No Small Endeavor with Lee C. Camp

199: Francis Collins: The Road to Wisdom in an Age of Distrust

Mar 10, 2025

49:43

Francis Collins has led some of the most significant scientific initiatives of our time, including the Human Genome Project and the National Institutes of Health under three U.S. presidents. In his new book, The Road to Wisdom, Collins grapples with the erosion of public trust in science, the polarization of society, and the challenge of discerning truth in the modern age.

In this conversation, Collins shares insights from his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, his journey from atheism to Christian faith, and the importance of humility in the pursuit of knowledge. He reflects on his unlikely friendship with the late atheist Christopher Hitchens, the philosophical roots of truth skepticism, and the need for genuine dialogue across divides.

Join us as we explore how wisdom, truth, science, and faith intersect—and why curiosity and compassion might just be the antidote to our age of distrust.

Show Notes

Resources:

"The Road to Wisdom" by Francis Collins

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Quincy Byrdsong: Tuskegee, Healthcare, Justice

Jennifer Wiseman: How Science Produces Wonder

David Wilkinson: The (Not Really) War Between Science and Faith

Rachel Held Evans, Francis Collins, and Ed Larson: Faith, Science, Humility

PDF of Lee's Interview Notes

Transcription Link

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