1 00:00:30,070 --> 00:00:08,790 [Music] 2 00:00:35,670 --> 00:00:33,270 greetings friends fellow earthlings and 3 00:00:37,670 --> 00:00:35,680 luminaries in the human journey 4 00:00:39,670 --> 00:00:37,680 welcome to ask an astrobiologist the 5 00:00:41,990 --> 00:00:39,680 show that celebrates the science 6 00:00:43,830 --> 00:00:42,000 and celebrates the scientists involved 7 00:00:44,790 --> 00:00:43,840 in our quest to understand the nature of 8 00:00:47,270 --> 00:00:44,800 life 9 00:00:49,590 --> 00:00:47,280 i'm your host dr graham the cosmo 10 00:00:52,029 --> 00:00:49,600 biologist lao and we are brought to you 11 00:00:53,670 --> 00:00:52,039 by the nasa astrobiology program and 12 00:00:55,270 --> 00:00:53,680 saginet.org 13 00:00:57,029 --> 00:00:55,280 as always we want to thank all of you 14 00:00:59,349 --> 00:00:57,039 who are out there watching our show 15 00:01:01,670 --> 00:00:59,359 right now live on youtube and asking 16 00:01:03,590 --> 00:01:01,680 questions for our guest in the chat all 17 00:01:05,189 --> 00:01:03,600 of you who tune in to our show after the 18 00:01:06,630 --> 00:01:05,199 recording is posted on youtube and all 19 00:01:07,710 --> 00:01:06,640 of you who ask questions using the 20 00:01:10,310 --> 00:01:07,720 hashtag 21 00:01:12,230 --> 00:01:10,320 askastrobio on twitter this month we'd 22 00:01:15,190 --> 00:01:12,240 like to give a special shout out to dr 23 00:01:16,789 --> 00:01:15,200 jim pass a longtime viewer of the show 24 00:01:19,749 --> 00:01:16,799 who's also the founder and director of 25 00:01:22,149 --> 00:01:19,759 the astro sociology research institute 26 00:01:24,630 --> 00:01:22,159 dr pass always brings really intriguing 27 00:01:26,469 --> 00:01:24,640 questions to our show and for our guests 28 00:01:28,870 --> 00:01:26,479 in the realm of sociology and other 29 00:01:31,109 --> 00:01:28,880 humanities which are also a very crucial 30 00:01:32,630 --> 00:01:31,119 part of this quest that we all share in 31 00:01:33,830 --> 00:01:32,640 better understanding our place in the 32 00:01:35,270 --> 00:01:33,840 cosmos 33 00:01:38,310 --> 00:01:35,280 and that's actually kind of fitting with 34 00:01:40,069 --> 00:01:38,320 what we're speaking about this month uh 35 00:01:41,990 --> 00:01:40,079 this month we'd like to we're going to 36 00:01:44,870 --> 00:01:42,000 be talking with a guest who has a 37 00:01:47,510 --> 00:01:44,880 background not just in science but also 38 00:01:50,230 --> 00:01:47,520 in theology as well as history in some 39 00:01:53,429 --> 00:01:50,240 other realms we titled this episode 40 00:01:55,109 --> 00:01:53,439 exploring outer space and the inner self 41 00:01:58,149 --> 00:01:55,119 because we have joining us the reverend 42 00:02:00,630 --> 00:01:58,159 dr lucas mix who studies life concepts 43 00:02:02,389 --> 00:02:00,640 across disciplines and wonders what is 44 00:02:04,310 --> 00:02:02,399 it about life that makes us look for 45 00:02:06,069 --> 00:02:04,320 more of it in space 46 00:02:08,150 --> 00:02:06,079 he is the ninth bloomberg chair of 47 00:02:10,150 --> 00:02:08,160 astrobiology at the library of congress 48 00:02:12,229 --> 00:02:10,160 he holds a doctorate in evolutionary 49 00:02:13,670 --> 00:02:12,239 theory and he works to facilitate 50 00:02:15,350 --> 00:02:13,680 science engagement with religious 51 00:02:17,750 --> 00:02:15,360 leaders so welcome to ask an 52 00:02:20,229 --> 00:02:17,760 astrobiologist dr mix 53 00:02:21,990 --> 00:02:20,239 ah wonderful to be here 54 00:02:23,589 --> 00:02:22,000 yes i'm so glad you could join us i'm so 55 00:02:25,110 --> 00:02:23,599 glad to finally have you on the show 56 00:02:26,390 --> 00:02:25,120 i've been thinking about you for a very 57 00:02:28,150 --> 00:02:26,400 long time and how cool it would be to 58 00:02:30,229 --> 00:02:28,160 have you given your background and your 59 00:02:31,750 --> 00:02:30,239 expertise and now that you've been a 60 00:02:33,670 --> 00:02:31,760 chair of astrobiology the library of 61 00:02:34,869 --> 00:02:33,680 congress that the timing just felt very 62 00:02:37,430 --> 00:02:34,879 right to have you 63 00:02:38,790 --> 00:02:37,440 on the show um so before i get to get 64 00:02:40,470 --> 00:02:38,800 started here kind of going into what 65 00:02:41,589 --> 00:02:40,480 you're currently up to and and some of 66 00:02:43,750 --> 00:02:41,599 the things you've been doing in your 67 00:02:45,670 --> 00:02:43,760 career for all of our guests i always 68 00:02:47,670 --> 00:02:45,680 like to ask them about their science 69 00:02:48,949 --> 00:02:47,680 origin story what got them into becoming 70 00:02:50,949 --> 00:02:48,959 researchers 71 00:02:52,390 --> 00:02:50,959 but with you i want to actually ask what 72 00:02:55,030 --> 00:02:52,400 were the trajectories for you and not 73 00:02:56,630 --> 00:02:55,040 just science but also theology do you 74 00:02:58,710 --> 00:02:56,640 have an origin story that kind of 75 00:03:01,910 --> 00:02:58,720 culminated to bring you forward to 76 00:03:05,430 --> 00:03:01,920 finding this kind of dual career 77 00:03:08,229 --> 00:03:05,440 i do i i find this i love this question 78 00:03:10,949 --> 00:03:08,239 just because i get so enthusiastic about 79 00:03:12,710 --> 00:03:10,959 the meaning of life uh and taking that 80 00:03:15,350 --> 00:03:12,720 from various angles 81 00:03:18,149 --> 00:03:15,360 so when i was in high school there was a 82 00:03:19,830 --> 00:03:18,159 great genetics program and that really 83 00:03:21,750 --> 00:03:19,840 got me enthused 84 00:03:23,750 --> 00:03:21,760 about how i could do biology without 85 00:03:25,990 --> 00:03:23,760 making a mess 86 00:03:28,869 --> 00:03:26,000 and i i really liked this idea of you 87 00:03:30,149 --> 00:03:28,879 know the mathematical study of biology 88 00:03:32,390 --> 00:03:30,159 and 89 00:03:35,190 --> 00:03:32,400 i ended up going to the university of 90 00:03:39,350 --> 00:03:35,200 washington and studying biochemistry and 91 00:03:41,110 --> 00:03:39,360 comparative religion at the same time 92 00:03:43,990 --> 00:03:41,120 when i was a 93 00:03:45,509 --> 00:03:44,000 junior i really wanted to go to the nasa 94 00:03:48,149 --> 00:03:45,519 academy 95 00:03:50,630 --> 00:03:48,159 which is a program for undergraduates 96 00:03:53,030 --> 00:03:50,640 and so i applied to that and i got this 97 00:03:55,670 --> 00:03:53,040 phone call out of the blue from jerry 98 00:03:56,789 --> 00:03:55,680 soffen who had been the project 99 00:03:59,509 --> 00:03:56,799 scientist 100 00:04:01,509 --> 00:03:59,519 for the viking missions 101 00:04:03,509 --> 00:04:01,519 and he was running outreach at goddard 102 00:04:05,830 --> 00:04:03,519 space center and he said no no no you 103 00:04:08,229 --> 00:04:05,840 don't want to do nasa academy you want 104 00:04:11,030 --> 00:04:08,239 to do a research program 105 00:04:12,309 --> 00:04:11,040 and so he talked me into 106 00:04:15,990 --> 00:04:12,319 the 107 00:04:18,629 --> 00:04:16,000 director student researcher program at 108 00:04:20,870 --> 00:04:18,639 at goddard space flight center 109 00:04:22,790 --> 00:04:20,880 where i was strangely enough doing uh 110 00:04:23,990 --> 00:04:22,800 thermal engineering 111 00:04:26,150 --> 00:04:24,000 um 112 00:04:27,909 --> 00:04:26,160 but uh it was just this great 113 00:04:28,870 --> 00:04:27,919 opportunity to talk with people and get 114 00:04:30,790 --> 00:04:28,880 involved 115 00:04:34,629 --> 00:04:30,800 and it happened that that year the 116 00:04:36,550 --> 00:04:34,639 martian meteorite alh 84006 117 00:04:39,749 --> 00:04:36,560 was discovered 118 00:04:41,430 --> 00:04:39,759 but 119 00:04:43,830 --> 00:04:41,440 it was announced 120 00:04:45,110 --> 00:04:43,840 that year that folks at johnson space 121 00:04:47,110 --> 00:04:45,120 center thought there was evidence of 122 00:04:48,230 --> 00:04:47,120 life in there so this 123 00:04:49,150 --> 00:04:48,240 really 124 00:04:51,670 --> 00:04:49,160 new 125 00:04:52,710 --> 00:04:51,680 enthusiasm for the question of life on 126 00:04:54,390 --> 00:04:52,720 mars 127 00:04:57,110 --> 00:04:54,400 developed right at that time that i was 128 00:04:58,950 --> 00:04:57,120 working for nasa um and i just got roped 129 00:05:00,870 --> 00:04:58,960 right in 130 00:05:02,550 --> 00:05:00,880 wow it's such cool timing so i was in 131 00:05:04,390 --> 00:05:02,560 the nasa academy it was a wonderful 132 00:05:06,550 --> 00:05:04,400 experience but i never had the benefit 133 00:05:09,270 --> 00:05:06,560 of meeting jerry sawfin um you know he 134 00:05:10,870 --> 00:05:09,280 passed away back then unfortunately 135 00:05:12,950 --> 00:05:10,880 and we lost him but i think for those 136 00:05:14,550 --> 00:05:12,960 watching jerry salfin was such an 137 00:05:16,710 --> 00:05:14,560 advocate for young people getting 138 00:05:19,270 --> 00:05:16,720 involved in science and space 139 00:05:20,950 --> 00:05:19,280 exploration and joining nasa uh we even 140 00:05:22,950 --> 00:05:20,960 have a travel grant for young students 141 00:05:24,629 --> 00:05:22,960 named after jerry salford and that those 142 00:05:26,790 --> 00:05:24,639 of us who are in the nasa academy we 143 00:05:28,070 --> 00:05:26,800 review the applications for that um 144 00:05:29,350 --> 00:05:28,080 that's very cool and it's so cool that 145 00:05:30,790 --> 00:05:29,360 you also mentioned that kind of that 146 00:05:34,150 --> 00:05:30,800 time in history when you were studying 147 00:05:37,189 --> 00:05:34,160 then and working for nasa in 1996 when 148 00:05:38,390 --> 00:05:37,199 alh 84001 was kind of announced i was a 149 00:05:40,629 --> 00:05:38,400 kid i remember 150 00:05:42,310 --> 00:05:40,639 bill clinton coming out on on the lawn 151 00:05:43,510 --> 00:05:42,320 of the white house and making this 152 00:05:45,749 --> 00:05:43,520 proclamation that we might have just 153 00:05:47,749 --> 00:05:45,759 made the biggest discovery of all of 154 00:05:51,189 --> 00:05:47,759 humanity and indeed the word 155 00:05:53,110 --> 00:05:51,199 astrobiology wasn't really used by nasa 156 00:05:55,350 --> 00:05:53,120 until that moment before that we called 157 00:05:57,909 --> 00:05:55,360 it exobiology and then it became 158 00:05:59,510 --> 00:05:57,919 astrobiology uh and so i love that that 159 00:06:01,830 --> 00:05:59,520 kind of was like your birthplace into 160 00:06:03,430 --> 00:06:01,840 this whole realm and so what kind of led 161 00:06:05,990 --> 00:06:03,440 you then to want to 162 00:06:08,870 --> 00:06:06,000 explore not just you know astrobiology 163 00:06:11,749 --> 00:06:08,880 but what's the other side of the coin 164 00:06:14,390 --> 00:06:11,759 yeah no so i i was really interested in 165 00:06:16,230 --> 00:06:14,400 uh in the big questions uh particularly 166 00:06:19,029 --> 00:06:16,240 this what is life 167 00:06:21,029 --> 00:06:19,039 and so i decided to go someplace for 168 00:06:22,469 --> 00:06:21,039 graduate school where i could study keep 169 00:06:24,070 --> 00:06:22,479 studying both 170 00:06:26,870 --> 00:06:24,080 i went to 171 00:06:28,309 --> 00:06:26,880 harvard which has really good theology 172 00:06:29,830 --> 00:06:28,319 program and 173 00:06:32,870 --> 00:06:29,840 i went there for 174 00:06:36,550 --> 00:06:32,880 organismic and evolutionary biology 175 00:06:38,870 --> 00:06:36,560 um and i had really intended to go into 176 00:06:41,189 --> 00:06:38,880 science for a while and be a a 177 00:06:43,749 --> 00:06:41,199 professional scientist but i found about 178 00:06:46,230 --> 00:06:43,759 halfway through graduate school that i 179 00:06:50,150 --> 00:06:46,240 spent all of my free time talking with 180 00:06:51,909 --> 00:06:50,160 scientists about god and uh and so i 181 00:06:53,749 --> 00:06:51,919 i really decided that it was important 182 00:06:56,230 --> 00:06:53,759 for me to go to seminary as soon as i 183 00:06:57,510 --> 00:06:56,240 got my doctorate i i wanted to finish 184 00:06:59,909 --> 00:06:57,520 and i was really a little bit worried 185 00:07:01,830 --> 00:06:59,919 about my my doctoral committee you know 186 00:07:03,350 --> 00:07:01,840 because they put all this work into me 187 00:07:05,270 --> 00:07:03,360 um and how would they feel about me 188 00:07:06,790 --> 00:07:05,280 going to seminary but they were very 189 00:07:08,390 --> 00:07:06,800 very supportive 190 00:07:10,469 --> 00:07:08,400 i am 191 00:07:12,950 --> 00:07:10,479 i just think we 192 00:07:14,629 --> 00:07:12,960 we're always doing this work of trying 193 00:07:16,870 --> 00:07:14,639 to place ourselves in the universe and 194 00:07:19,510 --> 00:07:16,880 that's not just a science question it's 195 00:07:20,790 --> 00:07:19,520 also an ethical question and a meaning 196 00:07:21,830 --> 00:07:20,800 question 197 00:07:24,710 --> 00:07:21,840 and so 198 00:07:27,749 --> 00:07:24,720 uh you know how do we do that that work 199 00:07:29,189 --> 00:07:27,759 of putting those things together 200 00:07:31,909 --> 00:07:29,199 and um 201 00:07:33,589 --> 00:07:31,919 that that led me on to you know try and 202 00:07:36,070 --> 00:07:33,599 try and keep both hats off at the same 203 00:07:38,309 --> 00:07:36,080 time i was a college chaplain for a year 204 00:07:40,710 --> 00:07:38,319 i was called chaplain for four years uh 205 00:07:41,830 --> 00:07:40,720 at the university of arizona uh and 206 00:07:44,710 --> 00:07:41,840 after that 207 00:07:45,510 --> 00:07:44,720 moved on to my current position 208 00:07:47,909 --> 00:07:45,520 which 209 00:07:49,430 --> 00:07:47,919 facilitates giving science information 210 00:07:51,749 --> 00:07:49,440 to church leaders 211 00:07:53,110 --> 00:07:51,759 that's fantastic i absolutely come back 212 00:07:54,390 --> 00:07:53,120 to the eclipse project and what you've 213 00:07:56,150 --> 00:07:54,400 been doing there 214 00:07:59,350 --> 00:07:56,160 but first a few things i want to bring 215 00:08:00,710 --> 00:07:59,360 out one for for younger people right now 216 00:08:03,270 --> 00:08:00,720 who want to learn more about 217 00:08:05,909 --> 00:08:03,280 astrobiology there's something really 218 00:08:07,589 --> 00:08:05,919 awesome right now in the works it's the 219 00:08:10,309 --> 00:08:07,599 third version of something called the 220 00:08:12,390 --> 00:08:10,319 astrobiology primer and the cool thing 221 00:08:14,869 --> 00:08:12,400 about the reverend dr lucas mix is he 222 00:08:16,950 --> 00:08:14,879 was the author of the very first 223 00:08:18,390 --> 00:08:16,960 astrobiology primer and the advocate for 224 00:08:20,150 --> 00:08:18,400 really bringing this together to have 225 00:08:22,150 --> 00:08:20,160 some source of knowledge that kind of 226 00:08:24,469 --> 00:08:22,160 allows us to understand many of the 227 00:08:26,710 --> 00:08:24,479 diverse topics and disciplines that come 228 00:08:28,629 --> 00:08:26,720 into astrobiology so i would just love 229 00:08:30,869 --> 00:08:28,639 to hear from you what was the birth of 230 00:08:32,630 --> 00:08:30,879 this idea of building the astrobiology 231 00:08:34,389 --> 00:08:32,640 primer and what was that like kind of 232 00:08:36,469 --> 00:08:34,399 being the progenitor of this really 233 00:08:38,709 --> 00:08:36,479 incredible thing that we all now in 234 00:08:41,670 --> 00:08:38,719 astrobiology have used 235 00:08:44,710 --> 00:08:41,680 yeah um so so graham mentioned that in 236 00:08:46,790 --> 00:08:44,720 96 was when when astrobiology 237 00:08:49,750 --> 00:08:46,800 in its sort of current incarnation came 238 00:08:52,790 --> 00:08:49,760 about it was called exobiology before 239 00:08:54,949 --> 00:08:52,800 that um and that came both from from the 240 00:08:57,670 --> 00:08:54,959 martian meteorite uh and the first 241 00:08:59,430 --> 00:08:57,680 discovery of extrasolar planets 242 00:09:02,070 --> 00:08:59,440 um and so we 243 00:09:04,150 --> 00:09:02,080 we started having conferences and i i 244 00:09:05,670 --> 00:09:04,160 think it was um 245 00:09:07,670 --> 00:09:05,680 i think it was in 2000 it might have 246 00:09:08,389 --> 00:09:07,680 been 2001. i was a young graduate 247 00:09:11,590 --> 00:09:08,399 student 248 00:09:13,509 --> 00:09:11,600 i didn't know any better and uh i i said 249 00:09:15,910 --> 00:09:13,519 you know we've got these biologists and 250 00:09:17,430 --> 00:09:15,920 these chemists and these geologists and 251 00:09:19,190 --> 00:09:17,440 astronomers and they don't all speak the 252 00:09:20,470 --> 00:09:19,200 same language so how do we how do we 253 00:09:22,630 --> 00:09:20,480 solve that 254 00:09:24,550 --> 00:09:22,640 maybe maybe we could just like assign 255 00:09:26,230 --> 00:09:24,560 reading to people maybe we could say you 256 00:09:28,550 --> 00:09:26,240 know here's this short document that 257 00:09:30,310 --> 00:09:28,560 introduces astrobiology 258 00:09:32,630 --> 00:09:30,320 and if you come to a conference on 259 00:09:34,870 --> 00:09:32,640 astrobiology you can expect people to 260 00:09:37,590 --> 00:09:34,880 have read it and anything that's not in 261 00:09:39,990 --> 00:09:37,600 there then you would have to explain uh 262 00:09:41,350 --> 00:09:40,000 because frequently you know for example 263 00:09:42,790 --> 00:09:41,360 the word terrestrial if you're a 264 00:09:45,269 --> 00:09:42,800 biologist 265 00:09:47,430 --> 00:09:45,279 means on land and not in the water 266 00:09:50,230 --> 00:09:47,440 and if you are an astronomer uh it means 267 00:09:52,470 --> 00:09:50,240 a rocky planet and not a gaseous planet 268 00:09:54,389 --> 00:09:52,480 um so so how do you see that everyone's 269 00:09:56,550 --> 00:09:54,399 using the same language 270 00:09:58,470 --> 00:09:56,560 and i uh i mentioned this to barry 271 00:10:01,269 --> 00:09:58,480 bloomberg who was the head of the nasa 272 00:10:03,269 --> 00:10:01,279 astrobiology institute and he said great 273 00:10:06,710 --> 00:10:03,279 you should write this 274 00:10:08,949 --> 00:10:06,720 and i was just completely overwhelmed 275 00:10:11,430 --> 00:10:08,959 i like to say that 276 00:10:13,509 --> 00:10:11,440 six years a hundred contributors 24 277 00:10:14,550 --> 00:10:13,519 authors eight editors 278 00:10:17,509 --> 00:10:14,560 later 279 00:10:19,590 --> 00:10:17,519 we came out with the first astrobiology 280 00:10:21,350 --> 00:10:19,600 primer a quick and dirty introduction to 281 00:10:22,710 --> 00:10:21,360 astrobiology 282 00:10:25,590 --> 00:10:22,720 and 283 00:10:28,150 --> 00:10:25,600 it was a blast i learned a lot we had 284 00:10:30,710 --> 00:10:28,160 great communication entirely written by 285 00:10:33,430 --> 00:10:30,720 early career scientists and it was such 286 00:10:35,030 --> 00:10:33,440 a success that we did version two uh in 287 00:10:38,069 --> 00:10:35,040 2016 288 00:10:40,470 --> 00:10:38,079 and version three is 289 00:10:42,310 --> 00:10:40,480 almost out we're we're just about to 290 00:10:44,389 --> 00:10:42,320 cross the finish line so that's very 291 00:10:45,509 --> 00:10:44,399 exciting i have i've handed on to some 292 00:10:46,470 --> 00:10:45,519 other folks 293 00:10:49,190 --> 00:10:46,480 um 294 00:10:51,910 --> 00:10:49,200 but i'm looking forward to reading it 295 00:10:53,750 --> 00:10:51,920 absolutely me too i i think one thing i 296 00:10:55,670 --> 00:10:53,760 commonly will tell early graduate 297 00:10:57,590 --> 00:10:55,680 students especially two of the best 298 00:11:00,150 --> 00:10:57,600 things you can do to learn more about 299 00:11:02,470 --> 00:11:00,160 the field of astrobiology is to read the 300 00:11:04,710 --> 00:11:02,480 astrobiology primer and to go to the 301 00:11:06,870 --> 00:11:04,720 astrobiology graduate conference because 302 00:11:08,790 --> 00:11:06,880 those two things will help you to learn 303 00:11:11,110 --> 00:11:08,800 what's going on in other disciplines 304 00:11:12,550 --> 00:11:11,120 within astrobiology as well and you 305 00:11:14,150 --> 00:11:12,560 mentioned barry blumberg there and i'd 306 00:11:16,790 --> 00:11:14,160 like to come back because now you've 307 00:11:20,069 --> 00:11:16,800 been the ninth barry blumberg chair of 308 00:11:21,829 --> 00:11:20,079 astrobiology at the library of congress 309 00:11:23,829 --> 00:11:21,839 and i unfortunately i missed your talk 310 00:11:25,829 --> 00:11:23,839 at the recent apps icon but i saw you 311 00:11:27,110 --> 00:11:25,839 give a talk at the recent social meeting 312 00:11:29,750 --> 00:11:27,120 which we can talk about in a little bit 313 00:11:32,150 --> 00:11:29,760 as well um but it's a really beautiful 314 00:11:34,150 --> 00:11:32,160 talk about ascension narratives in 315 00:11:36,630 --> 00:11:34,160 science and theology and in fiction 316 00:11:38,230 --> 00:11:36,640 writing i'd love to hear about your work 317 00:11:39,269 --> 00:11:38,240 at the library of congress and and how 318 00:11:41,269 --> 00:11:39,279 that culminates now and what you're 319 00:11:44,150 --> 00:11:41,279 currently working on 320 00:11:45,910 --> 00:11:44,160 awesome everything is connected i i feel 321 00:11:46,870 --> 00:11:45,920 like you know all of these stories tied 322 00:11:49,990 --> 00:11:46,880 together 323 00:11:55,269 --> 00:11:52,230 so so first of all the the bloomberg 324 00:11:57,269 --> 00:11:55,279 chair um at the library of congress is 325 00:12:00,310 --> 00:11:57,279 this opportunity to think about the 326 00:12:02,550 --> 00:12:00,320 societal implications of astrobiology 327 00:12:05,030 --> 00:12:02,560 and a lot of these these big picture 328 00:12:07,590 --> 00:12:05,040 questions that i'm interested in 329 00:12:09,750 --> 00:12:07,600 and i propose that i would go there and 330 00:12:11,509 --> 00:12:09,760 read through carl sagan's 331 00:12:13,350 --> 00:12:11,519 papers 332 00:12:16,550 --> 00:12:13,360 particularly he was interested in 333 00:12:19,910 --> 00:12:16,560 writing this book called ethos on ethics 334 00:12:21,910 --> 00:12:19,920 after his book's book on the cosmos 335 00:12:25,110 --> 00:12:21,920 and he never wrote that book but it just 336 00:12:26,629 --> 00:12:25,120 had some amazing insights and so 337 00:12:27,990 --> 00:12:26,639 that was one of the one of the reasons i 338 00:12:30,629 --> 00:12:28,000 was there 339 00:12:32,790 --> 00:12:30,639 my research has really come together as 340 00:12:34,230 --> 00:12:32,800 this discussion about 341 00:12:36,550 --> 00:12:34,240 planetary 342 00:12:39,110 --> 00:12:36,560 travel and stories we tell about 343 00:12:41,430 --> 00:12:39,120 planetary travel so there's this great 344 00:12:43,430 --> 00:12:41,440 quote from galileo who said 345 00:12:45,990 --> 00:12:43,440 the intention of the holy spirit is to 346 00:12:48,470 --> 00:12:46,000 tell us how the how to go to heaven and 347 00:12:51,030 --> 00:12:48,480 not how the heaven goes 348 00:12:54,069 --> 00:12:51,040 and this was galileo saying that the 349 00:12:55,350 --> 00:12:54,079 church should not be involved in 350 00:12:57,269 --> 00:12:55,360 astronomy 351 00:13:00,310 --> 00:12:57,279 and that scripture was doing things 352 00:13:01,910 --> 00:13:00,320 other than astronomy and those things 353 00:13:04,310 --> 00:13:01,920 were the important parts of scripture it 354 00:13:06,470 --> 00:13:04,320 was not knocking scripture but saying 355 00:13:08,949 --> 00:13:06,480 you know this is this is something with 356 00:13:12,470 --> 00:13:08,959 profound ethical significance um and we 357 00:13:14,550 --> 00:13:12,480 might focus there anyway i totally agree 358 00:13:15,829 --> 00:13:14,560 with galileo that the church should not 359 00:13:17,110 --> 00:13:15,839 be telling astronomers how to do 360 00:13:19,430 --> 00:13:17,120 astronomy 361 00:13:21,350 --> 00:13:19,440 but i also think that the way we talk 362 00:13:23,910 --> 00:13:21,360 about going to heaven and the way we 363 00:13:25,910 --> 00:13:23,920 talk about going to space 364 00:13:27,350 --> 00:13:25,920 have always been tied together in our 365 00:13:29,670 --> 00:13:27,360 imagination 366 00:13:30,470 --> 00:13:29,680 so i i traced the history of this looked 367 00:13:34,949 --> 00:13:30,480 at 368 00:13:37,190 --> 00:13:34,959 um really 369 00:13:38,790 --> 00:13:37,200 going back pretty early but um 370 00:13:40,710 --> 00:13:38,800 you know some 16th century science 371 00:13:42,550 --> 00:13:40,720 fiction all the way through carl sagan 372 00:13:44,550 --> 00:13:42,560 who was a great science fiction author 373 00:13:46,790 --> 00:13:44,560 uh as well as a great astronomer and 374 00:13:50,230 --> 00:13:46,800 astrobiologist 375 00:13:52,550 --> 00:13:50,240 and i think for me the big take-home 376 00:13:54,870 --> 00:13:52,560 was that we have this idea that there's 377 00:13:56,790 --> 00:13:54,880 there's higher and lower physical space 378 00:13:58,230 --> 00:13:56,800 which is pretty straightforward 379 00:14:01,750 --> 00:13:58,240 and there's 380 00:14:04,069 --> 00:14:01,760 higher and lower forms of life 381 00:14:05,990 --> 00:14:04,079 now all of us know what that means we 382 00:14:08,389 --> 00:14:06,000 think of ourselves as higher forms of 383 00:14:09,509 --> 00:14:08,399 life and other forms of life is lower 384 00:14:11,189 --> 00:14:09,519 than us 385 00:14:13,990 --> 00:14:11,199 um 386 00:14:16,550 --> 00:14:14,000 and then there's this idea of of higher 387 00:14:18,150 --> 00:14:16,560 and lower spiritual so we talk about 388 00:14:18,949 --> 00:14:18,160 jesus ascending 389 00:14:21,509 --> 00:14:18,959 um 390 00:14:23,990 --> 00:14:21,519 or you know going up to heaven why is it 391 00:14:26,870 --> 00:14:24,000 that we talk about as going up to heaven 392 00:14:28,829 --> 00:14:26,880 and historically we've always 393 00:14:32,230 --> 00:14:28,839 we have generally at least 394 00:14:33,430 --> 00:14:32,240 um in the west talked about those all 395 00:14:36,150 --> 00:14:33,440 together 396 00:14:39,750 --> 00:14:36,160 now as a biologist i would say well 397 00:14:40,629 --> 00:14:39,760 higher lower life really aren't things 398 00:14:43,590 --> 00:14:40,639 in 399 00:14:45,990 --> 00:14:43,600 biology we talk about 400 00:14:48,870 --> 00:14:46,000 the development of an individual who 401 00:14:49,990 --> 00:14:48,880 grows up along a a fixed path set by 402 00:14:51,829 --> 00:14:50,000 genes 403 00:14:55,189 --> 00:14:51,839 and we also talk about the evolution of 404 00:14:56,870 --> 00:14:55,199 a species and that doesn't go up it goes 405 00:15:01,030 --> 00:14:56,880 out 406 00:15:05,350 --> 00:15:01,040 diversification 407 00:15:08,870 --> 00:15:05,360 which is not always about a cent 408 00:15:11,350 --> 00:15:08,880 um and as most of you probably know uh 409 00:15:13,750 --> 00:15:11,360 copernicus reminded us that that we are 410 00:15:15,750 --> 00:15:13,760 not near the center 411 00:15:16,870 --> 00:15:15,760 of the cosmos 412 00:15:18,069 --> 00:15:16,880 um 413 00:15:20,150 --> 00:15:18,079 that uh 414 00:15:22,150 --> 00:15:20,160 you know this up and down in astronomy 415 00:15:24,629 --> 00:15:22,160 is relative as well 416 00:15:28,310 --> 00:15:24,639 so i i sort of wanted to unpack what it 417 00:15:31,189 --> 00:15:28,320 means when we talk about going up 418 00:15:33,350 --> 00:15:31,199 and ascent and it's probably not biology 419 00:15:34,629 --> 00:15:33,360 and it's probably not astronomy most of 420 00:15:36,710 --> 00:15:34,639 the time 421 00:15:39,110 --> 00:15:36,720 when we talk about growing up 422 00:15:40,629 --> 00:15:39,120 it's something ideological or spiritual 423 00:15:42,870 --> 00:15:40,639 and how do we figure out what we're 424 00:15:45,590 --> 00:15:42,880 bringing to that discussion in terms of 425 00:15:47,590 --> 00:15:45,600 what we think is is going up or growing 426 00:15:50,150 --> 00:15:47,600 up um 427 00:15:52,629 --> 00:15:50,160 and and what that means so 428 00:15:55,189 --> 00:15:52,639 should we go to space i think yes 429 00:15:57,350 --> 00:15:55,199 i'm a big fan of space travel and i'm a 430 00:15:59,990 --> 00:15:57,360 fan of space exploration so it's not 431 00:16:02,710 --> 00:16:00,000 because space is better than earth and 432 00:16:05,509 --> 00:16:02,720 it's not that we will leave earth behind 433 00:16:08,230 --> 00:16:05,519 which i think is a a very dangerous uh 434 00:16:10,310 --> 00:16:08,240 idea but it's an idea that when we go 435 00:16:13,189 --> 00:16:10,320 into space we are going out we are 436 00:16:16,389 --> 00:16:13,199 diversifying discovering strange new 437 00:16:17,749 --> 00:16:16,399 worlds uh and civilizations 438 00:16:20,069 --> 00:16:17,759 and uh 439 00:16:22,550 --> 00:16:20,079 so i'm very excited about that 440 00:16:24,790 --> 00:16:22,560 i uh i think we should be very careful 441 00:16:25,829 --> 00:16:24,800 because historically this idea 442 00:16:29,350 --> 00:16:25,839 that 443 00:16:32,150 --> 00:16:29,360 societies evolve towards 444 00:16:33,590 --> 00:16:32,160 you know some good future that there is 445 00:16:35,110 --> 00:16:33,600 um 446 00:16:37,829 --> 00:16:35,120 uh 447 00:16:40,710 --> 00:16:37,839 a development as a society 448 00:16:43,749 --> 00:16:40,720 it sort of lures us into thinking well 449 00:16:46,150 --> 00:16:43,759 if i know what a future society should 450 00:16:48,470 --> 00:16:46,160 like look like when it's grown up 451 00:16:50,949 --> 00:16:48,480 then i have an obligation to help it 452 00:16:53,990 --> 00:16:50,959 along the way 453 00:16:56,150 --> 00:16:54,000 and that starts getting really dangerous 454 00:16:58,790 --> 00:16:56,160 ethically really fast 455 00:17:01,350 --> 00:16:58,800 in terms of things like eugenics 456 00:17:02,829 --> 00:17:01,360 and and some civilizations deciding that 457 00:17:04,870 --> 00:17:02,839 they're better than other 458 00:17:06,470 --> 00:17:04,880 civilizations um it's generally called 459 00:17:09,189 --> 00:17:06,480 white man's burden 460 00:17:10,949 --> 00:17:09,199 uh this idea that that we know 461 00:17:13,669 --> 00:17:10,959 we're better so how do we think 462 00:17:15,110 --> 00:17:13,679 critically i am a priest and i do think 463 00:17:16,630 --> 00:17:15,120 there is a better i think there's a 464 00:17:18,710 --> 00:17:16,640 right way to go 465 00:17:21,350 --> 00:17:18,720 and i want to be clear that we're not 466 00:17:22,710 --> 00:17:21,360 getting that from biology or astronomy 467 00:17:24,390 --> 00:17:22,720 we don't need to get it from 468 00:17:26,150 --> 00:17:24,400 christianity 469 00:17:27,909 --> 00:17:26,160 but let's think about where we get it 470 00:17:29,270 --> 00:17:27,919 and let's talk together 471 00:17:31,190 --> 00:17:29,280 uh you know 472 00:17:33,510 --> 00:17:31,200 do we want to go to space why do we want 473 00:17:35,750 --> 00:17:33,520 to go to space what is it up there that 474 00:17:38,870 --> 00:17:35,760 we value and what are we 475 00:17:40,870 --> 00:17:38,880 leaving behind or not leaving behind 476 00:17:42,549 --> 00:17:40,880 that's so beautiful yeah and there's so 477 00:17:43,750 --> 00:17:42,559 much to unpack there 478 00:17:45,430 --> 00:17:43,760 i do want to say for our audience 479 00:17:47,750 --> 00:17:45,440 watching right now on youtube please 480 00:17:49,270 --> 00:17:47,760 keep asking your questions uh for lucas 481 00:17:50,630 --> 00:17:49,280 we will get to those as soon as we can i 482 00:17:53,430 --> 00:17:50,640 have my own questions though to ask 483 00:17:55,029 --> 00:17:53,440 first and i have a lot of them um i will 484 00:17:57,430 --> 00:17:55,039 uh we will have videos eventually from 485 00:17:59,350 --> 00:17:57,440 abs icon and social of lucas's talks and 486 00:18:01,270 --> 00:17:59,360 so you can learn more about these ideas 487 00:18:03,190 --> 00:18:01,280 of ascension narratives uh in our 488 00:18:05,270 --> 00:18:03,200 storytelling uh one thing we want to 489 00:18:08,390 --> 00:18:05,280 point out on the nasa astrobiology 490 00:18:10,710 --> 00:18:08,400 twitter account at nasa astro bio we 491 00:18:12,630 --> 00:18:10,720 asked the audience this week 492 00:18:14,950 --> 00:18:12,640 how they kind of prefer getting their 493 00:18:16,870 --> 00:18:14,960 stories about journey in the universe 494 00:18:18,710 --> 00:18:16,880 and exploring the universe and we gave 495 00:18:20,150 --> 00:18:18,720 them some options like books movies and 496 00:18:21,590 --> 00:18:20,160 podcasts 497 00:18:22,950 --> 00:18:21,600 others could have included things like 498 00:18:25,669 --> 00:18:22,960 video games and things like that but 499 00:18:27,510 --> 00:18:25,679 twitter limits you a little bit there 500 00:18:29,990 --> 00:18:27,520 interestingly we've got movies was the 501 00:18:31,830 --> 00:18:30,000 top response people liked watching film 502 00:18:33,750 --> 00:18:31,840 about exploring the universe books was a 503 00:18:35,029 --> 00:18:33,760 close second though so that kind of 504 00:18:37,110 --> 00:18:35,039 touches near and dear to my heart since 505 00:18:39,029 --> 00:18:37,120 i preferred books myself but we had 506 00:18:41,190 --> 00:18:39,039 things like star star wars in 2001 a 507 00:18:43,270 --> 00:18:41,200 space odyssey where some of the films 508 00:18:44,950 --> 00:18:43,280 mentioned uh many different books were 509 00:18:46,549 --> 00:18:44,960 mentioned i personally mentioned i love 510 00:18:48,070 --> 00:18:46,559 the sci-fi horror video game series 511 00:18:49,909 --> 00:18:48,080 called dead space 512 00:18:52,390 --> 00:18:49,919 which also has its own religious and 513 00:18:55,029 --> 00:18:52,400 scientific aspects as well 514 00:18:57,590 --> 00:18:55,039 but a question then for you lucas is 515 00:19:01,750 --> 00:18:57,600 what stories have inspired you to want 516 00:19:05,029 --> 00:19:01,760 to explore life and explore the universe 517 00:19:07,510 --> 00:19:05,039 oh i am a huge fan of science fiction 518 00:19:10,230 --> 00:19:07,520 i am a fan of a genre that's come to be 519 00:19:11,029 --> 00:19:10,240 known as speculative fiction so rather 520 00:19:13,990 --> 00:19:11,039 than 521 00:19:15,590 --> 00:19:14,000 emphasizing the science it emphasizes 522 00:19:17,029 --> 00:19:15,600 what if things were a little bit 523 00:19:17,909 --> 00:19:17,039 different 524 00:19:20,470 --> 00:19:17,919 um 525 00:19:21,350 --> 00:19:20,480 i certainly enjoy star trek 526 00:19:23,590 --> 00:19:21,360 um 527 00:19:24,950 --> 00:19:23,600 there is an author by the name of ursula 528 00:19:28,150 --> 00:19:24,960 k le guin 529 00:19:29,750 --> 00:19:28,160 who does amazing stories about life on 530 00:19:31,990 --> 00:19:29,760 other planets and how it might be 531 00:19:33,830 --> 00:19:32,000 different than life here i was just 532 00:19:35,669 --> 00:19:33,840 rereading a snippet of her book the 533 00:19:37,990 --> 00:19:35,679 dispossessed 534 00:19:40,549 --> 00:19:38,000 which talks all about both the physics 535 00:19:42,150 --> 00:19:40,559 of space travel and 536 00:19:43,190 --> 00:19:42,160 like traveling away from our comfort 537 00:19:46,470 --> 00:19:43,200 space 538 00:19:47,510 --> 00:19:46,480 so i huge fan of that recently a fan of 539 00:19:49,350 --> 00:19:47,520 uh 540 00:19:52,390 --> 00:19:49,360 nedia coraphor's 541 00:19:55,190 --> 00:19:52,400 binti trilogy uh which explores some 542 00:19:57,909 --> 00:19:55,200 similar topics uh 543 00:20:00,390 --> 00:19:57,919 sagan is amazing john scalzi is amazing 544 00:20:03,350 --> 00:20:00,400 i'll do a quick plug there is a space on 545 00:20:05,270 --> 00:20:03,360 the page podcast from the library of 546 00:20:08,230 --> 00:20:05,280 congress klugey center 547 00:20:10,149 --> 00:20:08,240 and i have conversations between 548 00:20:13,029 --> 00:20:10,159 astrobiologists and science fiction 549 00:20:15,669 --> 00:20:13,039 authors about exactly these topics 550 00:20:17,590 --> 00:20:15,679 and we have a great time so check that 551 00:20:19,029 --> 00:20:17,600 out if that's interesting that was 552 00:20:20,549 --> 00:20:19,039 actually my next note that i wanted to 553 00:20:22,789 --> 00:20:20,559 ask about the podcast 554 00:20:24,470 --> 00:20:22,799 there have been six episodes now uh 555 00:20:26,710 --> 00:20:24,480 three by by the previous chair of 556 00:20:28,549 --> 00:20:26,720 astrobiology three by yourself is the 557 00:20:31,110 --> 00:20:28,559 intention now to have three for every 558 00:20:32,630 --> 00:20:31,120 chair of astrobiology moving forward uh 559 00:20:34,310 --> 00:20:32,640 and what and also on top of that what 560 00:20:36,070 --> 00:20:34,320 really inspired you to bring together 561 00:20:39,669 --> 00:20:36,080 science fiction authors and scientists 562 00:20:42,230 --> 00:20:39,679 together in the episodes that you ran 563 00:20:44,070 --> 00:20:42,240 yeah um it is our hope that that each 564 00:20:48,630 --> 00:20:44,080 new bloomberg chair will do three new 565 00:20:51,909 --> 00:20:48,640 episodes uh so david barron's focused on 566 00:20:53,110 --> 00:20:51,919 books about the exploration of mars in 567 00:20:55,669 --> 00:20:53,120 particular 568 00:20:59,029 --> 00:20:55,679 and then i had three on science fiction 569 00:21:02,549 --> 00:21:00,950 astrobiology has been wonderful for me 570 00:21:05,350 --> 00:21:02,559 because it's a group of people 571 00:21:07,590 --> 00:21:05,360 willing to ask these big questions 572 00:21:09,430 --> 00:21:07,600 um and it's not just about asking the 573 00:21:11,590 --> 00:21:09,440 big questions though i've discovered 574 00:21:14,310 --> 00:21:11,600 it's asking the big questions and then 575 00:21:15,270 --> 00:21:14,320 seriously asking what science can tell 576 00:21:17,430 --> 00:21:15,280 us 577 00:21:19,190 --> 00:21:17,440 that answers those 578 00:21:20,710 --> 00:21:19,200 or doesn't answer those 579 00:21:22,310 --> 00:21:20,720 um and so 580 00:21:24,390 --> 00:21:22,320 it's a group of people that's very 581 00:21:26,630 --> 00:21:24,400 open-minded really interested in 582 00:21:27,510 --> 00:21:26,640 learning across different fields 583 00:21:29,510 --> 00:21:27,520 um 584 00:21:30,710 --> 00:21:29,520 and so i thought you know 585 00:21:33,029 --> 00:21:30,720 wouldn't it be great to get some of 586 00:21:34,310 --> 00:21:33,039 these people many of whom are our ardent 587 00:21:35,430 --> 00:21:34,320 sci-fi 588 00:21:37,190 --> 00:21:35,440 fans 589 00:21:38,710 --> 00:21:37,200 together with science fiction authors 590 00:21:39,830 --> 00:21:38,720 and really talk about 591 00:21:42,070 --> 00:21:39,840 this 592 00:21:45,029 --> 00:21:42,080 imaginative exploration of the universe 593 00:21:47,029 --> 00:21:45,039 that we're all doing together 594 00:21:48,870 --> 00:21:47,039 that's fantastic and i love that you 595 00:21:51,270 --> 00:21:48,880 brought up big questions answer biology 596 00:21:52,549 --> 00:21:51,280 is about big questions and we humans 597 00:21:54,310 --> 00:21:52,559 we've been asking ourselves not just 598 00:21:56,310 --> 00:21:54,320 through science but through theology and 599 00:21:58,149 --> 00:21:56,320 through you know philosophy these very 600 00:22:00,390 --> 00:21:58,159 big questions for a long time and i'd 601 00:22:01,190 --> 00:22:00,400 like to share a personal story um right 602 00:22:03,270 --> 00:22:01,200 now 603 00:22:04,390 --> 00:22:03,280 when i was young i went to a methodist 604 00:22:07,510 --> 00:22:04,400 church 605 00:22:09,029 --> 00:22:07,520 but when i was a young person i went to 606 00:22:11,669 --> 00:22:09,039 a methodist church and 607 00:22:13,909 --> 00:22:11,679 pastor tom ozenbach was my pastor when i 608 00:22:16,149 --> 00:22:13,919 was a young child but he was my family's 609 00:22:19,029 --> 00:22:16,159 pastor as well he was involved in our 610 00:22:21,430 --> 00:22:19,039 lives everything that i saw weddings and 611 00:22:24,549 --> 00:22:21,440 funerals family gatherings he was always 612 00:22:26,549 --> 00:22:24,559 there and as i progressed in my life and 613 00:22:28,549 --> 00:22:26,559 started exploring more in philosophy and 614 00:22:30,470 --> 00:22:28,559 science uh i went to college and started 615 00:22:32,070 --> 00:22:30,480 studying the sciences and he knew i was 616 00:22:34,149 --> 00:22:32,080 very interested in space exploration and 617 00:22:35,990 --> 00:22:34,159 i'd interned for nasa and did some of 618 00:22:37,909 --> 00:22:36,000 these really cool things and and so at 619 00:22:39,990 --> 00:22:37,919 that point every time i would i would go 620 00:22:42,149 --> 00:22:40,000 home to pennsylvania 621 00:22:44,630 --> 00:22:42,159 to see a wedding or unfortunately a 622 00:22:46,470 --> 00:22:44,640 funeral and pastor tom would be there he 623 00:22:47,190 --> 00:22:46,480 always wanted to have conversations with 624 00:22:53,830 --> 00:22:47,200 me 625 00:22:56,310 --> 00:22:53,840 sharing in big questions with people 626 00:22:58,549 --> 00:22:56,320 with slightly different viewpoints um 627 00:23:00,470 --> 00:22:58,559 for instance during my grandfather's 628 00:23:02,470 --> 00:23:00,480 funeral when he passed away which is 629 00:23:04,950 --> 00:23:02,480 very hard for me uh pastor tom and i had 630 00:23:06,950 --> 00:23:04,960 a really just very beautiful moment 631 00:23:08,470 --> 00:23:06,960 about maybe an hour long conversation 632 00:23:09,990 --> 00:23:08,480 because he saw that i was dealing with a 633 00:23:11,590 --> 00:23:10,000 lot of stuff 634 00:23:13,750 --> 00:23:11,600 we got into a conversation about our 635 00:23:15,510 --> 00:23:13,760 beliefs and understanding but then we 636 00:23:17,830 --> 00:23:15,520 also started talking about the cosmos 637 00:23:19,510 --> 00:23:17,840 and about space and pastor tom always 638 00:23:22,070 --> 00:23:19,520 wanted to hear about the best hubble 639 00:23:24,070 --> 00:23:22,080 space telescope images and new missions 640 00:23:26,789 --> 00:23:24,080 from nasa and when we were going to 641 00:23:28,070 --> 00:23:26,799 europa and mars and venus and all of 642 00:23:29,510 --> 00:23:28,080 these kinds of things he wanted to know 643 00:23:31,350 --> 00:23:29,520 when those things were going to happen 644 00:23:33,110 --> 00:23:31,360 and if i was part of it and what i knew 645 00:23:34,830 --> 00:23:33,120 about it and then he was always trying 646 00:23:37,430 --> 00:23:34,840 to to frame that himself in the 647 00:23:39,510 --> 00:23:37,440 conversation with god and christianity 648 00:23:41,830 --> 00:23:39,520 and the bible and his understanding of 649 00:23:43,750 --> 00:23:41,840 the world and so i'd like to kind of 650 00:23:44,710 --> 00:23:43,760 using this story also transition now to 651 00:23:47,269 --> 00:23:44,720 something else that you've been working 652 00:23:49,029 --> 00:23:47,279 with uh the eckless project 653 00:23:51,190 --> 00:23:49,039 equipping christian leadership in an age 654 00:23:53,430 --> 00:23:51,200 of science i'd love to hear more about 655 00:23:56,710 --> 00:23:53,440 the project in general and as well as 656 00:23:57,669 --> 00:23:56,720 your role in this project 657 00:24:00,230 --> 00:23:57,679 yeah 658 00:24:01,029 --> 00:24:00,240 we did some some sociological research 659 00:24:03,830 --> 00:24:01,039 um 660 00:24:05,269 --> 00:24:03,840 i think up to 10 years ago now and asked 661 00:24:06,950 --> 00:24:05,279 people where they got their science 662 00:24:08,950 --> 00:24:06,960 information from 663 00:24:11,110 --> 00:24:08,960 um and who they talked to about science 664 00:24:12,710 --> 00:24:11,120 and a lot of them like graham talk to 665 00:24:13,510 --> 00:24:12,720 their pastor about it 666 00:24:18,070 --> 00:24:13,520 um 667 00:24:19,350 --> 00:24:18,080 equipping christian leadership in an age 668 00:24:22,149 --> 00:24:19,360 of science 669 00:24:23,110 --> 00:24:22,159 is the program in the united kingdom 670 00:24:25,750 --> 00:24:23,120 that 671 00:24:26,950 --> 00:24:25,760 really works at how do we get science 672 00:24:30,710 --> 00:24:26,960 information 673 00:24:32,230 --> 00:24:30,720 to church leaders um and more than that 674 00:24:34,789 --> 00:24:32,240 how do we get them to really think 675 00:24:36,950 --> 00:24:34,799 critically about engaging like how do 676 00:24:40,390 --> 00:24:36,960 the pieces get put together 677 00:24:42,710 --> 00:24:40,400 so eclis in particular we do 678 00:24:45,190 --> 00:24:42,720 conferences for senior leaders we get 679 00:24:46,390 --> 00:24:45,200 science information to them 680 00:24:48,710 --> 00:24:46,400 we have 681 00:24:49,990 --> 00:24:48,720 grant programs for congregations and for 682 00:24:52,070 --> 00:24:50,000 seminaries 683 00:24:54,149 --> 00:24:52,080 but we also do research and a little bit 684 00:24:56,870 --> 00:24:54,159 of policy advising 685 00:24:57,909 --> 00:24:56,880 on science religion topics 686 00:25:01,350 --> 00:24:57,919 i 687 00:25:03,430 --> 00:25:01,360 myself 688 00:25:05,669 --> 00:25:03,440 that all of us do the work of 689 00:25:08,870 --> 00:25:05,679 interpreting our place in the universe 690 00:25:10,950 --> 00:25:08,880 like all of us ask questions of science 691 00:25:12,630 --> 00:25:10,960 it's only a question it's only a matter 692 00:25:14,549 --> 00:25:12,640 of whether we do that well 693 00:25:15,830 --> 00:25:14,559 you know how do we engage with experts 694 00:25:17,909 --> 00:25:15,840 how do we think critically about the 695 00:25:19,830 --> 00:25:17,919 physical world and i think the same is 696 00:25:21,190 --> 00:25:19,840 true about ethics and worldview and 697 00:25:23,190 --> 00:25:21,200 meaning 698 00:25:24,549 --> 00:25:23,200 everyone is doing these theological 699 00:25:26,590 --> 00:25:24,559 things 700 00:25:28,390 --> 00:25:26,600 um you know maybe it's not 701 00:25:29,830 --> 00:25:28,400 theologically uh you know maybe we 702 00:25:32,230 --> 00:25:29,840 wouldn't use that word if you're not a 703 00:25:34,310 --> 00:25:32,240 theist um but everyone wants to know how 704 00:25:36,630 --> 00:25:34,320 they fit into the world 705 00:25:38,149 --> 00:25:36,640 and so if all of us are doing all of 706 00:25:40,230 --> 00:25:38,159 this work together 707 00:25:43,830 --> 00:25:40,240 how do we have conversations together 708 00:25:45,830 --> 00:25:43,840 about doing it well so i really do think 709 00:25:48,470 --> 00:25:45,840 all of us are doing science 710 00:25:51,430 --> 00:25:48,480 all of us are doing theology 711 00:25:53,990 --> 00:25:51,440 um but let's let's think about doing it 712 00:25:55,029 --> 00:25:54,000 collectively critically 713 00:25:57,590 --> 00:25:55,039 um 714 00:26:00,230 --> 00:25:57,600 and and bring the best of ourselves to 715 00:26:03,110 --> 00:26:00,240 it uh so i'm i'm really passionate about 716 00:26:05,830 --> 00:26:03,120 this and and getting particularly the 717 00:26:07,029 --> 00:26:05,840 people who have devoted their lives to 718 00:26:12,230 --> 00:26:07,039 um 719 00:26:13,430 --> 00:26:12,240 those conversations with others 720 00:26:14,630 --> 00:26:13,440 and start putting all the pieces 721 00:26:16,310 --> 00:26:14,640 together 722 00:26:18,310 --> 00:26:16,320 you know it's so powerful and i feel 723 00:26:20,630 --> 00:26:18,320 like so many people focus so much on on 724 00:26:21,909 --> 00:26:20,640 the tools of division and not so much on 725 00:26:23,669 --> 00:26:21,919 the tools that really can help us come 726 00:26:25,430 --> 00:26:23,679 together and i love that that quote you 727 00:26:26,950 --> 00:26:25,440 just said there of all of us are trying 728 00:26:28,549 --> 00:26:26,960 to interpret you know our understanding 729 00:26:29,590 --> 00:26:28,559 of our place in the universe that's 730 00:26:31,269 --> 00:26:29,600 that's really important this 731 00:26:33,190 --> 00:26:31,279 interpretation because we all come to it 732 00:26:35,350 --> 00:26:33,200 from our own background our own 733 00:26:36,789 --> 00:26:35,360 experiences our own personal lens and we 734 00:26:39,669 --> 00:26:36,799 all have so many differences but there's 735 00:26:41,830 --> 00:26:39,679 so much to share so much to work on 736 00:26:43,110 --> 00:26:41,840 together um we have a few more things we 737 00:26:45,190 --> 00:26:43,120 want to talk about with you for the 738 00:26:47,750 --> 00:26:45,200 audience i promise i will get to the q a 739 00:26:50,310 --> 00:26:47,760 and your questions for lucas very very 740 00:26:52,470 --> 00:26:50,320 soon um one more thing actually two more 741 00:26:54,470 --> 00:26:52,480 things before i go into a new segment 742 00:26:56,870 --> 00:26:54,480 we're going to introduce for the show um 743 00:26:58,390 --> 00:26:56,880 first off i mentioned earlier that i 744 00:27:00,950 --> 00:26:58,400 heard you give a talk on ascension 745 00:27:02,549 --> 00:27:00,960 narratives at the meeting of sosha 746 00:27:04,950 --> 00:27:02,559 that's the society for social and 747 00:27:06,710 --> 00:27:04,960 conceptual issues in astrobiology 748 00:27:08,230 --> 00:27:06,720 you are one of the founding members and 749 00:27:10,070 --> 00:27:08,240 someone has been part of social for some 750 00:27:11,990 --> 00:27:10,080 time um i'd love it if you could just 751 00:27:14,070 --> 00:27:12,000 explain to our audience some of whom 752 00:27:15,909 --> 00:27:14,080 might want to take part in social in the 753 00:27:18,310 --> 00:27:15,919 future about the organization and what 754 00:27:19,190 --> 00:27:18,320 future meetings will look like 755 00:27:21,750 --> 00:27:19,200 yeah 756 00:27:23,350 --> 00:27:21,760 so astrobiology has always been good at 757 00:27:24,789 --> 00:27:23,360 being interdisciplinary and there are 758 00:27:26,710 --> 00:27:24,799 some of us who 759 00:27:29,510 --> 00:27:26,720 don't just do natural sciences and do 760 00:27:31,909 --> 00:27:29,520 that um but it's sort of hard in the 761 00:27:35,750 --> 00:27:31,919 science conferences to get time for 762 00:27:37,990 --> 00:27:35,760 those those big questions and those um 763 00:27:38,870 --> 00:27:38,000 things like theology and philosophy and 764 00:27:41,909 --> 00:27:38,880 ethics 765 00:27:44,710 --> 00:27:41,919 so we started this group 766 00:27:46,230 --> 00:27:44,720 uh called socia and it's specifically 767 00:27:48,389 --> 00:27:46,240 focused on 768 00:27:52,710 --> 00:27:48,399 social and conceptual issues related to 769 00:27:54,070 --> 00:27:52,720 astrobiology uh we try and meet uh every 770 00:27:56,389 --> 00:27:54,080 other year 771 00:27:59,269 --> 00:27:56,399 um and so we have an academic conference 772 00:28:01,510 --> 00:27:59,279 but i think if you if you google socia 773 00:28:04,389 --> 00:28:01,520 s-s-o-c-i-a 774 00:28:07,669 --> 00:28:04,399 um it should pop up 775 00:28:10,230 --> 00:28:07,679 and you can learn more about all of the 776 00:28:11,750 --> 00:28:10,240 cool people and events that we have 777 00:28:13,909 --> 00:28:11,760 awesome yeah i was really happy to 778 00:28:15,909 --> 00:28:13,919 attend myself i gave a talk in the realm 779 00:28:17,830 --> 00:28:15,919 of astrobotany and a current project i 780 00:28:19,669 --> 00:28:17,840 have and the ethics of growing plants in 781 00:28:20,870 --> 00:28:19,679 mars regolith with the artist lucia 782 00:28:22,630 --> 00:28:20,880 monge 783 00:28:23,990 --> 00:28:22,640 which and i really enjoyed all the talks 784 00:28:25,350 --> 00:28:24,000 of the conference it's a really fun 785 00:28:27,909 --> 00:28:25,360 meeting and a good group of people to 786 00:28:29,190 --> 00:28:27,919 join um lucas before i get to a new 787 00:28:31,590 --> 00:28:29,200 segment we're going to try i have one 788 00:28:33,190 --> 00:28:31,600 more thing um i myself have been 789 00:28:35,990 --> 00:28:33,200 training in the martial arts since i was 790 00:28:37,110 --> 00:28:36,000 five years old i've traveled to korea to 791 00:28:38,870 --> 00:28:37,120 train 792 00:28:41,190 --> 00:28:38,880 i've learned different kinds of styles 793 00:28:43,110 --> 00:28:41,200 tangsudo taekwondo 794 00:28:45,269 --> 00:28:43,120 okinawan weapons all kinds of things and 795 00:28:47,269 --> 00:28:45,279 i think a lot of us in the sciences and 796 00:28:48,470 --> 00:28:47,279 various realms of academia are also 797 00:28:50,310 --> 00:28:48,480 martial artists and i understand that 798 00:28:52,149 --> 00:28:50,320 you're a martial artist as well 799 00:28:53,590 --> 00:28:52,159 i'd love to hear you talk about what 800 00:28:55,430 --> 00:28:53,600 martial arts training has done for you 801 00:28:57,269 --> 00:28:55,440 in your life what it means for you what 802 00:28:59,350 --> 00:28:57,279 styles you train in and anything around 803 00:29:00,389 --> 00:28:59,360 that realm as well 804 00:29:01,669 --> 00:29:00,399 yeah 805 00:29:04,310 --> 00:29:01,679 i am 806 00:29:06,870 --> 00:29:04,320 martial arts is the family business and 807 00:29:09,029 --> 00:29:06,880 i started when i was seven years old so 808 00:29:10,630 --> 00:29:09,039 i usually tell people it's hard to say 809 00:29:12,230 --> 00:29:10,640 what impact it's had on my life because 810 00:29:13,269 --> 00:29:12,240 i don't remember life without martial 811 00:29:16,870 --> 00:29:13,279 arts 812 00:29:19,990 --> 00:29:16,880 i started in taekwondo which is a korean 813 00:29:21,190 --> 00:29:20,000 style that focuses on kicks and punches 814 00:29:29,190 --> 00:29:21,200 i 815 00:29:30,950 --> 00:29:29,200 throws 816 00:29:32,230 --> 00:29:30,960 um 817 00:29:34,389 --> 00:29:32,240 i am just 818 00:29:36,789 --> 00:29:34,399 well once again for me it's all about 819 00:29:37,669 --> 00:29:36,799 negotiating your way in the universe 820 00:29:39,510 --> 00:29:37,679 um 821 00:29:41,510 --> 00:29:39,520 and uh and how keto has given me some 822 00:29:43,669 --> 00:29:41,520 very concrete tools for like 823 00:29:44,870 --> 00:29:43,679 understanding how i fit 824 00:29:47,029 --> 00:29:44,880 um 825 00:29:49,269 --> 00:29:47,039 and uh it's nice to have practical 826 00:29:51,510 --> 00:29:49,279 demonstrations you know i particularly 827 00:29:53,190 --> 00:29:51,520 as an academic there's lots of of 828 00:29:54,870 --> 00:29:53,200 abstract questions 829 00:29:56,630 --> 00:29:54,880 and you know when 830 00:29:58,950 --> 00:29:56,640 when someone throws you or when you pick 831 00:30:02,149 --> 00:29:58,960 up and throw someone like that's a very 832 00:30:03,750 --> 00:30:02,159 practical activity um and uh much to 833 00:30:05,110 --> 00:30:03,760 many people's surprise 834 00:30:07,029 --> 00:30:05,120 if someone knows how to throw you it's 835 00:30:09,669 --> 00:30:07,039 very fun to be thrown 836 00:30:11,909 --> 00:30:09,679 as long as you know how to land properly 837 00:30:14,710 --> 00:30:11,919 um but we make sure you learn that first 838 00:30:17,590 --> 00:30:14,720 uh also a big fan of of tai chi 839 00:30:19,029 --> 00:30:17,600 uh i have been teaching hapkido and tai 840 00:30:20,389 --> 00:30:19,039 chi 841 00:30:22,950 --> 00:30:20,399 oh for 842 00:30:25,909 --> 00:30:22,960 30 years now um but if you want to know 843 00:30:28,789 --> 00:30:25,919 more enso center for international arts 844 00:30:30,389 --> 00:30:28,799 uh in redmond uh we have some great hub 845 00:30:32,310 --> 00:30:30,399 keto programs 846 00:30:34,070 --> 00:30:32,320 i love it yeah i'm glad to go plug your 847 00:30:35,190 --> 00:30:34,080 martial arts school um yeah for me 848 00:30:37,350 --> 00:30:35,200 myself you know training the martial 849 00:30:39,269 --> 00:30:37,360 arts it was my first you know way of 850 00:30:41,269 --> 00:30:39,279 learning about meditation and meditation 851 00:30:42,789 --> 00:30:41,279 practices learning about external and 852 00:30:44,630 --> 00:30:42,799 internal martial arts and experiential 853 00:30:46,230 --> 00:30:44,640 learning using your body and space and 854 00:30:47,510 --> 00:30:46,240 and yes following learning how to fall 855 00:30:49,269 --> 00:30:47,520 well is very helpful it's helped me in 856 00:30:51,350 --> 00:30:49,279 my own life in mountain biking or 857 00:30:53,830 --> 00:30:51,360 snowboarding knowing how to fall well is 858 00:30:54,630 --> 00:30:53,840 also very important to protect our lives 859 00:30:57,029 --> 00:30:54,640 too 860 00:30:58,789 --> 00:30:57,039 um so i'd love to transition now to a 861 00:31:00,630 --> 00:30:58,799 new segment we want to try out you're 862 00:31:03,029 --> 00:31:00,640 our guinea pig our first test subject 863 00:31:05,110 --> 00:31:03,039 for this new segment it's a rapid fire 864 00:31:07,110 --> 00:31:05,120 question segment and so if you can try 865 00:31:09,029 --> 00:31:07,120 to keep your answers to like 30 to 60 866 00:31:11,350 --> 00:31:09,039 seconds if possible we have a few 867 00:31:12,710 --> 00:31:11,360 questions we'd like to ask uh just so 868 00:31:15,029 --> 00:31:12,720 our audience has a better kind of 869 00:31:17,669 --> 00:31:15,039 understanding of you and your take on 870 00:31:19,990 --> 00:31:17,679 astrobiology and some other topics uh so 871 00:31:22,389 --> 00:31:20,000 first and foremost what is your favorite 872 00:31:24,470 --> 00:31:22,399 answer to fermi's question where are 873 00:31:26,870 --> 00:31:24,480 they 874 00:31:30,149 --> 00:31:26,880 i don't think the quote-unquote fermi 875 00:31:33,269 --> 00:31:30,159 paradox is a paradox um we don't know 876 00:31:34,789 --> 00:31:33,279 and we're looking and i think they are 877 00:31:37,110 --> 00:31:34,799 going to be different than what we 878 00:31:39,430 --> 00:31:37,120 expect and we haven't seen them because 879 00:31:41,669 --> 00:31:39,440 we don't yet know what we're looking for 880 00:31:43,990 --> 00:31:41,679 so how do we look 881 00:31:47,509 --> 00:31:44,000 more open-mindedly 882 00:31:48,950 --> 00:31:47,519 and more critically at the same time 883 00:31:51,110 --> 00:31:48,960 very good 884 00:31:53,190 --> 00:31:51,120 if you could go back in time and give 885 00:31:55,269 --> 00:31:53,200 your earlier self some advice at the 886 00:31:58,950 --> 00:31:55,279 start of your career what advice would 887 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:04,870 don't worry so much 888 00:32:07,269 --> 00:32:06,070 that's a pretty good answer nice and 889 00:32:09,669 --> 00:32:07,279 short 890 00:32:11,590 --> 00:32:09,679 um so if there is alien life out there 891 00:32:13,750 --> 00:32:11,600 do you think we'll find it first in our 892 00:32:17,350 --> 00:32:13,760 solar system or do you think we'll find 893 00:32:20,149 --> 00:32:17,360 it first on an exoplanet 894 00:32:24,389 --> 00:32:22,149 i try to keep an open mind on that i 895 00:32:26,389 --> 00:32:24,399 don't i don't want to commit 896 00:32:27,990 --> 00:32:26,399 okay i love it you know i guess there's 897 00:32:30,710 --> 00:32:28,000 also the option of neither could be out 898 00:32:35,110 --> 00:32:30,720 in space somewhere um what's something 899 00:32:39,590 --> 00:32:37,669 i am really excited 900 00:32:42,230 --> 00:32:39,600 about 901 00:32:45,190 --> 00:32:42,240 all sorts of things i think artificial 902 00:32:47,509 --> 00:32:45,200 intelligence is a great way to meet 903 00:32:49,269 --> 00:32:47,519 things that are not quite like us but 904 00:32:50,830 --> 00:32:49,279 sort of like us 905 00:32:54,070 --> 00:32:50,840 i think that 906 00:32:56,710 --> 00:32:54,080 bioengineering and gene editing 907 00:32:58,710 --> 00:32:56,720 while they are scary are also just a 908 00:32:59,669 --> 00:32:58,720 whole new way of understanding how we 909 00:33:02,070 --> 00:32:59,679 fit 910 00:33:03,990 --> 00:33:02,080 and of course astrobiology 911 00:33:05,990 --> 00:33:04,000 i remember very clearly the first 912 00:33:08,310 --> 00:33:06,000 astrobiology primer 913 00:33:10,950 --> 00:33:08,320 we had this great little diagram that 914 00:33:12,870 --> 00:33:10,960 had a dot for every planet that we had 915 00:33:13,669 --> 00:33:12,880 discovered um 916 00:33:15,350 --> 00:33:13,679 and 917 00:33:17,110 --> 00:33:15,360 there's so many 918 00:33:19,110 --> 00:33:17,120 extrasolar planets now that they won't 919 00:33:21,029 --> 00:33:19,120 all fit on the page and that's a that's 920 00:33:21,990 --> 00:33:21,039 a great problem to have we can we can 921 00:33:24,470 --> 00:33:22,000 start 922 00:33:25,350 --> 00:33:24,480 uh asking new sorts of questions 923 00:33:27,590 --> 00:33:25,360 so 924 00:33:30,389 --> 00:33:27,600 there's just all of these 925 00:33:32,230 --> 00:33:30,399 amazing things out there 926 00:33:34,630 --> 00:33:32,240 um and there are all sorts of amazing 927 00:33:37,190 --> 00:33:34,640 things in there 928 00:33:38,549 --> 00:33:37,200 why you know it's a 929 00:33:41,830 --> 00:33:38,559 wonderful 930 00:33:43,029 --> 00:33:41,840 life if you can explore and discover 931 00:33:44,630 --> 00:33:43,039 fantastic 932 00:33:47,350 --> 00:33:44,640 what would you say is the best part of 933 00:33:51,750 --> 00:33:49,430 talking to people about what they think 934 00:33:54,149 --> 00:33:51,760 is real 935 00:33:56,389 --> 00:33:54,159 love that that's so cool um it's a very 936 00:33:58,630 --> 00:33:56,399 fun one for me too um 937 00:34:01,110 --> 00:33:58,640 so here here's the fun one what is the 938 00:34:05,509 --> 00:34:01,120 most unbelievable science fact that you 939 00:34:11,990 --> 00:34:08,950 i think off the top of my head would be 940 00:34:14,869 --> 00:34:12,000 there is a species of bacterium 941 00:34:17,510 --> 00:34:14,879 linococcus radidurans 942 00:34:19,030 --> 00:34:17,520 which thrives in high levels of 943 00:34:21,510 --> 00:34:19,040 radiation 944 00:34:24,069 --> 00:34:21,520 that would basically melt us 945 00:34:27,510 --> 00:34:24,079 and this was probably an adaptation to 946 00:34:28,990 --> 00:34:27,520 dryness not radioactivity but the idea 947 00:34:30,550 --> 00:34:29,000 that life 948 00:34:33,909 --> 00:34:30,560 responds 949 00:34:36,389 --> 00:34:33,919 with these amazing adaptations and does 950 00:34:39,109 --> 00:34:36,399 things we would never imagine 951 00:34:41,349 --> 00:34:39,119 ah just blows me away i love that so 952 00:34:43,349 --> 00:34:41,359 much yeah so i love dino cox's radio 953 00:34:45,669 --> 00:34:43,359 durians too for its name uh the 954 00:34:47,829 --> 00:34:45,679 dinococcus literally means terrible 955 00:34:49,750 --> 00:34:47,839 berry uh just like dinosaur meant 956 00:34:51,669 --> 00:34:49,760 terrible lizard dinococcus is a terrible 957 00:34:53,270 --> 00:34:51,679 berry and i find that pretty funny since 958 00:34:55,589 --> 00:34:53,280 it withstands so much radiation it's 959 00:34:58,069 --> 00:34:55,599 pretty cool um so thank you so much for 960 00:34:59,670 --> 00:34:58,079 your conversation with me but now i'm 961 00:35:01,589 --> 00:34:59,680 going to open it up for our audience who 962 00:35:03,829 --> 00:35:01,599 are watching on youtube if they have any 963 00:35:05,430 --> 00:35:03,839 specific questions for you as well 964 00:35:07,349 --> 00:35:05,440 uh the first one i want to ask actually 965 00:35:09,510 --> 00:35:07,359 comes to us from twitter though 966 00:35:10,470 --> 00:35:09,520 from our ambassador of this month dr jim 967 00:35:13,589 --> 00:35:10,480 pass 968 00:35:14,870 --> 00:35:13,599 he's at astrosociology on twitter 969 00:35:17,829 --> 00:35:14,880 and like i said when i started the 970 00:35:19,910 --> 00:35:17,839 episode dr pass almost always has really 971 00:35:21,270 --> 00:35:19,920 just wonderful questions about how we 972 00:35:23,750 --> 00:35:21,280 how we can connect we're doing in 973 00:35:26,630 --> 00:35:23,760 astrobiology science to astrobiology 974 00:35:28,790 --> 00:35:26,640 sociology and the humanities 975 00:35:30,510 --> 00:35:28,800 so from dr pass when it comes to space 976 00:35:32,150 --> 00:35:30,520 education and research 977 00:35:33,829 --> 00:35:32,160 multi-disciplinary is too often 978 00:35:36,630 --> 00:35:33,839 restricted to the natural and physical 979 00:35:38,550 --> 00:35:36,640 sciences how do religious studies and 980 00:35:40,710 --> 00:35:38,560 more broadly other social sciences and 981 00:35:42,390 --> 00:35:40,720 humanities currently contribute into 982 00:35:46,310 --> 00:35:42,400 your view and how should these 983 00:35:51,430 --> 00:35:47,910 yes um 984 00:35:53,510 --> 00:35:51,440 the 2015 strategy document document from 985 00:35:55,750 --> 00:35:53,520 nasa astrobiology in fact has an 986 00:35:56,470 --> 00:35:55,760 appendix that i was one of the authors 987 00:35:59,829 --> 00:35:56,480 on 988 00:36:01,670 --> 00:35:59,839 detail 989 00:36:02,950 --> 00:36:01,680 but um 990 00:36:06,069 --> 00:36:02,960 i think 991 00:36:07,829 --> 00:36:06,079 well for me the biggest one is we use 992 00:36:10,310 --> 00:36:07,839 this we throw this word life around a 993 00:36:12,150 --> 00:36:10,320 lot um and there's a lot of reflection 994 00:36:14,630 --> 00:36:12,160 in theology 995 00:36:16,390 --> 00:36:14,640 and sociology and philosophy about what 996 00:36:17,670 --> 00:36:16,400 we mean when we say life 997 00:36:18,550 --> 00:36:17,680 and different people mean different 998 00:36:24,630 --> 00:36:18,560 things 999 00:36:27,910 --> 00:36:26,069 with people in the social sciences and 1000 00:36:29,270 --> 00:36:27,920 humanities is what we're looking for in 1001 00:36:31,030 --> 00:36:29,280 terms of life 1002 00:36:33,589 --> 00:36:31,040 i think this question of standard 1003 00:36:35,430 --> 00:36:33,599 standards of evidence is very important 1004 00:36:37,109 --> 00:36:35,440 like what does it take to convince us of 1005 00:36:38,470 --> 00:36:37,119 something 1006 00:36:41,510 --> 00:36:38,480 i think 1007 00:36:44,550 --> 00:36:41,520 why we care is deeply important 1008 00:36:46,870 --> 00:36:44,560 i think the social structures we use to 1009 00:36:49,510 --> 00:36:46,880 ask these questions are really important 1010 00:36:51,910 --> 00:36:49,520 and that's an area where science and 1011 00:36:54,870 --> 00:36:51,920 religion have interesting and very 1012 00:36:57,270 --> 00:36:54,880 diverse ways to contribute 1013 00:36:59,349 --> 00:36:57,280 because they tend to be structured 1014 00:37:01,589 --> 00:36:59,359 socially very differently 1015 00:37:04,310 --> 00:37:01,599 both of them unfortunately have some 1016 00:37:06,950 --> 00:37:04,320 dangerous built-in biases 1017 00:37:08,870 --> 00:37:06,960 and so being able to do theology and 1018 00:37:11,270 --> 00:37:08,880 science at the same time gives us an 1019 00:37:13,190 --> 00:37:11,280 opportunity to unpack those biases in a 1020 00:37:15,109 --> 00:37:13,200 really powerful way 1021 00:37:17,589 --> 00:37:15,119 i love that so much now that leads so 1022 00:37:19,990 --> 00:37:17,599 well into our next question as well 1023 00:37:22,550 --> 00:37:20,000 um which i'm i i thought we would get 1024 00:37:24,710 --> 00:37:22,560 this question and so i'm glad we did um 1025 00:37:27,589 --> 00:37:24,720 so i'd love to hear your take on it uh 1026 00:37:28,790 --> 00:37:27,599 so on youtube user luis miguel rodriguez 1027 00:37:31,109 --> 00:37:28,800 has asked 1028 00:37:33,190 --> 00:37:31,119 how can we manage to reconcile a faith 1029 00:37:35,430 --> 00:37:33,200 in god with the sciences 1030 00:37:37,349 --> 00:37:35,440 and i imagine that luis is speaking 1031 00:37:39,510 --> 00:37:37,359 primarily to the fact that there is some 1032 00:37:41,030 --> 00:37:39,520 division amongst people who think that 1033 00:37:42,310 --> 00:37:41,040 you can't you can't believe in the 1034 00:37:44,950 --> 00:37:42,320 sciences or understand things from the 1035 00:37:47,670 --> 00:37:44,960 sciences and have a faith in god and 1036 00:37:49,670 --> 00:37:47,680 they have abrahamic religions um i think 1037 00:37:51,430 --> 00:37:49,680 we focus so much on division so i'd love 1038 00:37:53,750 --> 00:37:51,440 to hear your take on on bringing 1039 00:37:56,069 --> 00:37:53,760 together both faith and understanding of 1040 00:37:57,589 --> 00:37:56,079 science 1041 00:37:59,510 --> 00:37:57,599 yeah part of it is a matter of 1042 00:38:03,430 --> 00:37:59,520 perspective those of us 1043 00:38:06,390 --> 00:38:03,440 particularly in the anglican church 1044 00:38:08,710 --> 00:38:06,400 have never seen this as a as a big issue 1045 00:38:12,550 --> 00:38:08,720 um the founders of modern science were 1046 00:38:15,430 --> 00:38:12,560 anglican uh newton and bank bacon um 1047 00:38:16,630 --> 00:38:15,440 galileo likewise was was a devout roman 1048 00:38:18,390 --> 00:38:16,640 catholic 1049 00:38:19,349 --> 00:38:18,400 and 1050 00:38:21,910 --> 00:38:19,359 i think 1051 00:38:23,829 --> 00:38:21,920 the challenge is not one of science per 1052 00:38:27,190 --> 00:38:23,839 se but one of theology 1053 00:38:29,990 --> 00:38:27,200 and how we come to have our how we how 1054 00:38:32,230 --> 00:38:30,000 we come to know what we know um and 1055 00:38:33,589 --> 00:38:32,240 think what we think and how we reason 1056 00:38:34,790 --> 00:38:33,599 with others 1057 00:38:37,109 --> 00:38:34,800 and so 1058 00:38:41,030 --> 00:38:37,119 uh the challenge and i do think it is it 1059 00:38:43,030 --> 00:38:41,040 is right and good that religious people 1060 00:38:45,510 --> 00:38:43,040 have beliefs and i don't think that 1061 00:38:47,589 --> 00:38:45,520 those need to be justified by science 1062 00:38:50,069 --> 00:38:47,599 i do think that 1063 00:38:53,270 --> 00:38:50,079 science is a wonderful opportunity and 1064 00:38:55,589 --> 00:38:53,280 so my my theological convictions 1065 00:38:56,710 --> 00:38:55,599 are that we should respect 1066 00:38:59,589 --> 00:38:56,720 some 1067 00:39:01,589 --> 00:38:59,599 uh we should respect the in the 1068 00:39:03,430 --> 00:39:01,599 science when it is done well 1069 00:39:05,109 --> 00:39:03,440 um and i think most 1070 00:39:07,270 --> 00:39:05,119 christians would agree with that but 1071 00:39:09,109 --> 00:39:07,280 what it means to do it well is a really 1072 00:39:11,190 --> 00:39:09,119 tough social question 1073 00:39:12,069 --> 00:39:11,200 so i like to encourage people to think 1074 00:39:15,430 --> 00:39:12,079 through 1075 00:39:18,550 --> 00:39:15,440 how do we do that work together how do 1076 00:39:20,310 --> 00:39:18,560 we respect what we observe through 1077 00:39:22,310 --> 00:39:20,320 empirical reasoning 1078 00:39:23,910 --> 00:39:22,320 and peer review and all of these good 1079 00:39:25,829 --> 00:39:23,920 scientific things 1080 00:39:27,349 --> 00:39:25,839 um 1081 00:39:29,910 --> 00:39:27,359 and 1082 00:39:31,589 --> 00:39:29,920 how do we take seriously the impact that 1083 00:39:33,589 --> 00:39:31,599 has on our lives and our view of 1084 00:39:35,270 --> 00:39:33,599 ourselves uh and our view of our 1085 00:39:36,630 --> 00:39:35,280 relationship with god 1086 00:39:40,550 --> 00:39:36,640 so 1087 00:39:41,430 --> 00:39:40,560 i think it's a an opportunity 1088 00:39:43,589 --> 00:39:41,440 um 1089 00:39:45,510 --> 00:39:43,599 that's a nice beautiful answer i'd like 1090 00:39:48,470 --> 00:39:45,520 to actually go to another question then 1091 00:39:50,390 --> 00:39:48,480 um from aeronava padar who's also an 1092 00:39:51,750 --> 00:39:50,400 intern for my company this summer uh in 1093 00:39:53,829 --> 00:39:51,760 the young scientists program at blue 1094 00:39:55,829 --> 00:39:53,839 marble space institute of science uh 1095 00:39:57,910 --> 00:39:55,839 erinova also then kind of following on 1096 00:39:59,589 --> 00:39:57,920 to that wants to know if if you can 1097 00:40:01,750 --> 00:39:59,599 answer or if there are questions that 1098 00:40:03,349 --> 00:40:01,760 might directly conflict in theology with 1099 00:40:05,589 --> 00:40:03,359 space exploration 1100 00:40:06,790 --> 00:40:05,599 um so kind of going on top of that then 1101 00:40:08,550 --> 00:40:06,800 i know that there are some people for 1102 00:40:11,349 --> 00:40:08,560 instance who are opposed to having 1103 00:40:13,349 --> 00:40:11,359 humans go to space or go explore mars 1104 00:40:18,309 --> 00:40:13,359 are there conflicts that you see 1105 00:40:22,950 --> 00:40:20,390 i think there are many different 1106 00:40:26,150 --> 00:40:22,960 theologies 1107 00:40:28,150 --> 00:40:26,160 i do not my own theology does not does 1108 00:40:30,550 --> 00:40:28,160 not give me a conflict but that doesn't 1109 00:40:33,430 --> 00:40:30,560 mean that others might know 1110 00:40:34,309 --> 00:40:33,440 one of the big questions we can ask 1111 00:40:36,950 --> 00:40:34,319 is 1112 00:40:42,470 --> 00:40:36,960 and 1113 00:40:45,109 --> 00:40:42,480 god gave us responsibility for 1114 00:40:47,349 --> 00:40:45,119 the earth and the things in it so it 1115 00:40:49,750 --> 00:40:47,359 matters whether you think that 1116 00:40:51,990 --> 00:40:49,760 the earth is just the ground beneath our 1117 00:40:53,270 --> 00:40:52,000 feet and if martian ground were the 1118 00:40:55,190 --> 00:40:53,280 ground beneath our feet we'd be 1119 00:40:57,670 --> 00:40:55,200 responsible for that too 1120 00:41:00,470 --> 00:40:57,680 or if earth is a planet in which case 1121 00:41:03,750 --> 00:41:00,480 god sort of wanted us to be here 1122 00:41:07,190 --> 00:41:03,760 so does god want does god ask us to be 1123 00:41:08,790 --> 00:41:07,200 responsible for this place earth or does 1124 00:41:09,990 --> 00:41:08,800 god ask us to be responsible for the 1125 00:41:12,230 --> 00:41:10,000 universe 1126 00:41:14,230 --> 00:41:12,240 some have argued that theologically we 1127 00:41:16,230 --> 00:41:14,240 have an obligation for space travel 1128 00:41:18,230 --> 00:41:16,240 because being created in the image and 1129 00:41:22,470 --> 00:41:18,240 likeness of god only we can represent 1130 00:41:24,630 --> 00:41:22,480 god to other species or other planets 1131 00:41:25,750 --> 00:41:24,640 that might be going a little far for me 1132 00:41:27,750 --> 00:41:25,760 um 1133 00:41:29,270 --> 00:41:27,760 i i'm open to god working different ways 1134 00:41:31,829 --> 00:41:29,280 in different places 1135 00:41:33,990 --> 00:41:31,839 but i i think that 1136 00:41:36,069 --> 00:41:34,000 it is important 1137 00:41:38,069 --> 00:41:36,079 theologically or philosophically if you 1138 00:41:41,109 --> 00:41:38,079 if you're not inclined towards uh 1139 00:41:43,589 --> 00:41:41,119 religion per se to ask this question of 1140 00:41:47,510 --> 00:41:43,599 what are our obligations 1141 00:41:50,470 --> 00:41:47,520 beyond earth and do we have to meet our 1142 00:41:52,309 --> 00:41:50,480 earth obligations before we go elsewhere 1143 00:41:54,230 --> 00:41:52,319 um you know your parents probably told 1144 00:41:55,990 --> 00:41:54,240 you that you should like clean your room 1145 00:41:58,309 --> 00:41:56,000 before you go out and play 1146 00:41:59,510 --> 00:41:58,319 and uh i think that's probably a good 1147 00:42:01,910 --> 00:41:59,520 principle 1148 00:42:04,630 --> 00:42:01,920 um on the other hand space travel gives 1149 00:42:06,950 --> 00:42:04,640 us tools for cleaning up our planet in 1150 00:42:09,430 --> 00:42:06,960 new and creative ways so i don't think 1151 00:42:10,790 --> 00:42:09,440 there's an easy answer 1152 00:42:13,030 --> 00:42:10,800 i think that 1153 00:42:14,550 --> 00:42:13,040 we have to seriously talk about what 1154 00:42:18,230 --> 00:42:14,560 scripture 1155 00:42:20,150 --> 00:42:18,240 tells us how our relationship with god 1156 00:42:23,030 --> 00:42:20,160 impacts our relationship with the world 1157 00:42:25,349 --> 00:42:23,040 and vice versa and work through that and 1158 00:42:27,910 --> 00:42:25,359 most critically i think 1159 00:42:31,030 --> 00:42:27,920 i i honestly don't trust myself to do it 1160 00:42:33,510 --> 00:42:31,040 by myself and i got that from science 1161 00:42:36,069 --> 00:42:33,520 um although many of my my calvinist 1162 00:42:39,190 --> 00:42:36,079 friends got that from their christianity 1163 00:42:42,390 --> 00:42:39,200 i don't trust myself to reason by myself 1164 00:42:44,630 --> 00:42:42,400 i still reason for myself 1165 00:42:46,870 --> 00:42:44,640 but i need these communities to help me 1166 00:42:49,589 --> 00:42:46,880 work through all of the implications and 1167 00:42:51,990 --> 00:42:49,599 and call me when i'm being silly 1168 00:42:53,510 --> 00:42:52,000 so powerful aeronava who asked that 1169 00:42:55,510 --> 00:42:53,520 question is one of our interns i 1170 00:42:57,990 --> 00:42:55,520 mentioned this summer in the program the 1171 00:43:00,230 --> 00:42:58,000 young scientist program he and our other 1172 00:43:02,150 --> 00:43:00,240 interns there are 66 of them this summer 1173 00:43:04,069 --> 00:43:02,160 we'll all be taking part in a module 1174 00:43:06,069 --> 00:43:04,079 where they'll explore moral philosophy 1175 00:43:07,750 --> 00:43:06,079 and ethics and ethical frameworks that 1176 00:43:10,390 --> 00:43:07,760 we've used to ask just those kinds of 1177 00:43:12,870 --> 00:43:10,400 questions what do we owe each other how 1178 00:43:14,870 --> 00:43:12,880 are we to treat each other and how how 1179 00:43:16,710 --> 00:43:14,880 are we to treat the earth and space and 1180 00:43:18,230 --> 00:43:16,720 so you know it's really important and 1181 00:43:21,109 --> 00:43:18,240 powerful that we consider when we're 1182 00:43:22,790 --> 00:43:21,119 doing science and doing anything um the 1183 00:43:24,710 --> 00:43:22,800 ethical questions that come into the 1184 00:43:25,990 --> 00:43:24,720 things that we do in this world uh so 1185 00:43:27,990 --> 00:43:26,000 thank you so much for sharing that i'm 1186 00:43:30,309 --> 00:43:28,000 going to jump back to another question 1187 00:43:31,670 --> 00:43:30,319 from luis miguel rodriguez now 1188 00:43:35,510 --> 00:43:31,680 because it's a very fun one for 1189 00:43:36,950 --> 00:43:35,520 astrobiology in general um and and i i 1190 00:43:38,950 --> 00:43:36,960 want i'm curious to see which way which 1191 00:43:40,790 --> 00:43:38,960 direction you take it uh luisa's 1192 00:43:43,430 --> 00:43:40,800 question is what is the best way of 1193 00:43:46,230 --> 00:43:43,440 defining life 1194 00:43:56,790 --> 00:43:47,430 i 1195 00:43:59,670 --> 00:43:56,800 moss 1196 00:44:01,750 --> 00:43:59,680 and that life for me 1197 00:44:04,309 --> 00:44:01,760 is best defined by the process of 1198 00:44:07,109 --> 00:44:04,319 nutrition we both take stuff that's not 1199 00:44:09,190 --> 00:44:07,119 us and turn it into us 1200 00:44:13,109 --> 00:44:09,200 um which once you start thinking about 1201 00:44:15,510 --> 00:44:13,119 it philosophically is very weird 1202 00:44:17,750 --> 00:44:15,520 uh why is it when i eat a hamburger the 1203 00:44:19,750 --> 00:44:17,760 hamburger becomes me and i don't become 1204 00:44:20,870 --> 00:44:19,760 the hamburger 1205 00:44:23,030 --> 00:44:20,880 um 1206 00:44:27,349 --> 00:44:23,040 there's also a type of life which refers 1207 00:44:29,430 --> 00:44:27,359 to conscious experience of the world 1208 00:44:30,870 --> 00:44:29,440 and 1209 00:44:33,430 --> 00:44:30,880 i'm not really sure how to deal with 1210 00:44:35,589 --> 00:44:33,440 that it's a it's an i thou question and 1211 00:44:38,069 --> 00:44:35,599 i haven't haven't got a good description 1212 00:44:39,990 --> 00:44:38,079 yet um there's a type of life which is 1213 00:44:42,550 --> 00:44:40,000 being able to to 1214 00:44:44,150 --> 00:44:42,560 oh so so the important thing there is 1215 00:44:46,150 --> 00:44:44,160 when when people talk about the 1216 00:44:48,470 --> 00:44:46,160 beginning and end of human life they're 1217 00:44:49,589 --> 00:44:48,480 not talking about the beginning and end 1218 00:44:51,030 --> 00:44:49,599 of 1219 00:44:53,190 --> 00:44:51,040 we're talking about the beginning and 1220 00:44:55,750 --> 00:44:53,200 end of consciousness so i think it's 1221 00:44:57,829 --> 00:44:55,760 important to distinguish between 1222 00:44:59,430 --> 00:44:57,839 metabolism and consciousness which are 1223 00:45:01,190 --> 00:44:59,440 both very important 1224 00:45:02,870 --> 00:45:01,200 concepts of life 1225 00:45:05,589 --> 00:45:02,880 consciousness has something to do with 1226 00:45:07,750 --> 00:45:05,599 with personal identity and experience 1227 00:45:11,510 --> 00:45:07,760 there's rational life which is the 1228 00:45:12,390 --> 00:45:11,520 ability to like know things 1229 00:45:14,870 --> 00:45:12,400 um 1230 00:45:17,190 --> 00:45:14,880 and honestly i think that's necessary 1231 00:45:19,589 --> 00:45:17,200 for empiricism but can't be tackled 1232 00:45:21,030 --> 00:45:19,599 within the bounds of empiricism 1233 00:45:23,510 --> 00:45:21,040 um and so then you need to start talking 1234 00:45:24,550 --> 00:45:23,520 about minds or souls or something else 1235 00:45:26,069 --> 00:45:24,560 um 1236 00:45:28,870 --> 00:45:26,079 i think we have those i think those are 1237 00:45:30,550 --> 00:45:28,880 necessary to do good reasoning um and 1238 00:45:32,390 --> 00:45:30,560 they're just not the type of things 1239 00:45:33,910 --> 00:45:32,400 we're familiar with in 1240 00:45:35,510 --> 00:45:33,920 modern language so we have to be very 1241 00:45:37,910 --> 00:45:35,520 careful talking about them finally 1242 00:45:39,589 --> 00:45:37,920 there's spiritual life which is uh you 1243 00:45:41,030 --> 00:45:39,599 know to my mind participation in the 1244 00:45:43,109 --> 00:45:41,040 life of god 1245 00:45:45,589 --> 00:45:43,119 and that's a whole nother type of life 1246 00:45:48,710 --> 00:45:45,599 that's related to the first three and 1247 00:45:51,190 --> 00:45:48,720 very important but also very different 1248 00:45:52,790 --> 00:45:51,200 as i said that's participation uh you 1249 00:45:54,309 --> 00:45:52,800 know in christian and jewish parlance 1250 00:45:56,630 --> 00:45:54,319 it's breathing 1251 00:45:58,230 --> 00:45:56,640 but it's the idea that breathing isn't 1252 00:46:00,550 --> 00:45:58,240 just 1253 00:46:02,390 --> 00:46:00,560 moving molecules in and out of your body 1254 00:46:05,030 --> 00:46:02,400 it's also 1255 00:46:07,349 --> 00:46:05,040 sharing that same breath which is going 1256 00:46:10,230 --> 00:46:07,359 in and out of everyone else's body and 1257 00:46:13,030 --> 00:46:10,240 being part of a larger whole 1258 00:46:14,390 --> 00:46:13,040 so four different types of life all of 1259 00:46:16,710 --> 00:46:14,400 which i think are really important to 1260 00:46:17,990 --> 00:46:16,720 all of which we're looking for in space 1261 00:46:19,990 --> 00:46:18,000 um 1262 00:46:22,309 --> 00:46:20,000 but because it's my area of specialism 1263 00:46:23,710 --> 00:46:22,319 and because i'm an evolutionary theorist 1264 00:46:25,349 --> 00:46:23,720 um 1265 00:46:26,950 --> 00:46:25,359 astrobiologists are looking for 1266 00:46:29,349 --> 00:46:26,960 nutrition 1267 00:46:31,430 --> 00:46:29,359 um love it and there's so many ways for 1268 00:46:34,550 --> 00:46:31,440 us to explore what it means to be alive 1269 00:46:36,630 --> 00:46:34,560 what life is what consciousness is um 1270 00:46:38,710 --> 00:46:36,640 for myself i wonder one of my favorite 1271 00:46:41,750 --> 00:46:38,720 quotes from the the dune 1272 00:46:43,750 --> 00:46:41,760 series of novels is what senses do we 1273 00:46:45,030 --> 00:46:43,760 lack that we can't see a universe all 1274 00:46:46,630 --> 00:46:45,040 around us 1275 00:46:48,390 --> 00:46:46,640 i wonder do you think there's anything 1276 00:46:50,710 --> 00:46:48,400 that we are missing right now as a 1277 00:46:51,510 --> 00:46:50,720 species as a biosphere do you think 1278 00:46:53,109 --> 00:46:51,520 there's anything that we're really 1279 00:46:53,910 --> 00:46:53,119 missing that there might be some bigger 1280 00:46:55,589 --> 00:46:53,920 hole 1281 00:47:01,270 --> 00:46:55,599 to the universe that we just can't 1282 00:47:05,510 --> 00:47:03,510 i think i'll use humans as a metaphor 1283 00:47:07,990 --> 00:47:05,520 but i think this applies to species as 1284 00:47:10,230 --> 00:47:08,000 well and maybe planets 1285 00:47:11,910 --> 00:47:10,240 i don't think god would have made seven 1286 00:47:13,990 --> 00:47:11,920 eight billion of us if one of us would 1287 00:47:16,150 --> 00:47:14,000 have done 1288 00:47:18,950 --> 00:47:16,160 which means that their their unique 1289 00:47:20,230 --> 00:47:18,960 perspective to every location in the 1290 00:47:23,349 --> 00:47:20,240 universe 1291 00:47:25,829 --> 00:47:23,359 and our goal in life is not to 1292 00:47:27,750 --> 00:47:25,839 find the best perspective 1293 00:47:30,390 --> 00:47:27,760 but to share the perspectives and put 1294 00:47:32,630 --> 00:47:30,400 them all together 1295 00:47:36,150 --> 00:47:32,640 i also think that you can't really know 1296 00:47:37,270 --> 00:47:36,160 yourself until you know someone else 1297 00:47:39,829 --> 00:47:37,280 and so 1298 00:47:42,630 --> 00:47:39,839 another species particularly sorry like 1299 00:47:45,030 --> 00:47:42,640 another biosphere um or uh another 1300 00:47:47,430 --> 00:47:45,040 intelligent species 1301 00:47:49,030 --> 00:47:47,440 would tell us so much about ourselves 1302 00:47:51,430 --> 00:47:49,040 that we can't see because we're too 1303 00:47:53,349 --> 00:47:51,440 close to it 1304 00:47:55,430 --> 00:47:53,359 yeah absolutely that's like comparative 1305 00:47:57,589 --> 00:47:55,440 planetology it has taught us so much 1306 00:48:00,950 --> 00:47:57,599 more about our own world and so 1307 00:48:02,870 --> 00:48:00,960 comparative astrobiology if we had an 1308 00:48:04,309 --> 00:48:02,880 example two or example three example 1309 00:48:06,710 --> 00:48:04,319 four of life that really starts giving 1310 00:48:08,630 --> 00:48:06,720 us some ways of exploring not just you 1311 00:48:09,990 --> 00:48:08,640 know the science the physical nature of 1312 00:48:11,510 --> 00:48:10,000 our makeup and the matter of the 1313 00:48:13,510 --> 00:48:11,520 universe but also 1314 00:48:16,230 --> 00:48:13,520 other topics in consciousness and 1315 00:48:17,349 --> 00:48:16,240 understanding um where we come from 1316 00:48:19,270 --> 00:48:17,359 um 1317 00:48:21,510 --> 00:48:19,280 intellectual i want to say it's it's 1318 00:48:25,349 --> 00:48:21,520 emotional and spiritual too 1319 00:48:28,630 --> 00:48:27,510 uh we have a question from marina ripan 1320 00:48:30,630 --> 00:48:28,640 on youtube 1321 00:48:33,430 --> 00:48:30,640 uh marina has said what are the things 1322 00:48:35,589 --> 00:48:33,440 that help unite science and religion 1323 00:48:39,030 --> 00:48:35,599 how much are both open to each other and 1324 00:48:42,150 --> 00:48:40,630 it's entirely possible to have a 1325 00:48:43,349 --> 00:48:42,160 theology that tells you to ignore 1326 00:48:45,510 --> 00:48:43,359 science 1327 00:48:48,630 --> 00:48:45,520 um i'm comfortable saying from my 1328 00:48:50,470 --> 00:48:48,640 perspective that's a bad theology um but 1329 00:48:51,829 --> 00:48:50,480 you have to make your your value 1330 00:48:52,549 --> 00:48:51,839 judgments there 1331 00:48:54,870 --> 00:48:52,559 so 1332 00:48:56,790 --> 00:48:54,880 i think that 1333 00:48:59,510 --> 00:48:56,800 most of the major world 1334 00:49:01,270 --> 00:48:59,520 all of the major world religions 1335 00:49:05,030 --> 00:49:01,280 definitely have strands within them that 1336 00:49:07,750 --> 00:49:05,040 say we have been called upon to know 1337 00:49:10,309 --> 00:49:07,760 as best we can know and science is one 1338 00:49:13,589 --> 00:49:10,319 of the best ways of knowing 1339 00:49:16,549 --> 00:49:13,599 i think that that as a christian hope 1340 00:49:18,870 --> 00:49:16,559 faith and charity line up very well 1341 00:49:20,549 --> 00:49:18,880 with curiosity 1342 00:49:21,510 --> 00:49:20,559 uh discovery 1343 00:49:23,190 --> 00:49:21,520 uh 1344 00:49:25,109 --> 00:49:23,200 and and engagement 1345 00:49:26,710 --> 00:49:25,119 and so for me 1346 00:49:29,589 --> 00:49:26,720 science and 1347 00:49:30,790 --> 00:49:29,599 theology are deeply integrated for those 1348 00:49:32,470 --> 00:49:30,800 of you who are particularly interested 1349 00:49:34,790 --> 00:49:32,480 margaret osler has a book on the 1350 00:49:35,750 --> 00:49:34,800 foundations of the modern philosophy of 1351 00:49:37,589 --> 00:49:35,760 science 1352 00:49:38,630 --> 00:49:37,599 and why this was originally a theology 1353 00:49:40,630 --> 00:49:38,640 discussion 1354 00:49:43,030 --> 00:49:40,640 um 1355 00:49:44,950 --> 00:49:43,040 of course they go together because 1356 00:49:47,829 --> 00:49:44,960 we are all people dealing with the same 1357 00:49:49,109 --> 00:49:47,839 world and trying to figure it out 1358 00:49:51,030 --> 00:49:49,119 fantastic 1359 00:49:53,589 --> 00:49:51,040 um we have a question from rendering 1360 00:49:55,589 --> 00:49:53,599 reality 3d animations which we're pretty 1361 00:49:58,630 --> 00:49:55,599 sure is our friend tom caruso a long 1362 00:50:01,349 --> 00:49:58,640 time viewer of the show as well um 1363 00:50:03,270 --> 00:50:01,359 and it might be a loaded question um i 1364 00:50:05,510 --> 00:50:03,280 will see how you want to answer this 1365 00:50:08,069 --> 00:50:05,520 how do we merge an open-minded pursuit 1366 00:50:09,829 --> 00:50:08,079 of science with a balanced set of morals 1367 00:50:17,109 --> 00:50:09,839 and a strong faith 1368 00:50:21,910 --> 00:50:19,109 i am 1369 00:50:23,750 --> 00:50:21,920 very much on the fence on this question 1370 00:50:26,470 --> 00:50:23,760 i think that 1371 00:50:29,349 --> 00:50:26,480 there is an ideal of value-free 1372 00:50:31,270 --> 00:50:29,359 objectivity in science 1373 00:50:34,230 --> 00:50:31,280 and the important thing for me has been 1374 00:50:35,910 --> 00:50:34,240 the realization that that is an ideal 1375 00:50:38,470 --> 00:50:35,920 it will never be perfectly achieved 1376 00:50:40,870 --> 00:50:38,480 which means we must always struggle to 1377 00:50:41,990 --> 00:50:40,880 be better at it 1378 00:50:42,790 --> 00:50:42,000 but 1379 00:50:47,190 --> 00:50:42,800 as 1380 00:50:49,750 --> 00:50:47,200 this is perfectly straightforward for me 1381 00:50:52,069 --> 00:50:49,760 the church is inherently messed up 1382 00:50:53,430 --> 00:50:52,079 because we are are limited created 1383 00:50:54,790 --> 00:50:53,440 beings 1384 00:50:57,270 --> 00:50:54,800 and so 1385 00:51:01,510 --> 00:50:57,280 theology as well is this 1386 00:51:03,109 --> 00:51:01,520 ideal enterprise that we want to do well 1387 00:51:04,870 --> 00:51:03,119 but we'll only do it well if we 1388 00:51:06,470 --> 00:51:04,880 constantly recognize that we're not 1389 00:51:07,349 --> 00:51:06,480 there yet 1390 00:51:09,829 --> 00:51:07,359 so 1391 00:51:12,630 --> 00:51:09,839 i think that science is an ideal i think 1392 00:51:14,230 --> 00:51:12,640 the ideals of objectivity 1393 00:51:16,230 --> 00:51:14,240 and um 1394 00:51:19,270 --> 00:51:16,240 impartiality are just 1395 00:51:21,349 --> 00:51:19,280 so important as long as we don't use 1396 00:51:23,990 --> 00:51:21,359 them as excuses to think that we're 1397 00:51:25,670 --> 00:51:24,000 already unbiased 1398 00:51:28,870 --> 00:51:25,680 and therefore don't need to work at it 1399 00:51:29,910 --> 00:51:28,880 anymore that's when science goes wrong 1400 00:51:32,309 --> 00:51:29,920 intriguing 1401 00:51:34,069 --> 00:51:32,319 um we have one more question here from 1402 00:51:37,349 --> 00:51:34,079 one of our production assistants anna 1403 00:51:38,790 --> 00:51:37,359 root mohanty um anur asks as a christian 1404 00:51:40,790 --> 00:51:38,800 with an educational background in 1405 00:51:42,950 --> 00:51:40,800 evolutionary biology what do you 1406 00:51:44,470 --> 00:51:42,960 consider truth if some information is 1407 00:51:47,190 --> 00:51:44,480 contradictory 1408 00:51:51,510 --> 00:51:47,200 um so and and maybe he concludes how do 1409 00:51:57,349 --> 00:51:55,589 uh strictly speaking i prioritize 1410 00:51:59,190 --> 00:51:57,359 beliefs in which i have strong 1411 00:52:00,549 --> 00:51:59,200 confidence 1412 00:52:02,950 --> 00:52:00,559 so 1413 00:52:04,549 --> 00:52:02,960 if if we say the word truth we're 1414 00:52:06,710 --> 00:52:04,559 already committed to knowing it and 1415 00:52:08,069 --> 00:52:06,720 there's there's a few things in my in my 1416 00:52:10,950 --> 00:52:08,079 religious faith that i'll go ahead and 1417 00:52:12,549 --> 00:52:10,960 say i know like i i know god exists i 1418 00:52:15,190 --> 00:52:12,559 know god loves me i recognize other 1419 00:52:17,349 --> 00:52:15,200 people don't know those 1420 00:52:19,349 --> 00:52:17,359 in the way that i do um and that gives 1421 00:52:21,430 --> 00:52:19,359 me pause but um 1422 00:52:23,430 --> 00:52:21,440 most of my beliefs both in religion and 1423 00:52:25,510 --> 00:52:23,440 science are just things in which i have 1424 00:52:28,390 --> 00:52:25,520 strong confidence 1425 00:52:30,710 --> 00:52:28,400 and the question is how do i assess how 1426 00:52:33,109 --> 00:52:30,720 much confidence i have 1427 00:52:35,270 --> 00:52:33,119 so i'll do a quick plug i have a book 1428 00:52:36,790 --> 00:52:35,280 called thinking fair rules for reason in 1429 00:52:39,270 --> 00:52:36,800 science and religion 1430 00:52:41,030 --> 00:52:39,280 uh and i break down sort of 1431 00:52:42,950 --> 00:52:41,040 why i have confidence in some things and 1432 00:52:44,710 --> 00:52:42,960 why not others and how to measure that 1433 00:52:46,870 --> 00:52:44,720 and how that lines up with with a thing 1434 00:52:49,030 --> 00:52:46,880 called credence which is 1435 00:52:50,069 --> 00:52:49,040 how strongly my beliefs affect my 1436 00:52:52,309 --> 00:52:50,079 behavior 1437 00:52:54,150 --> 00:52:52,319 and how we get the strength of our 1438 00:52:55,430 --> 00:52:54,160 belief to match the strength of our 1439 00:52:58,549 --> 00:52:55,440 confidence 1440 00:53:00,230 --> 00:52:58,559 uh is a very tough question 1441 00:53:01,750 --> 00:53:00,240 that's very powerful i i don't know if 1442 00:53:03,109 --> 00:53:01,760 we had a link to plug for the book but 1443 00:53:05,270 --> 00:53:03,119 we'll definitely find that for after the 1444 00:53:07,990 --> 00:53:05,280 episode to share with our audience as 1445 00:53:10,069 --> 00:53:08,000 well um so just a few more minutes here 1446 00:53:11,430 --> 00:53:10,079 um for myself so so you know this is 1447 00:53:13,829 --> 00:53:11,440 something obviously you know our viewers 1448 00:53:16,309 --> 00:53:13,839 are very intrigued by by maybe science 1449 00:53:18,549 --> 00:53:16,319 versus religion science and religion 1450 00:53:21,270 --> 00:53:18,559 kind of these comparisons if you could 1451 00:53:23,829 --> 00:53:21,280 moderate a conversation with any 1452 00:53:25,190 --> 00:53:23,839 luminaries any scholars from any time in 1453 00:53:27,589 --> 00:53:25,200 human history 1454 00:53:30,630 --> 00:53:27,599 to have this conversation of how we how 1455 00:53:32,870 --> 00:53:30,640 we build forward in religion and science 1456 00:53:34,710 --> 00:53:32,880 and understanding what kinds of people 1457 00:53:36,870 --> 00:53:34,720 or who maybe would you want to bring 1458 00:53:39,589 --> 00:53:36,880 together to that conversation to 1459 00:53:41,510 --> 00:53:39,599 moderate the the world conversation of 1460 00:53:43,430 --> 00:53:41,520 humans um to help us find the way 1461 00:53:44,150 --> 00:53:43,440 forward 1462 00:53:50,150 --> 00:53:44,160 it's 1463 00:53:52,150 --> 00:53:50,160 i really want to talk to the people that 1464 00:53:53,910 --> 00:53:52,160 i haven't heard from 1465 00:53:55,589 --> 00:53:53,920 um so 1466 00:53:56,790 --> 00:53:55,599 unfortunately 1467 00:53:58,630 --> 00:53:56,800 um 1468 00:54:00,710 --> 00:53:58,640 both the science conversation and the 1469 00:54:04,390 --> 00:54:00,720 theology conversation have been 1470 00:54:06,230 --> 00:54:04,400 dominated by people in power 1471 00:54:07,910 --> 00:54:06,240 and so it'd be very interesting to reach 1472 00:54:10,549 --> 00:54:07,920 out to some of those people who were not 1473 00:54:12,150 --> 00:54:10,559 allowed to speak for themselves 1474 00:54:13,270 --> 00:54:12,160 historically 1475 00:54:16,230 --> 00:54:13,280 um 1476 00:54:19,670 --> 00:54:16,240 there is a uh a theologian by the name 1477 00:54:21,829 --> 00:54:19,680 of uh macrena from ancient greece 1478 00:54:23,829 --> 00:54:21,839 and um 1479 00:54:26,790 --> 00:54:23,839 her brother wrote a whole lot of very 1480 00:54:27,829 --> 00:54:26,800 popular theology um so we get a little 1481 00:54:29,109 --> 00:54:27,839 bit of her 1482 00:54:31,349 --> 00:54:29,119 but um 1483 00:54:32,950 --> 00:54:31,359 so i would like to get some of those 1484 00:54:34,950 --> 00:54:32,960 voices 1485 00:54:36,950 --> 00:54:34,960 i think 1486 00:54:39,589 --> 00:54:36,960 i would be really interested 1487 00:54:41,190 --> 00:54:39,599 this category of science as a modern 1488 00:54:42,390 --> 00:54:41,200 category 1489 00:54:45,030 --> 00:54:42,400 and so 1490 00:54:46,870 --> 00:54:45,040 figuring out how different people in 1491 00:54:49,030 --> 00:54:46,880 different places and times have sliced 1492 00:54:51,109 --> 00:54:49,040 up the world differently 1493 00:54:53,030 --> 00:54:51,119 is really important to me and i'm i'm 1494 00:54:54,630 --> 00:54:53,040 hoping uh those of you in the audience 1495 00:54:56,549 --> 00:54:54,640 can hope with me to get a grant that 1496 00:54:58,710 --> 00:54:56,559 will allow us to do uh some 1497 00:55:00,789 --> 00:54:58,720 international dialogue 1498 00:55:03,030 --> 00:55:00,799 and see how different cultures address 1499 00:55:05,109 --> 00:55:03,040 the science religion question that's 1500 00:55:07,030 --> 00:55:05,119 fantastic i mean we had natural history 1501 00:55:09,030 --> 00:55:07,040 and natural philosophy and then we had 1502 00:55:10,710 --> 00:55:09,040 you know science kind of being born and 1503 00:55:12,549 --> 00:55:10,720 then we had science being cut down 1504 00:55:14,390 --> 00:55:12,559 itself into smaller disciplines and 1505 00:55:15,910 --> 00:55:14,400 sub-disciplines and sub-sub-disciplines 1506 00:55:18,390 --> 00:55:15,920 and it's one thing i love in 1507 00:55:20,470 --> 00:55:18,400 astrobiology is it brings things kind of 1508 00:55:22,069 --> 00:55:20,480 back together and i feel like right now 1509 00:55:25,349 --> 00:55:22,079 we're at this place where a lot of us 1510 00:55:27,430 --> 00:55:25,359 are recognizing the need to bring things 1511 00:55:30,710 --> 00:55:27,440 back together and try to start having a 1512 00:55:32,549 --> 00:55:30,720 wider world view in science and theology 1513 00:55:36,789 --> 00:55:32,559 and philosophy and spirituality and 1514 00:55:38,630 --> 00:55:36,799 other realms so i love that so much 1515 00:55:40,789 --> 00:55:38,640 i think we are going to end our episode 1516 00:55:42,789 --> 00:55:40,799 here in one moment uh if there is any 1517 00:55:44,549 --> 00:55:42,799 single message you would like to share 1518 00:55:46,589 --> 00:55:44,559 with younger people or people of the 1519 00:55:49,670 --> 00:55:46,599 world who want to pursue 1520 00:55:52,309 --> 00:55:49,680 astrobiology from both science as well 1521 00:55:54,870 --> 00:55:52,319 as theology or other realms what what 1522 00:55:57,910 --> 00:55:54,880 message would you share with them 1523 00:56:00,390 --> 00:55:57,920 don't stop asking questions 1524 00:56:02,710 --> 00:56:00,400 fantastic reverend dr lucas mix thank 1525 00:56:04,150 --> 00:56:02,720 you so much for joining us for ask an 1526 00:56:05,910 --> 00:56:04,160 astrobiologist it's been a pleasure 1527 00:56:07,589 --> 00:56:05,920 having you on the show 1528 00:56:09,430 --> 00:56:07,599 joy to be here 1529 00:56:11,349 --> 00:56:09,440 and for all of our our guests watching 1530 00:56:13,670 --> 00:56:11,359 right now on youtube or watching the 1531 00:56:16,150 --> 00:56:13,680 recording later on uh it's a pleasure 1532 00:56:17,430 --> 00:56:16,160 having all of you join us as always you 1533 00:56:20,390 --> 00:56:17,440 can always reach out and ask us 1534 00:56:22,109 --> 00:56:20,400 questions using the hashtag askastrobio 1535 00:56:24,630 --> 00:56:22,119 on twitter you can find me at 1536 00:56:28,710 --> 00:56:24,640 cosmobiologist uh you can find us at 1537 00:56:30,549 --> 00:56:28,720 sagan.org as well as at nasa astrobio 1538 00:56:32,390 --> 00:56:30,559 and always you can ask questions in the 1539 00:56:34,549 --> 00:56:32,400 chat as well in the comments section on 1540 00:56:35,910 --> 00:56:34,559 youtube videos i'm always checking those 1541 00:56:38,069 --> 00:56:35,920 out and trying my best to respond as 1542 00:56:40,309 --> 00:56:38,079 soon as i can uh so for all of you 1543 00:56:43,030 --> 00:56:40,319 joining out there uh for dr reverend 1544 00:56:48,340 --> 00:56:43,040 lucas mix for joining us uh thank you so