E134: Atheism’s Decline, Consciousness, and The New Right w/ Ross Douthat

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Apr 13, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Ross Douthat, a New York Times columnist and author of 'Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious,' tackles the decline of new atheism and the intellectual appeal of institutional religion. He challenges listeners to rethink the relationship between faith and reason, diving into the intersection of consciousness and materialism. The conversation also explores the role of AI in understanding consciousness and the moral dilemmas posed by transhumanism, making it a captivating exploration of modern spirituality.

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INSIGHT

Shifting Religious Landscape

The cultural moment surrounding religion is shifting.
New atheism's decline and a modest religious revival are evident.

ANECDOTE

Douthat vs. Hitchens

Ross Douthat lost a debate to Christopher Hitchens early in his career.
Douthat learned to frame debates on his own terms, not his opponent's.

INSIGHT

Evidence for Religion

There's evidence supporting a religious worldview.
The universe's fine-tuning suggests design, challenging materialist atheism.

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Today on Upstream, Ross Douthat joins Erik Torenberg to discuss his new book 'Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious,' exploring the decline of new atheism, the intellectual defense of institutional religion, and the intersection between traditional Christianity, Silicon Valley, and modern materialism.

This episode originally aired on Moment of Zen (April 12, 2025).

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️Moment of Zen

Every week, Erik Torenberg, Dan Romero, Antonio Garcia Martinez and frequent special guests discuss what's happening in technology, business, politics, and beyond.

Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15KYOzvDzAQvqX0z0SpHEJ

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/moment-of-zen/id1661672738

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LINKS:

Ross Douthat: https://www.nytimes.com/column/ross-douthat

Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious: https://www.zondervan.com/p/believe/

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X / TWITTER:

@DouthatNYT

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

Ross explains we're at a cultural inflection point where secularization has plateaued and there's evidence of religious revival.
New atheism has declined as the world hasn't become more reasonable despite becoming less religious.
Ross argues religion is intellectually defensible based on fine-tuning of the universe and the hard problem of consciousness.
He contends that merely appreciating religion's social benefits isn't enough—genuine belief is necessary.
The AI discussion explores whether consciousness might exist beyond materialist explanations.
They examine tensions in the "New Right" between tech-optimists and religious traditionalists.