Intersection of Science and Faith

The Evolution of Religion (2011)

Where do our religious beliefs come from? Have religious beliefs served an evolutionary purpose?

On Wednesday, October 5th, 2011, Neal Conan, host of the National Public Radio show Talk of the Nation, moderated a panel discussion in the WOSU@COSI studios at COSI Columbus on the intersection of science and religion. The discussion was followed by a question-and-answer session. Speakers included:

• Nicholas Wade, New York Times science writer and author of Before the Dawn, and The Faith Instinct.

• Lionel Tiger, Charles Darwin Professor of Anthropology, Emeritus at Rutgers University, and author of God's Brain.

In his most recent book, The Faith Instinct, Nicholas Wade looks at scientific evidence for the evolutionary basis of religion.  It’s been called a turning point in the science-religion debate. Wade writes for the Science Times section of The New York Times. Lionel Tiger is the author of books and articles about the biological origins of social interactions. His latest book,God’s Brain, has been called “the best book on the nature of religion to appear in some time."

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