Does science lead to a decline in religious belief? ... Before academia lost its religion ... Surveying the global rise of religious nationalism ... Are evolution and religion truly incompatible? ... Allowing for miracles in a materialist world ... How Gould’s “non-overlapping magisteria” begs the question ...

Ethan’s unusual upbringing as a “Dharma brat” in the Shambala Buddhist tradition ... How a cult classic took on spiritual significance for its fans ... What the film’s iconic line “as you wish” says about idealized love ... How Buddhist teachings are reflected in the film’s treatment of family, friendship and romance ... Ethan’s take on his parent’s spiritual teacher, Chögyam Trungpa, the controversial founder of Shambala Buddhism ...

How Trump plays on the values of Christian nationalism ... What does it mean to be secular? ... What is driving the global trend toward secularism? ... Joseph: The New Atheists are influential, but not representative ... How human mortality keeps religion alive ...

What is the “morality everywhere” problem? ... Hume on “the cautious, jealous virtue” of justice ... The moral responsibility of comedians ... What moral universalists get wrong about everyday choices ... A critique of Daniel Tippens’ concept of moral production ... Daniel Tippens explains what it takes to be morally courageous ... Can moral activists win? ...

Tyler’s “ambitious” new book, Quarks to Culture ... "Combogenesis": The reason for everything? ... When subatomic particles make friends ... From protons to evolution ... What came before culture? ... The link between inner peace and world peace ... The possibility of purpose in the universe ...

Bob and Paul question “matter” as we know it ... Is information bound to the physical world? ... Finding room for consciousness in quantum physics ... Paul on the faith required of scientists ... What enforces the laws of physics? ...

Former Scientology executive Marty Rathbun’s private conflict with the Church ... New breakthroughs in media coverage of Scientology ... How the Church swiftly conquered US law and the IRS ... What makes Scientology different from other religions? ... How L. Ron Hubbard invented a reality for his followers ... Why Scientology isn’t concerned with the apocalypse ... The Church’s beef with professional psychology ...

Learning the tonal language of jazz ... How Aaron turned jazz into a career ... Why human connection makes jazz work ... The connection between improvisational jazz and Buddhism ... Are music listeners’ attention spans shrinking? ... Aaron’s advice for new jazz listeners: Start with Miles ...

Stephen’s new book, The Evolution of Imagination ... Are dreams like "proto-consciousness"? ... The mind as an extension of the body ... Where Stephen thinks "effective altruism" falls short ... How to improve your imagination ... Trump as a bad improviser ... Bringing imagination to a meditation practice ...

How a personal crisis brought Alison back to David Hume ... Hume’s (likely) chance encounter with Buddhism ... Lessons learned from 23-year-old Hume’s nervous breakdown ... Which ideas might Hume have borrowed from Buddhism? ... How meditation disrupts the ‘autopilot’ of adulthood ... Is introspection as valuable as neuroscience? ...