This Is Not Your Father’s Creationism: Atheist Michael Shermer Meets Stephen Meyer – Discovery Institute

Photo: Michael Shermer, by Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This is not your fathers creationism, says skeptic and atheist Michael Shermer in anew podcast with Stephen Meyer aboutReturn of the God Hypothesis. This is far more serious. And Shermer shows it by going two hours with Meyer, placing every objection before him that he can think of. The case in Meyers book is not creationism at all, of course, but Ill accept the compliment on Steves behalf. Shermer has my admiration in return. This is not your fathers village atheism, either. That a conversation like this is possible represents a hopeful sign for our culture. Its not a debate its a discussion between respectful, eminently thoughtful people, neither of whom is trying to win. We could all trying practicing that more with people who disagree with us.

I dont see any evidence by the end that Shermer has changed his mind (which, again, was not the intent). But when biology, physics, and cosmology are weighed together, I dont know what objection to Steve Meyers case he would hold onto. Every cosmology either has theistic implications, or ends up wrecking the basis for rational scientific investigation of nature. This may be the most interesting dialogue thatReturn of the God Hypothesishas sparked so far, and that is no small measure of praise. As a friend commented who heard it before I did, Whoa! Must listen. Whoa, indeed. Now I would like to hear a follow-up with some of the other sophisticated advocates for atheism Sam Harris, perhaps, above all.

By the way, at one point Shermer quotes extensively from the review of the book by biologist Darrel Falk (who doesnt touch the cosmological arguments at all). Meyer addresses Falks points concisely, but you can read a full response from geologist Casey Luskin and physicist Brian Miller here, here, and here. More to come on that front shortly. Miller has asked for a partial retraction from the entity, BioLogos, that published the review. No word as yet on that.

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This Is Not Your Father's Creationism: Atheist Michael Shermer Meets Stephen Meyer - Discovery Institute