design, and yet one type of book has so far been missing - a young adult novel. That changes with the release of The Farm at the Center of the Universe, a new teen novel from astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez and author Jonathan Witt, now available from Discovery Institute Press. On t…

1
Promoting Design Arguments in Mexico and Beyond 27:53

3M ago27:53

27:53

International interest in intelligent design is growing. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes back Dr. Brian Miller, this time to discuss his recent participation at a conference on science and faith in Guadalajara and to explain how intelligent design is making inroads internationally. Source…

1
Bob Marks on Why AI Won’t Destroy the World, or Save It 20:09

3M ago20:09

20:09

Today’s ID the Future from the vault dives into the controversial realm of artificial intelligence (AI). Will robots or other computers ever become so fast and powerful that they become conscious, creative, and free? Will AI reach a point where it leaves humans in the dust? To shed light on these and other questions, host Casey Luskin interviews co…

1
The Humble Origins of the Big Bang Theory 26:12

3M ago26:12

26:12

The Big Bang theory changed how we understand our universe. But who do we have to thank for it? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes his conversation with esteemed cosmologist Jean-Pierre Luminet, who sets the record straight on the real heroes of the Big Bang Theory with his new book The Big Bang Revolutionaries, available now fr…

1
The Real Heroes of the Big Bang Revolution 31:48

3M ago31:48

31:48

The discovery that the universe had a beginning was one of the most remarkable achievements of 20th century science, sparking a cosmological paradigm shift and a radical new way to understand our world. But the three scientists most responsible for the big bang revolution are largely unknown to the public and underestimated by other scientists in t…

1
Toward an Information-First View of Reality 9:05

3M ago9:05

9:05

On a classic episode of ID the Future from the vault, host Dr. John West continues his conversation with Dr. Bill Dembski as they discuss Dr. Dembski's 2014 book Being as Communion: A Metaphysics of Information. Listen in as Dr. Dembski explains 3 central points at the heart of his book: the Tang problem, the problem of no, and transposition. Tang?…

1
The Bacterial Flagellum: A Marvel of Nanotechnology 35:30

3M ago35:30

35:30

It's one of the rock stars of intelligent design. ID theorists make a fuss over it and rightly so. But even non-ID scientists admit to getting an "awe-inspiring feeling" from the "divine beauty" of the humble bacterial flagellar motor. And why not? It's a marvel of engineering that originated long before human engineering existed. On this ID The Fu…

1
Now Registering: High School Chemistry with an ID Twist 28:57

3M ago28:57

28:57

What do you get when you combine the fundamentals of chemistry with intelligent design concepts, taught by an experienced, enthusiastic instructor in an innovative online learning environment? You get Discovery Institute Academy's High School Chemistry, a two-semester, virtual, synchronous, and lab-based course which integrates the fundamentals of …

1
Why The Heart of the Matter is Information 11:43

4M ago11:43

11:43

If information, not matter, is the basic stuff of reality, how would this change the way we look at the world? On a classic episode of ID the Future from the vault, Center for Science and Culture Managing Director John West sits down with mathematician and philosopher Dr. Bill Dembski to discuss his 2014 book Being as Communion: A Metaphysics of In…

1
Stephen Meyer on Isaac Newton and the Scientific Revolution 1:29:50

4M ago1:29:50

1:29:50

On this ID The Future, we're pleased to bring you a longer-form conversation between philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer and Rice University chemist and professor Dr. James Tour about Sir Isaac Newton and his influence on modern science. Dr. Meyer explains why the scientific revolution occurred when and where it did. He also describes Newton's…

1
A Reading From The Big Bang Revolutionaries 15:03

4M ago15:03

15:03

While the West reeled from America's stock market crash of 1929, another crisis was brewing in the field of cosmology. One of the most ambitious scientific theories in history--that the universe had a beginning--was beginning to take shape, ushering in a new cosmological paradigm. But the real heroes of the Big Bang revolution have been largely for…

1
How Finely Tuned Is Our Universe? 35:46

4M ago35:46

35:46

On this ID the Future from the archive, Baylor University computer engineering professor Robert J. Marks hosts Ola Hössjer of Stockholm University and Daniel Díaz of the University of Miami to discuss a recent research paper the three contributed to the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, “Is Cosmological Tuning Fine or Coarse?" Althoug…

1
Unraveling the Mess of Arachnid Phylogeny 38:17

4M ago38:17

38:17

Classifying organisms is an important function of biology. But if phylogenetics is ultimately based on a floundering theory of origins, how helpful is it to our understanding of living things? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid and paleoentemologist Gunter Bechly unpack some of the major problems with arachnid phylogeny and its implicatio…

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