Thursday Dec 12, 2024

Episode 30: Alex O'Connor & Dr. Francis Collins debate God's existence

“Does God Exist?” is perhaps the most important question to human existence because of its far reaching implications. What you believe about the existence of God—and by extension, who or what God might be—has the power to profoundly influence your values, and the course of your life.

To explore this question from opposing perspectives, we’ve brought together two intellectual heavyweights. Alex O’Connor is an Oxford philosopher and self-proclaimed atheist, who has described himself as 'violently agnostic' about the existence of God. In recent years, he’s gained substantial recognition in the academic world and beyond, with nearly a million YouTube subscribers. His show, Within Reason, has featured intellectual giants like Jordan Peterson, Richard Dawkins, William Lane Craig, and Sam Harris.

On the other side, we have Dr. Francis Collins—one of the most decorated scientists of our time. From 1993 to 2003, he led the Human Genome Project, the monumental effort to map all human genes. Dr. Collins is perhaps the most notable scientist to transition from atheism to belief in God, famously chronicling his journey in the New York Times bestseller, The Language of God. In it, he presents compelling arguments for the existence of a higher power. In this episode, we explore the various lines of evidence for and against the existence of God.

We begin by defining the concept of 'evidence' itself before delving into topics such as the fine-tuning of the universe, the moral argument, the resurrection of Jesus and the world's holy texts.

We found this to be a deeply stimulating discussion, and we believe it will be for you as well. So, join us as we navigate the complexities, the debates, and the profound mysteries surrounding the existence of God.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro + Trailer

4:19 - Alex’s position

8:20 - Francis’s position

12:07 - What counts as “evidence” for God?

22:15 - The Fine Tuning Argument

42:23 - The Problem of Evil

59:29 - The Resurrection of Jesus

1:23:35 - Can God be experienced?

1:25:42 - God spoke to Francis?

1:33:22 - Beauty & music reveal God?

1:43:38 - Why does this question matter?