Science, God, and Truth: Michael Shermer and Michael Egnor

Science, God, and Truth: Michael Shermer and Michael Egnor

Author: Discovery Institute Center on Natural and Artificial Intelligence April 2, 2026 Duration: 1:10:25
On this episode of the Mind Matters News podcast, host and neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Egnor welcomes Michael Shermer, historian of science and founder of Skeptic magazine, to discuss Shermer’s new book Truth: What It Is, How to Find It, and Why It Still Matters. The conversation quickly evolves into a deep philosophical debate between Egnor and Shermer over whether truths about morality and the universe are created by humans or discovered as objective features of reality. Source

What does it mean to think, to create, or to be conscious in an age of machines? Mind Matters, from the Discovery Institute Center on Natural and Artificial Intelligence, digs into these profound questions without easy answers. This isn't a series of dry technical lectures; it's a thoughtful exploration where technology intersects with philosophy, culture, and the very fabric of society. Each episode examines the real-world impact of intelligent systems, separating hype from reality while considering both their staggering potential and their inherent limitations. You'll hear discussions that go beyond algorithms to ask what these developments reveal about human nature itself. The conversations hosted by the Walter Bradley Center tackle misconceptions, ethical challenges, and the practical applications that are reshaping our world. Tune in for a nuanced perspective that connects the dots between silicon and soul, offering a essential guide to understanding not just how our tools work, but what they mean for our future. This podcast provides a unique space to grapple with the ideas that will define the coming decades.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Mind Matters
Podcast Episodes
How Humility and Curiosity Can Help Neuroscience Mature [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Modern neuroscience has made some truly amazing advances in recent decades. But even though we can record, map, and even manipulate brain activity in ways that once seemed impossible, we still don’t really understand how…
Recognizing the Divine in Others: More with Dr. Stephen Post [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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If many of us began to practice honoring others in our interactions with them, what change would we see in society? Is it possible to recognize the divine in everyone we meet? On this episode, host Dr. Michael Egnor conc…
Love, Lies, and Algorithms: The Dangers of Relational AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Today, we hear from Discovery Institute Senior Fellow, podcaster, and writer Andrew McDiarmid as he chats with In The Market radio host Janet Parshall about the dangers associated with humans having relationships with AI…
The Challenge of Definitively Proving Creativity in AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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On this episode, host Robert J. Marks concludes his conversation with Dr. Georgios Mappouras about his new and interesting paper “Turing Test 2.0: The General Intelligence Threshold.” Here, Mappouras contrasts his newly…
Dr. Eric Jones: The Case for a Relational View of Personhood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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“No man is an island,” wrote poet John Donne in the 1600s, and these words still ring true today. However, much of our modern analysis and study of ourselves is turned entirely within. We focus on our needs, wants, and a…
A New Test to Measure Understanding in AI Models [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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On this episode of Mind Matters News, host Robert J. Marks continues his conversation with Dr. Georgios Mappouras about his new and interesting paper “Turing Test 2.0: The General Intelligence Threshold.” The idea is whe…
Turing Test 2.0: A Better Way to Test Machine Intelligence? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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On this episode of Mind Matters News, host Robert J. Marks speaks with Dr. Georgios Mappouras about his proposal for a more rigorous test for measuring artificial intelligence. Mappouras argues that the original Turing T…
Journey to Longevity: Insights From Inventor Hal Philipp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Today, hosts Robert J. Marks and Bradley Norris speak again with Hal Philipp, inventor of the modern touchscreen, about his entrepreneurial work in health and nutrition. After selling his technology company, Hal turned h…