In today’s episode, an English professor explores the question of meaning. What compels us to look for meaning? And, is meaning found within ourselves or outside of ourselves?

You’ll hear from Lori Branch, an English professor at the University of Iowa. In this talk, she explores why we seek meaning, how we find meaning in our relationship with others, and how her Christian faith fulfills her search for meaning.

This forum was held at Furman University in March 2024. Thank you to the forums team for making this event possible. 

In today’s episode, two professors discuss this question: Why is it so hard to admit when we don’t know something? And why does it matter in the academic environment?

You’ll hear from Cullen Buie, professor of biological engineering at MIT, and Marcelo Gleiser, professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth. In this conversation, moderated by Hannah Eagleson (Emerging Scholars Network, InterVarsity), they discuss the importance of intellectual humility, how they see its impact in their lives, and why their religious worldviews encourage it.

This virtual forum was a Faculty Roundtable event hosted at MIT in August 2020. Thank you to the forums team for making this event possible.

It’s not hard to figure out what to do with our phones. But what is hard to figure out is what our phones are doing to us.

Today’s speakers have written a lot about this topic. The first speaker is Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at NYU and author of, The Anxious Generation, which has topped the New York Times bestseller list for 27 weeks in a row. In dialogue with Jon is Andy Crouch, a partner for theology and culture at Praxis Labs and author of the book, The Life We’re Looking For.

In this conversation, Jon and Andy discuss the effects of technology on our personal and spiritual lives and whether flourishing is possible without our phones. Their discussion is moderated by Wendy Suzuki, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, professor of neural science at NYU, and author of the book Good Anxiety.

It’s election season in America, and that brings a lot of questions about how we interact in the public square. How do we disagree respectfully across our differences? What do we do with competing truth claims in a pluralistic society?

In today’s episode, you’ll hear pastor and author Tim Keller (1950 — 2023) discuss these questions. Tim lays out a brief history of pluralism in America, four perspectives on building a pluralistic society, and what his Christian faith can offer to the conversation.

This forum was held at New York University in 2017 and originally titled “The Closing of the Modern Mind.” It’s one of our most popular forums, with over 300,000 views on YouTube. Thank you to the forums team for making this event possible.

In today’s episode, a physicist explores this question: Where do you see beauty in the world, and does it point to a higher purpose?

You’ll hear from Ard Louis, a professor of theoretical physics at Oxford. Ard shares why he finds his research beautiful, where he believes the laws of nature come from, and how his Christian worldview helps him make sense of science.

This forum was held at MIT in 2013. Thank you to the forums team for making this event possible.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear the story of Molly Worthen. As a journalist and historian at UNC, Molly has written about Christians for years as an outsider. But in this conversation, she shares how something unexpected happened to her recently: she became one.

Molly talks with Lorien Foote, a history professor at Texas A&M. They explore Molly’s worldview before becoming a Christian, the evidence that led her to faith, and how changing her mind wasn’t as scary as she expected.

This forum was held at Texas A&M in Spring 2024. Thank you to the forum planning team for making this event possible.

Today’s episode is about worldviews. What is one? Do you have one? And, if so, how does it influence your daily life?

You’ll hear from Dallas Willard (1935 — 2013), a philosophy professor from USC. Willard explores how we can identify worldviews, why we should question ours, and how Jesus offers a unique and satisfying one.

This forum was held at UCLA in April 2003. Thank you to the forums team for making this event possible.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from two scientists as they discuss the topic of knowledge. Is scientific knowledge the only true form of knowledge? Or are there other equally valid ways of knowing?

You’ll hear from Praveen Sethupathy, professor of physiological genomics at Cornell, and David Rudge, professor of biological sciences at Western Michigan. Praveen and David discuss other forms of knowledge outside of science, how certainty is often misunderstood, and the role of faith in a curious life.

This forum was held at Western Michigan University in February 2023 and was moderated by Western Michigan philosophy professor Tim McGrew. Thank you to the forum planning team at Western Michigan for making this event possible.

Advances in artificial intelligence and computing technology are happening at breakneck speed. Yet even the best A. I. today still falls short. Whether it's a frustratingly unhelpful chatbot, the uncanny valley of immersive virtual reality, or the nonsensical answers of ChatGPT.

Are these glitches a short-term problem? Or is there something about human experiences that make them impossible to program?

In today’s episode, a computer scientist and an experimental philosopher discuss just that. In this Forum event from 2013, you’ll hear from Rosalind Picard (MIT) and Joshua Knobe (Yale). In a conversation moderated by neuroscientist Nii Addy (Yale), Roz and Joshua attempt to define what it means to be human, discuss how agency and experience shape our view of others, and how we ought to fight against dehumanization.

Thank you to the forum planning team at Yale for making this event possible.

The speakers in today’s forum engage with two main questions: What stories are you telling yourself? And how can you learn to tell better ones?

You’ll hear today from practicing psychiatrist Curt Thompson and Health Behavior and Health Education professor Victor Strecher (UMichigan). Curt and Vic discuss what it looks like to tell better stories, the role community plays in storytelling, and what difference the Christian story can make in our lives.

This forum was held at the University of Michigan in January of 2024 and was moderated by graduate student Annika From. Thank you to the Forum planning team at the University of Michigan for making this event possible.