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PART ONE: Science vs. Religion
Do science and religion have to be at war with
each other? Francis Collins doesn't think so. As head of the Human
Genome Project, he has a distinguished track record as a gene hunter.
He's also an evangelical Christian who believes in miracles. But
biologist and atheist Richard Dawkins says religion can never be
reconciled with science.
SEGMENT 1:
Steve Paulson immmersed
himself in the subject of science and religion as one of this
year's Templeton-Cambridge Fellows. He filed this report on his
experience at Cambridge University with comments from philosopher
Ken Wilber, socio-biologist E.O. Wilson, popular writer
on the history of religion, Karen Armstrong and evolutionary
biologist and atheist, Richard Dawkins.
SEGMENT 2:
We hear some opinions of ordinary
people on the relative importance of science and religion. Also,
Jim Fleming talks with Rebecca Goldstein, author of "Betraying
Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity." Goldstein
explains how Spinoza envisioned God and why his conception appealed
to later scientists like Einstein. Also, Francis Collins is
one of America's most prominent scientists, longtime head of the
Human Genome Project and author of "The Language of God."
He's also a Christian and talked with Steve Paulson about his
conversion and what it's meant for his beliefs about science and
religion. Collins also sings and plays the guitar. We hear a bit
of his version of "All the Good People" in honor of
the genome's promise for curing rare diseases.
SEGMENT 3:
Wicca or Neo-paganism began
as a movement to recreate pre-Christian nature religions. It turns
out to be just what a lot of scientists are looking for. Anne
Strainchamps prepared this report on the growing popularity
of Wicca. We hear from Ronald Hutton, a historian of paganism
and author of "Triumph of the Moon," and from Margot
Adler, NPR's New York Bureau Chief and author of "Drawing
Down the Moon." We also hear from Wicca practitioners in
Wisconsin and Scotland.
CD copies are available
at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 06-11-19-A.
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Books:
Karen Armstrong, The
Great Transformation (Knopf)
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| Richard Dawkins, The
God Delusion (Houghton Mifflin) |
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| Ken Wilber,
The Marriage of Sense and Soul (Random House) |
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Rebecca Goldstein, Betraying
Spinoza (Schocken)
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| Francis Collins, The
Language of God (Free Press) |
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Ronald Hutton, The
Triumph of the Moon (Oxford Univ. Press)
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| Margot Adler, Drawing
Down the Moon (Penguin) |
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| Phyllis Curott, Witch
Crafting (Broadway) |
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Music:
- In Return:
Tom Verlaine & Kronos Quartet w/ "Spiritual"
on "Big Bad Love" soundtrack
- After Goldstein:
Varttina w/ "Annuka Suaren Neito"
on "Songs from the Cold Sea"
Distribution dates:
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Questions and comments can
be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org
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