The idea that it is – and that experience is the basic influence upon personality – was strongly argued by British philosopher John Locke. The contrary view is that much of what we are in intelligence, personality and character is set by genetics. The simpler version of the argument is “nature vs. nurture.” Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology at Harvard, is on the nature side and rejects the causal primacy of experience. He lays it all out in a popular book that was published in 2002, namely, “The Blank Slate: the Modern Denial of Human Nature” which we discussed in this fascinating program.

…is, as far as we know, still being put together. Ultimately it will list every one of the 465,000 species of beetles. How many ant-eaters, marmosets or orchids are there or have there been? The project started back in 2007 when we discussed the almost infinite number of life forms with three of the contributing biological scientists. Does the vast range of biodiversity require the conception of “intelligent design” or does it disprove it?

Of the many programs we have done on evolutionary theory and research none was more sharply and effectively focused on the (failed) challenge to Darwinism posed by the “theory” of intelligent design. In this discussion from 2002 two great guests, Robert Richards and Robert Roose, review the general evolutionary view and take on the ultimate issue concerning the complexity of the human eye.

In one of his last appearances with us before his untimely demise, Carl Sagan pondered where, when and how mankind would go once it had shuffled off this earthly coil. Here is a brief and tantalizing excerpt.

…so far in human history was – most relevant judges would agree – Sir Isaac Newton. He wrote down in a mathematical mode of his own invention (calculus!) some equations which described and predicted accurately how all of the known physical universe works. James Gleick did the great modern biography of Newton and here he is in 2003 in a full discussion of the man who defined the laws of physics when he was 23 years old.