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Episode 89 Dr. Jeremy Koons DEC 16, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 06:26:10 +0000

This week on Think Atheist Radio we have our chat with Dr. Jeremy Koons. Dr. Koons received his BA in the philosophy of religion from Virigina’s Hampden-Sydney College, graduating Summa Cum Laude, before receiving a PhD in philosophy, with distinction, from Georgetown University. He has held positions at Auburn University, the American University of Beirut, Hong Kong University, and Massachusetts’ Stonehill College. Dr. Koons is now an associate professor of philosophy at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Affairs in Qatar. With a particular focus on ethics and epistemology, his areas of interest include the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of religion, metaphysics, and logic. The author of Pragmatic Reasons: A Defense of Morality and Epistemology, he has also published numerous papers and presented at several conferences, while being recognized repeatedly with awards and fellowships. We asked Dr. Koons to join us to discuss a recently published paper (pdf) of his that asks the question, “Can God’s Goodness Save The Divine Command Theory from Euthyphro?” We discussed whether Christian ethics can be rescued from a dilemma for the theist where choosing one side results in meaninglessness, while choosing the other side results in an arbitrary morality that says that something is or isn’t moral– including, for instance, the torture of infants– only insofar God says it is. Theist philosophers of religion recognize the risks here and have tried to come up with some ways to get around the dilemma. Can one solution in particular succeed?

Episode 88 Dr. Addy Pross DEC 9, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 05:31:21 +0000

A distinguished chemist and co-author of the acclaimed Pross-Shaik model, Dr. Pross received both his BSc and PhD from the University of Sydney. He did his postdoctoral work at Kings College, London and the Hebrew University, Jerusalem before taking a position at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel where he was ultimately made Professor of Chemistry. Even while maintaining his position at Ben-Gurion University (indeed, while serving as the Chair of the Chemistry Department) he has held visiting positions at the world’s foremost institutions. These include the Lund University, Stanford University, Rutgers University, University of California at Irvine, University of Padova, the Australian National University Canberra, and his alma mater, the University of Sydney. He has the distinction of having been the invited plenary speaker to more than 60 conferences and universities. Until more recently, most of Dr. Pross’ research has focused on chemical reactivity and organic reaction mechanisms. Switching focus, he has become interested in investigating the mechanisms of the emergence of life from simple chemicals to complex biology. He is the author of over 100 research papers and an influential text on organic reactivity. We asked Dr. Pross to join us to discuss his newly published book, What is Life? How Chemistry Becomes Biology. It’s a fascinating subject with implications for several issues of relevance to freethinkers. Don’t miss it!

Episode 87 Dr. George Church DEC 2, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 06:29:08 +0000

Dr. Church performed his undergraduate studies in Chemistry and Zoology at Duke University before moving on to Harvard University for his MA and PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is now a Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His work has led to advancements in the next generation of genome sequencing and synthesis of cell and tissue engineering, with the result being that he has either founded, co-founded, or advised 22 biotechnology companies. After helping to start the Human Genome Project to decode the human genome he has more recently started the Personal Genome Project to seek volunteers to have their personal genome made publicly available. He is Director of the US Department of Energy Center for Bioenergy at Harvard and MIT and Director of the National Institutes of Health Center for Genomic Excellence at Harvard. With 50 patents and 270 papers published, 2011 saw Dr. Church’s election the National Academy of Science. He recently released a book, co-written with Ed Regis, titled Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves. We asked Dr. Church to join us to discuss how advancements in synthetic biology will impact our lives, the challenges left to overcome, and the ethical considerations involved. Do listen in!

Episode 86 Dr. Peter M. Hoffmann NOV 25, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 08:15:45 +0000

Dr. Hoffmann did his undergrad work in physics and mathematics at Technische Universität Clausthal in Germany before receiving an MS in physics at Southern Illinois University and a PhD in materials science and engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Previously a Research Fellow at Oxford University, he is a Professor of Physics and an Associate Dean at Michigan’s Wayne State University. One of the founders of Wayne State’s Biomedical Physics Program, he conducts research in the Nanomechanics Laboratory using Atomic Force Microscopy to peer into the internal machinery of cells. Dr. Hoffmann is the author of the just released book Life’s Ratchet: How Molecular Machines Extract Order from Chaos. We asked Dr. Hoffmann to join us to discuss his new book. During the course of our discussion we discovered just how deeply the physical laws that govern the universe underlie life’s processes. It’s a fascinating topic and we’re thrilled Dr. Hoffmann could join us. Give a listen!

Episode 85 Dr. John Allen Paulos NOV 18, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 05:17:33 +0000

Dr. Paulos received his PhD in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin and is now a professor of that same subject at Temple University. Mathematical logic and probability has been the focus of of his academic work and the subject of many scholarly papers. The recipient in 2003 of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Award for Promoting the Public Understanding of Science and Technology, Dr. Paulos has been a long time contributor to print, radio, and television media, including the New York Times, the London Review of Books, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, ABC’s 20/20, CNN’s Larry King Live, and more. He is the author of several popular level books, among which are Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences (a New York Times Best Seller), A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper, and Irreligion: A Mathematician Explains Why the Arguments for God Just Don’t Add Up. We asked Dr. Paulos to join us to get the thoughts of a mathematician on critical thinking and the arguments for God. Join us!

Episode 84 Dr. Paul Cliteur NOV 11, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 04:46:23 +0000

Dr. Cliteur is a legal and ethical philosopher and Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. He’s well known in the Netherlands as a columnist and writer with strong opinions on a host of issues including religion, politics, animal rights, and multi-culturalism. He has published numerous journal articles on topics relevant to his interests and areas of expertise. The President of the Humanist Association of the Netherlands, Dr. Cliteur is the author of several books published in Dutch and one in English. It’s his English book publication we invited him to speak to us about. Within the pages of The Secular Outlook: In Defense of Moral and Political Secularism can be found a tour through the ways that the threat of terrorism can be answered by secularism, why ethics must be secular, and an examination of the place and importance of free speech and criticism of religion. Join us for a fascinating discussion on these issues!

Episode 83 Dr. Kathleen Taylor NOV 4, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 05:51:43 +0000

Dr. Taylor is a freelance science writer affiliated with the Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics at Oxford University where she does her postdoctoral work in cognitive neuroscience. After studying physiology and philosophy at the University of Oxford she moved on to Stirling University where she received a research Masters of Science (MSc) working on neuro-chemistry before ultimately returning to Oxford for her PhD in visual neuroscience. Her interests center on belief formation and retention plus the neuropsychology of cruelty. She is the author of Cruelty: Human Evil and the Human Brain and Brainwashing: The Science of Thought Control. We asked Dr. Taylor to talk to us about her new book, just published, The Brain Supremacy: Notes from the Frontiers of Neuroscience. In the book, she surveys the work that’s been done to get us to where we are in our understanding of neuroscience and then transitions into a discussion of just what we can expect from this exciting area of science and how it will impact our lives. She compares the coming revolution in neuroscience and the changes to our lives it will usher in with the revolution in our understanding of the world the discovery of Quantum Mechanics and the unraveling of the secrets of DNA have given us. Tune in to find out if that comparison holds up and why!

Episode 82 Dr. Joe Nickell OCT 28, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 28 Oct 2012 01:57:29 +0000

Dr. Nickell received his MA and PhD from the University of Kentucky, concentrating on folklore and on literary investigations. He is a well-known skeptic and investigator of the paranormal with a career going on 40 years. The main character in the 1997 movie The Reaping starring Hilary Swank is loosely based on Dr. Nickell– indeed, he consulted on set for the filmmakers. He has made multiple appearances on Point of Inquiry, has been on numerous television programs including Bill Maher’s Politically Incorrect, CNBC’s News with Brian Williams, Dateline NBC, Larry King Live, and many more, and has been profiled by The New Yorker magazine. Dr. Nickell is the Senior Research Fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and an Associate Dean of the Center for Inquiry Institute. He is the author of several books including Entities: Angels, Spirits, Demons, and Other Alien Beings and Looking for a Miracle: Weeping Icons, Relics, Stigmata, Visions & Healing Cures. We asked Dr. Nickell join us to talk about his newest book, The Science of Ghosts: Searching for Spirits of the Dead. We talked about what it means to investigate paranormal claims scientifically versus the silliness appearing on ghost-hunting television shows, the scientific method, and scientific naturalism. Join us!

Episode 81 Dr. Christopher French OCT 21, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 04:48:15 +0000

Dr. French is a Professor of psychology at Goldsmiths College, University of London where he teaches courses on the psychology of paranormal beliefs and of ostensible paranormal experiences. He is the founder and head of that institution’s Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit where research into these beliefs and the claims of paranormal experiences is conducted. Dr. French is the Special Adviser to and former Editor-in-Chief of The Skeptic magazine, the UK’s premier and longest-running magazine for skeptics. Dr. French has been recognized as a Chartered Psychologist by the British Psychological Society, has been marked out by the British Humanist Association as a Distinguished Supporter, and is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He has published over 60 articles in peer-reviewed journals, is a frequent contributor to tv and radio in the UK, and is a regular contributor to the science news section of the UK newspaper The Guardian. We asked Dr. French to talk to us about the psychology of paranormal beliefs, scientific investigations into paranormal phenomena, and the philosophy of science generally. Join us!

Episode 80 Dr. John W. Reich OCT 14, 2012

Nelson — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 07:00:01 +0000

Dr. Reich was educated at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Colorado. First engaging in psychological research, the then moved to teaching, first at the University of Oklahoma but then moving to the University of Arizona. He is now Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Arizona and the Associate Dean for Research at that institution’s College of Public Programs. His research interests include using social psychology theory to investigate adult interactions and relationships. He is the author previously of Experimenting in Society: Issues and Examples in Applied Social Psychology and the co-editor of two books on the psychology of adult resilience. We asked Dr. Reich to join us to discuss his brand new book Radical Distortion: How Emotions Warp What We Hear. Quite timely given the state of our public discourse in the world today, Dr. Reich’s new book discusses how “radical hearing” and radical speech trigger our emotions resulting in a reduced capacity for clear-headed decision making and belief-formation, retention, and modification. Want to think critically? You have to understand the obstacles in our innate cognitive psychology to doing so. Join us!