The Blind Spot Podcast Episode 17: From the Space Race to the Multiverse: Science x Religion
Dec 17, 2025
Mary-Jane Rubenstein, Dean of Social Sciences at Wesleyan University and expert on the interplay between science and religion, joins the discussion on the multiverse. She explores how cosmological questions often reflect monotheistic assumptions and contrasts Western linear narratives with cyclical views from Indian and Tibetan traditions. The conversation delves into the implications of the multiverse as an alternative to God, critiques of fine-tuning, and the role of awe in scientific practice, as well as her insights from her book, Astrotopia.
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When The Multiverse Becomes Scientific
- The multiverse can be a scientific hypothesis when tied to testable principles like inflation or quantum field theory.
- Some researchers search for observable remnants, so certain multiverse models remain empirically approachable.
Multiverse As Theological Move
- The multiverse is often offered as an alternative to God for explaining fine-tuning.
- Rubenstein argues this move is theological rather than purely scientific and may be as metaphysically heavy as positing God.
Beginnings Reflect Cultural Biases
- Cosmological questions about origins often inherit monotheistic assumptions about beginnings.
- Non-Western traditions may not treat an absolute beginning as a necessary problem to solve.