The History of Chemistry

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Carly Riegel: Chemistry has its historical origins in the study of alchemy. Alchemists thought that by contemplating certain philosophical ideals, you could come to understand things that we now call chemicals. She says science is one of the key tools by which we expunge mythology and superstition from religious thought. Carly: After applying scientific inquiry to something like religious faith, is there anything left?

The same facts can lead to different stories. You see this daily in your news feed — major events produce dozens of headlines, and each article has its own interpretation of the facts. This is how we make sense of the world: when we get information, we want to interpret it. But, with so many choices, is there a right interpretation?

In today’s episode, we ask this question. How can you interpret the facts of your life and make sense of your meaning and purpose? Our speaker is Dr. Troy Van Voorhis, a professor of Chemistry at MIT. He discusses how interpretations may not always be in conflict with each other, and how his Christian faith informs his approach to certainty.

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