Over the past two days, NPR’s Fresh Air has devotÂed two proÂgrams to interÂroÂgatÂing whether reliÂgion and sciÂence can co-exist. On WednesÂday, air time was first givÂen to Richard Dawkins, the famed Oxford UniÂverÂsiÂty scholÂar of evoÂluÂtion who, with his recent pubÂliÂcaÂtion of The God DeluÂsion, has launched a vigÂorÂous defense of atheÂism. As you could well imagÂine, Dawkins (iTunes — feed — stream) is hardÂly willÂing to make accomÂmoÂdaÂtions for reliÂgion, and he’s comÂfortÂable livÂing in a world where DarÂwinÂist thought solves probÂlems that reliÂgion itself usuÂalÂly tries to sort out — that is, the basic hows and whys of exisÂtence. It has been said that Dawkins comes off as being as zealÂous in his atheÂism as his reliÂgious counÂterÂparts are in their faith. But no matÂter how you look at him, you have to admire his abilÂiÂty to make an artÂful arguÂment .… and also his sense of humor. Yes, he claims half in jest to wear an “AtheÂists for Jesus” t‑shirt. (See a phoÂto here.)
Next, on ThursÂday, TerÂry Gross invitÂed FranÂcis Collins (iTunes — feed — stream) onto the show. Collins is a genetiÂcist, and not just any one. He is curÂrentÂly the direcÂtor of the NationÂal Human Genome Research Project, and he most notably led a team that cracked the human genome back in 2000. He is also an evanÂgelÂiÂcal ChrisÂtÂian, and, again, not just your averÂage one in that he accepts the validÂiÂty of evoÂluÂtion. HavÂing recentÂly pubÂlished a new work, The LanÂguage of God: A SciÂenÂtist Presents EviÂdence for Belief, Collins is subÂtly lookÂing to steer a midÂdle course, to find ways to let reliÂgion and sciÂence co-exist and not let the one underÂmine the integriÂty of the othÂer. How well the arguÂments hang togethÂer is an open quesÂtion. But it’s nonetheÂless genÂuineÂly interÂestÂing to hear how he’s thinkÂing things through. And cerÂtainÂly it’s worth lisÂtenÂing to Dawkins and Collins’ interÂviews side by side. This is NPR at its best, and, yes, I’d genÂtly chalÂlenge one of our readÂers to find anyÂthing on Fox News that’s on an equalÂly intelÂliÂgent plane. (See the user comÂments at the botÂtom of this page.)
See our comÂplete lists of Arts & CulÂture PodÂcasts, or our largÂer PodÂcast Library. Email a friend and let them know about Open CulÂture.
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