

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

8 snips
Feb 26, 2025 • 21min
Using AI to Discover Intelligent Design
David Coppedge, a freelance science reporter and former NASA engineer, joins the discussion on using AI to unveil intelligent design. He shares insights on a project where AI is trained to detect geoglyphs in the Nazca Plain of Peru, merging technology with archaeology. Coppedge explores the distinction between natural patterns and design, while examining how AI influences our understanding of art and nature. He raises ethical questions about the implications of these discoveries and the dual nature of intelligent design.

Feb 24, 2025 • 35min
Can Meaning and Purpose Emerge From a Darwinian Process?
Did meaning and purpose arise from a bottom-up Darwinian process to give us an evolutionary advantage? Or is the universe infused with meaning and purpose for a deeper reason than survival? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid and Dr. Emily Reeves explore whether meaning and purpose can emerge from an unguided evolutionary process. They also discuss the machine metaphor in biology and how it can help us understand and explain living systems.
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Feb 21, 2025 • 34min
A Better Explanation for Human Origins
What is wrong with the standard evolutionary story of human origins? On today’s ID the Future from the archive, host Eric Anderson begins a two-part conversation with geologist Dr. Casey Luskin to discuss why evolutionary models of paleo-anthropology, genetics, and evolutionary psychology fail to account for human origins. Dr. Luskin contributed a chapter on the topic in the 2023 book Science and Faith in Dialogue, which also features chapters from Stephen Meyer, Guillermo Gonzalez, James Tour, Marcos Eberlin, and others. In Part 1, Luskin describes his experiences in South Africa while earning a PhD in Geology from the University of Johannesburg. During his time there, Luskin had many opportunities to study various hominid fossils. Here he explains why he is Read More ›
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Feb 19, 2025 • 51min
Faith, Reason, and the Search for Truth: Stephen Meyer and Michael Shermer
What's the best explanation for the origin of complex life? And while skepticism is healthy, can perpetual skepticism prevent us from moving closer to the truth? On this ID The Future, enjoy the second half of a stimulating conversation between philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer and historian of science and Skeptic Magazine founding editor Michael Shermer. The conversation was hosted by comedian and podcaster Bryan Callen on The Bryan Callen Show. In Part 2, Meyer and Shermer both address where they think complex life comes from. They also discuss the mind-body problem and debate the merits of skepticism. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. We're grateful to the producers of The Bryan Callen Show for permission to share this exchange on ID The Future!
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Feb 17, 2025 • 50min
Can Science Find God? Stephen Meyer vs. Michael Shermer
Humans seem to be drawn in a certain direction toward truth and beauty. Is that an accident of nature? Or is there a higher truth prompting it? On this ID The Future, we're pleased to share the first half of an engaging conversation between philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer and historian of science Michael Shermer about science, God, the origin of information, and the nature of mind. The conversation was hosted by comedian and podcaster Bryan Callen on The Bryan Callen Show. In Part 1, Meyer and Shermer discuss arguments for design, the Big Bang, the origin of information, and the role of mind in the universe. This is Part 1 of a two-part interview. Look for Part 2 in a separate episode of ID The Future. We're grateful to the producers of The Bryan Callen Show for permission to share this conversation on ID The Future!
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5 snips
Feb 14, 2025 • 14min
Cosmologist Frank Tipler on the Singularity Atheists Try To Evade
Frank Tipler, a distinguished physicist and cosmologist known for co-authoring The Anthropic Cosmological Principle, dives into the intriguing notion of the Big Bang singularity. He argues that this singularity transcends space and time, challenging atheistic viewpoints due to its well-supported implications. Tipler discusses the fine-tuning problem of the universe, questioning the validity of multiple universes and the materialistic interpretations of cosmic order. His insights provoke thought on the profound relationship between science and the concept of a creator.

Feb 12, 2025 • 33min
How to Celebrate Darwin Day When “Modern Darwinism is Broken”
Happy Darwin Day! But what's the current status of Darwinism? And if modern Darwinism is broken, what's the best way to commemorate Darwin's life and achievements? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes Dr. Casey Luskin to give us answers to those questions. On this episode, Dr. Luskin reviews the current status of Darwinism, gives us an impressive sampling of the evidence for intelligent design, and instructs us on the most appropriate way to mark Darwin Day today.
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Feb 10, 2025 • 14min
Evangelizing For Darwin: Dr. John West Reads From Stockholm Syndrome Christianity
Why do so many evangelical Christians reinvent their theology to make it consistent with undirected Darwinism? On this ID The Future, Dr. John West reads an excerpt from his new book Stockholm Syndrome Christianity: Why Christian Leaders Are Failing And What We Can Do About It. As Exhibit A of an influential evangelical Christian that has been captivated by scientific materialism, West unpacks the work and troubled legacy of Dr. Francis Collins. During his tenure as director of the National Institutes of Health, Collins has led a years-long crusade to de-legitimize fellow Christian scientists, scholars, and laypeople who are supportive of intelligent design or skeptical of Darwinian evolution. This effort to reduce the range of voices allowed to pursue truth in science has confused many people and retarded scientific progress at precisely the time America should be taking the lead in scientific research and discovery. Listen to this compelling excerpt and then read the book!
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Feb 7, 2025 • 14min
Michael Egnor: Don’t Confuse Scientific Consensus with Science
On this episode of ID the Future out of the vault, host Emily Kurlinski talks with Michael Egnor, professor of neurosurgery at Stony Brook University, about the dire warnings, stretching back at least to Thomas Malthus near the turn of the nineteenth century, that overpopulation would lead to starvation and civilizational ruin. Egnor discusses this and other scientific claims once widely embraced by scientific experts and later shown to be off base. The lesson, Egnor says, is that when someone tells you to believe something simply because it’s “the scientific consensus,” reserve judgment. Consensus, says Egnor, is “a political concept, not a scientific one.” And when much of the scientific community is held captive by a dogmatic adherence to materialism, Read More ›
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Feb 5, 2025 • 38min
How Stockholm Syndrome Christianity Hinders Scientific Progress
John West, Vice President and Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute, dives deep into the tensions between scientific materialism and biblical teaching. He discusses the corrosion of key biblical beliefs due to theistic evolution and critiques notable figures like Francis Collins for their flawed theology. West emphasizes the crucial role of dissent and open debate in advancing science, while urging a more critical examination of scientific claims. His insights challenge the status quo, advocating for a better integration of faith and science.