Today's episode will seek to answer the age-old question: Does science bring us closer to understanding a divine creator, or does it steer us away from such a belief? Sam McKee, researcher and associate tutor in history and philosophy of science at Manchester Metropolitan University guest hosts and he is joined by two distinguished guests.

Paul Ewart, an Emeritus Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford. He has served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics. His research areas include fundamental atomic physics, quantum and nonlinear optics, and the design of novel lasers for spectroscopy. He has also focused on developing new techniques for optical diagnostics and gas-sensing for environmental monitoring.

Debating with Paul is Phil Halper, a YouTuber who has interviewed many of the world's leading scientists, including Stephen Hawking, Roger Penrose, and Alan Guth. Phil is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and was appointed journalist in residence at the Penn State Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos. He has been the lead author on several peer-reviewed papers in fields ranging from cosmology to neuroscience and philosophy. Phil's first book, 'Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of our Cosmic Origins,' co-authored with award-winning cosmologist Niayesh Afshordi, will be published by the University of Chicago Press in the spring of 2025.

So listen below as Paul Ewart and Phil Halper engage in a compelling debate exploring the profound question: Does science point toward or away from God? Guest hosted by Dr. Sam McKee.

Released on 14 Mar 2025