All Big Conversation, The articles
-
ShowsIs religion good or bad for society? | Ben Shapiro v Alex O’Connor
In this bonus episode of The Big Conversation, formidable Daily Wire host and renowned political thinker Ben Shapiro goes head-to-head with Oxford graduate of philosophy and theology, now international public speaker and debater, Alex O’Connor. Hosted by Andy Kind.
-
ShowsThe Robot Race: How should humanity flourish in an AI world? (Part 2) | Nigel Crook & Anil Seth
In this special two-parter, we explore “The Robot Race”. Are developments in Artificial Intelligence spiralling out of control, and what can we learn about ourselves - the human race - in light of AI’s rapidly expanding capabilities?
-
ShowsThe Robot Race: Could AI ever replace humanity? (Part 1) | Nigel Crook & Anil Seth
In this special two-parter, we explore “The Robot Race”. Are developments in Artificial Intelligence spiralling out of control? Can we slow the development of large scale AI even if we wanted to? And what can we learn about ourselves - the human race - in light of AI’s rapidly expanding capabilities?
-
ShowsDo consciousness and near-death experiences point to an afterlife? | Sharon Dirckx vs Emily Qureshi-Hurst
Christian speaker and former neuroscientist Dr Sharon Dirckx, author of Am I Just My Brain?, engages with atheist philosopher Dr Emily Qureshi-Hurst, college lecturer and Junior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford and author of the book God, Salvation, and the Problem of Spacetime.
-
ShowsCan Science and Religion Tell us What it Means to be Human? | Philip Ball & Nick Spencer
Atheist science writer and broadcaster Philip Ball, author of The Book of Minds: Understanding Ourselves and Other Beings, From Animals to Aliens, engages with Christian academic Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at Theos and author of Magisteria: The Entangled Histories of Science & Religion.
-
ShowsChristianity, the Sexual Revolution and the future of the West | Rod Dreher & Louise Perry
Rod Dreher is Senior Editor of The American Conservative and author of bestselling books including ‘The Benedict Option’ and ‘Live Not By Lies’. Louise Perry is a journalist and campaigner against sexual violence. Her book ‘The Case Against The Sexual Revolution’ explains why today’s liberal hook-up culture has been bad for women from a purely socio-evolutionary perspective. They discuss Christianity, the sexual revolution and the future of the West.
-
ShowsIs God Dead? | Prof John Lennox & Dave Rubin
This week we play Justin Brierley’s personal favourite episode: the discussion he hosted live in California, between Christian apologist John Lennox and US talk show host Dave Rubin, from 2019.
-
ShowsDid Jesus of Nazareth rise from the dead? | Bart Ehrman & Justin Bass
New Testament historian Bart Ehrman doesn’t believe in the miraculous claims of the New Testament, including the resurrection of Jesus. New Testament scholar Justin Bass argues in his book ‘The Bedrock of Christianity’ for several facts concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus that point to its truth. They debate scripture, history and the resurrection.
-
ShowsPREVIEW: The Big Conversation Season 5!
Subscribe for early access to this episode at thebigconversation.show
-
ShowsAre Millennials and Gen Z ready to believe in God? | Mikhaila Peterson & Jon McCray (Whaddo You Meme)
Almost half of Millennials and Gen Z in the USA identify as ‘nones’ (having no religious affiliation). Mikhaila Peterson, who runs a popular YouTube channel and podcast, talks about her own recent journey to faith, along with the journey of her father, renowned psychologist Jordan Peterson. Jon McCray, who runs ‘Whaddo You Meme’, a popular YouTube channel responding to internet atheism and popular culture, joins the conversation as he and Mikhaila talk about the spiritual search among Gen Z and Millennials and take questions from the live audience that joined in online.
-
ArticleMy Fair LaMDA: Why Google’s ‘sentient’ AI is not conscious, it’s just another computer programme
Peter S Williams draws on philosophical arguments and a Big Conversation on AI and Robotics to show why recent claims of a ‘sentient’ AI are still in the realm of science fiction.
-
ArticleA most reluctant convert: Why Guillaume Bignon’s story is powerful evidence for God
Erik Strandness says that the details of Guillaume Bignon’s conversion story should give skeptic’s pause to think
-
ShowsRobots, Transhumanism, and Life Beyond Earth | Lord Martin Rees & John Wyatt
Is Artificial Intelligence a friend or foe of human flourishing? Does faith have any part to play in the robotics revolution, and the race to upgrade our bodies and even escape our planet? What does the future hold for humans?
-
ShowsRationality, Religious Experience and the Case for God | Graham Oppy & Guillaume Bignon
Why do people convert to belief in God? Is it rational to do so? Graham Oppy is Professor of Philosophy and Associate Dean of Research at Monash University, Australia and a well-known atheist thinker and author. He engages with Guillaume Bignon, a Christian philosopher from France, whose book ‘Confessions of a French Atheist’ tells the story of his adult conversion to Christianity.
-
ArticleDid We Hear Richard Dawkins’ Swansong to New Atheism?
Peter Byrom thinks Richard Dawkins made some of his most revealing remarks during his recent discussion with Francis Collins on The Big Conversation, owing mostly to the good-natured relationship between the two guests, which allowed Dawkins to lower some of his usual defences.
-
ShowsBrain science, consciousness & God: Is there a master behind our mind? | Iain McGilchrist & Sharon Dirckx
Recorded live at The British Library, London, leading psychiatrist and philosopher Dr Iain McGilchrist, author of the influential books ‘The Master and his Emissary’ and ‘The Matter With Things’, engages in conversation with Christian neuroscientist Dr Sharon Dirckx, author of ‘Am I Just My Brain?’. They discuss brain science, consciousness and God.
-
ShowsConversion, culture and the cross: Are we ready to believe in God again? | Rowan Williams & Paul Kingsnorth
Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, engages with author Paul Kingsnorth on his adult conversion to Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
-
ArticleDebate Review: Richard Dawkins & Francis Collins on The Big Conversation
Apologist and former physician Erik Strandness reviews the encounter between the two high-profile scientists and what it tells us about God, design and morality.
-
ArticleWhy Dawkins & Collins need God for our “hole-in-one” universe
Philosopher Peter S Williams thinks both Richard Dawkins and Francis Collins overlooked a design inference, within the realm of evolutionary biology, which would go hand-in-hand with the argument from “fine-tuning” (which Dawkins himself described as “a good argument” for God during their debate).
-
ShowsBiology, Belief and Covid: Can science and faith be reconciled? | Richard Dawkins & Francis Collins
Richard Dawkins is an emeritus Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University and author of the best-selling atheist book ‘The God Delusion’. Francis Collins is the former head of the Human Genome Project and National Institutes of Health, currently serving as Science Advisor to the President and author of ‘The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for belief’.
