104 Science vs Faith: Addressing History's Oldest Debate

05/08/18 • 25 min

Modern science has its roots in western religious thought, was nurtured in universities established for religious reasons, and owes some of its greatest discoveries to scientists who themselves were people of faith. Nonetheless, on one issue after another, from evolution to the "big bang" to the age of the Earth itself, religion is often on a collision course with scientific thought. On one side, religious believers have constructed pseudosciences to justify narrow interpretations of scripture or to support specific religious claims. On the other, non-believers have used scientific authority to label faith a "delusion" to be set aside. Can science and religion truly coexist or are they forever locked in conflict? Kenneth Miller approaches this question from a unique perspective. In focusing on a few of today's most contentious issues, he explores if science can be understood in a religious context, or have we finally reached the end of faith? Kenneth Miller is a professor of biology at Brown University. He has received 6 major teaching awards at Brown, the Presidential Citation of the American Institute for Biological Science, and the Public Service Award of the American Society for Cell Biology. In 2009 he was honored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science for Advancing the Public Understanding of Science, and also received the Gregor Mendel Medal from Villanova University. In 2011 he was presented with the Stephen Jay Gould Prize by the Society for the Study of Evolution.

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103 Living and Dying in America: The Politics of Healthcare

The nation's health care system is in the midst of an enormous transformation. Hospitals and insurance companies are merging (and the lines between the two are blurring). Large retail chains (from CVS to Walmart) are entering the health care business.There are fewer and fewer uninsured, but those who are insured are paying more and more of their health care bill (through higher premiums and deductibles). Professor Michael Sparer reviews these trends, as well as several others that are sure to have a profound impact on where we get our medical care, what the quality of that care will be, and how we pay for it. He also considers the politics of health care - how did we get here and where will it end? Michael Sparer is a professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University. Professor Sparer is also the Chair of Health Policy & Management. He is a two-time winner of the Mailman School's Student Government Association Teacher of the Year Award, as well as the recipient of a 2010 Columbia University Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching. He spent seven years as a litigator for the New York City Law Department..

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105 America 2018: Where are we now?

America's founding political commitments were to democracy and the rule of law. Some have described them as the soul and spirit of our nation. But their meanings are contested and open to interpretation. Professor Sarat discusses how the've evolved in American history and assesses the health of the United States today. Does America face an erosion of public faith in long taken-for-granted aspects of our political life? Do we even understand what they really mean? Some believe that the rule of law and democracy are under attack, but could it be this is be a symptom rather than a cause of what some see as our current crisis? Austin Sarat is William Nelson Cromwell professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. He has written, co-written, or edited more than ninety books in the fields of law and political science. Professor Sarat has received the the Stan Wheeler Award for his excellence as a teacher and mentor, awarded by the Law and Society Association.