

Intelligent Design the Future
Discovery Institute
The ID The Future (IDTF) podcast carries on Discovery Institute's mission of exploring the issues central to evolution and intelligent design. IDTF is a short podcast providing you with the most current news and views on evolution and ID. IDTF delivers brief interviews with key scientists and scholars developing the theory of ID, as well as insightful commentary from Discovery Institute senior fellows and staff on the scientific, educational and legal aspects of the debate. Episode notes and archives available at idthefuture.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 15, 2025 • 26min
How Modern Materialistic Science Resembles a Tower of Babel
On today’s ID the Future out of the vault, host Andrew McDiarmid rings up author and philosopher David Berlinski in Paris to discuss his book Science After Babel. Berlinski is at his cultivated best as the two discuss everything from the biblical Tower of Babel as a metaphor for modern materialistic science, to his friendship with the brilliant and colorful French intellectual Marcel Schützenberger, a world-class mathematician who was self-taught and, as we learn here, came within a hair’s breadth of being swept up in the Chinese Revolution. Berlinski also reflects on the seminal 1966 WISTAR symposium, which laid out some mathematical challenges to Darwinism, challenges that Berlinski says remain unanswered to this day. At the same time, Berlinski gives Read More ›
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Aug 13, 2025 • 30min
On Suffering, Intelligent Design Provides a Better Lens Than Darwinism
The presence of evil and suffering calls for justification. But which scientific view of life is better placed to help us address these issues? Today, host Andrew McDiarmid speaks with Tova Forman about her recent article tackling the profound question of suffering and the problem of evil. Tova argues that intelligent design (ID) proponents are better equipped to answer this challenge than those who adhere to neo-Darwinism or a materialistic view of life. Learn why in this stimulating discussion.
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Aug 11, 2025 • 30min
Casey Luskin Calls on the Smithsonian to Get It Right on Human Origins
The Smithsonian Institution has recently been called out by the Trump Administration for pushing "one-sided, divisive political narratives." But American history isn’t the only domain in which the Smithsonian is advancing misinformation. The National Museum of Natural History’s Hall of Human Origins vastly distorts the scientific evidence on human evolution, seeking to convince visitors that there’s nothing special about us as human beings. On today's ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid talks to attorney and geologist Dr. Casey Luskin to dissect his explosive new editorial in the New York Post calling on the Smithsonian Museum to stop "miseducating the public" on the history of human beings.
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Aug 8, 2025 • 22min
Listen to the Prologue to Stephen Meyer’s Darwin’s Doubt
On today's episode out of the archive, host Andrew McDiarmid narrates the prologue to Stephen Meyer's New York Times bestselling book Darwin's Doubt: The Explosion of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design. Whether you're new to Meyer's book or read it years ago, you're likely to hear something new as you listen. Learn more at www.darwinsdoubt.com.
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Aug 6, 2025 • 40min
From Dead Ends to Design: Meyer & Tour on Life’s Information Code
Stephen Meyer, a philosopher of science known for his advocacy of intelligent design, joins synthetic organic chemist James Tour, who is skeptical of mainstream origins theories. They discuss the critical role of information in life's beginnings, contrasting Shannon information with the specified complexity found in DNA. Meyer and Tour challenge traditional paradigms, arguing for an intelligent source behind life's intricacies. Their conversation raises philosophical questions and critiques the reluctance within science to address the unresolved mysteries surrounding life's origins.

Aug 4, 2025 • 30min
The Unsolved Mystery of Life’s Origin: Stephen Meyer & James Tour
Peter Robinson interviews Stephen Meyer, a philosopher of science and director at the Discovery Institute, alongside James Tour, a synthetic organic chemist known for his innovative work in nanotechnology. They tackle the perplexing question of life’s origin, critiquing Darwin's theories and the conventional primordial soup model. Their discussion reveals the complexities of transitioning from non-life to life and highlights the shortcomings of current scientific models. Both guests advocate for a reconsideration of intelligent design in understanding life's emergence.

Aug 1, 2025 • 13min
We are Children of Light and Water: Dr. Michael Denton
In this engaging discussion, biochemist Michael Denton, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture, dives deep into his book, Children of Light. He eloquently describes how sunlight and water are not just vital for life, but are intricately connected in sustaining complex ecosystems. Denton shares fascinating insights into photosynthesis, the importance of water for warm-blooded organisms, and the universe's fine-tuning for carbon-based life forms. Get ready to rethink the fundamental elements of existence!

Jul 30, 2025 • 31min
Bill Dembski: Pursuing Truth and Trust in AI and LLMs
William Dembski, a mathematician and philosopher known for his work on intelligent design, joins to dissect the reliability of large language models like ChatGPT. He emphasizes the need for independent verification of AI outputs to avoid trusting erroneous information. Dembski argues that while AI can enhance education and critical thinking, it can also undermine these skills if misused. The conversation further highlights the limitations of LLMs and their detachment from reality, prompting a deeper evaluation of their implications on understanding intelligent design.

Jul 28, 2025 • 37min
Can AI Accurately Portray Intelligent Design?
William Dembski, a distinguished mathematician and philosopher, discusses the intriguing interplay between artificial intelligence and intelligent design. He evaluates how AI models like ChatGPT and Grok portray intelligent design concepts, probing their biases. Dembski addresses the limitations of these models in representing complex philosophical arguments and critiques materialistic perspectives in biology. He also emphasizes the need for careful prompting to elicit more balanced responses from AI, asserting that evidence of intelligence is crucial in understanding life's origins.

Jul 25, 2025 • 15min
Michael Denton Explains How Light Sustains Human Life
Michael Denton, a biochemist and medical doctor known for his work on life's dependencies on sunlight, dives into the remarkable properties that make human life possible in a conversation with host Sarah Chaffee. He explains how the Earth's atmosphere and sunlight intertwine to create a perfect environment for life. Denton marvels at photosynthesis as a crucial process, producing energy from the sun. He also discusses the precarious balance of atmospheric absorption, cautioning that small changes could threaten life, suggesting a greater intelligence behind these systems.