

Humanize
Discovery Institute Center on Human Exceptionalism
Humanize with Wesley J. Smith from Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism, where human rights meet human responsibilities. We speak on the controversial issues of human life and human thriving that impact our daily lives.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 2, 2024 • 1h 5min
Nina Shea on the Persecution of the Catholic Church in China
Religious persecution continues to afflict the world. Anti-Semitism abounds. Certain Islamic countries suppress minority faiths while Muslims face persecution in countries like India. Non-Orthodox Christians are persecuted in Russia, while some American Christians claim that they are discriminated against because of living out their faith precepts. In this episode of Humanize, Wesley focuses on the suppression of the Catholic Church Read More ›

Nov 11, 2024 • 58min
Daniel Carcillo on Psychedelics as a Treatment for Depression and Traumatic Brain Injury
People with serious mental health issues often face years, if not a lifetime, of debilitating symptoms. These traumas can sometimes be difficult to treat, much less cure. And that has some people looking for new avenues of care beyond standard medicines, including — controversially — psychedelic substances such as Psilocybin, LSD, and the like. Enthusiasts believe that these substances offer Read More ›

Oct 28, 2024 • 1h 1min
Dr. Keri D. Ingraham on the Most Important Issues in American K-12 Education
It’s no secret that American education is experiencing a profound crisis. Many of our children can’t read, do mathematics, or learn basic life skills. At the same time, many accuse the education establishment of imposing radical ideological views on children such as gender ideology and anti-Americanism. The good news is that concerted efforts are underway to reform education to better Read More ›

Oct 14, 2024 • 1h 2min
Timothy S. Goeglein on the Dangers of Utopianism
American institutions are less trusted than ever before, our society is deeply divided, and much of the world is in turmoil. The problem isn’t religion, atheism, or ideology, per se. Rather, the real culprit — and one that receives far too little attention in public discourse — is the widespread embrace by social activists of utopianism, a zealous belief in Read More ›

Sep 30, 2024 • 58min
Richard Weikart on Medicine’s Descent from Healing to Killing
Whether to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia is one of the most culturally contentious — and important — public policy debates of our time. Supporters of legalization call it a compassionate “last resort” means of preventing unnecessary suffering and promoting autonomy. Opponents see the intentional ending of the lives of the ill as a profound abandonment and a path to Read More ›

Sep 16, 2024 • 58min
Sam Brownback on the Connection Between Religious Freedom and Human Rights
In the modern era, religious freedom — the ability to live and act according to one's faith — has been seen as a profoundly important human right. To a disturbing degree, that is no longer true. No one has put more thought into this urgent matter of human freedom than my guest today, Sam Brownback.

Jun 17, 2024 • 57min
Steven J. Buri on the Pro-Human Mission of Discovery Institute
For the last Humanize episode of the season, I thought it would be edifying to explore how Discovery Institute's institutional programs dovetail with the work of the Center on Human Exceptionalism. Who better to ask than our intrepid president, Steven J. Buri?

May 6, 2024 • 1h 4min
Robert J. Marks II and Zoltan Istvan on the Promise — or Threat — of Artificial Intelligence
In this episode of Humanize, Wesley focuses on AI — artificial intelligence. Are we on the verge of an era if incalculable human progress because of the power of AI? Or are we threatened with being made obsolete and perhaps extinguished in an age of intelligent machines? Or, perhaps, a combination of both? The program features two experts who have Read More ›

Apr 22, 2024 • 1h 3min
Thomas Linzey on the Nature Rights Movement
Most people support responsible environmental policies but may be unaware of how radical the leading edge of the movement has become as an increasing number of activists support granting personhood rights to nature. Is nature rights a subversive threat to human exceptionalism and our thriving or is it the next necessary step in society’s moral growth and key to preventing Read More ›

Apr 8, 2024 • 1h 2min
Mark Davis Pickup on Living with Intense Suffering and Experiencing a Miraculous Healing
We live in a time in which eliminating suffering is considered by many to be society’s ultimate purpose. Too often, this leads to policies that eliminate suffering by eliminating the sufferer. Still, for those not experiencing intense pain or anguish, arguing for improved care instead of increased access to assisted suicide or euthanasia can seem like a blithe platitude. “If Read More ›


