ID the Future Intelligent Design, Evolution, and Science Podcast
Topic

Mind Matters

mental-health-and-business-silhouette-of-young-adult-busines-365349062-stockpack-adobestock
Mental health and business. Silhouette of young adult businesswoman
Image Credit: primipil - Adobe Stock
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Author
Robert J. Marks
Date
April 17, 2026
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Mirror Neurons, Consciousness, and an Irreducible Self

Robert J. Marks
April 17, 2026
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On this episode, Mind Matters News host Dr. Robert J. Marks welcomes Dr. Mihretu Guta to discuss one of his chapters in the volume Minding the Brain titled “Mirror Neurons, Consciousness, and the Bearer Question.” Dr. Guta discusses the concept of “mirror neurons” – a type of brain cell that fires when a person observes an action being performed, as well as when the person performs the same action themselves. The properties of these neurons suggest they may play a role in empathy and understanding others’ actions. Dr. Guta explores the implications of mirror neurons to the mind-brain debate and how further study could illuminate these fascinating neural components. Read More ›
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Image of book cover of Truth, by Michael Shermer.
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Author
Michael Egnor
Date
April 1, 2026
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Egnor vs. Shermer: God, Science, and the Search for Truth

Michael Egnor
April 1, 2026
Uncategorized
3
ID The Future listeners now get to enjoy two episode a month from our sister podcast Mind Matters News, a production of the Discovery Institute’s Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence. The Mind Matters News podcast features interviews from experts in computing, engineering, science, and philosophy who bring sanity to the conversation about natural and artificial intelligence. And although the Mind Matters News podcast will not often explicitly discuss intelligent design, it regularly explores the nature of intelligence, the origin of information, and the things that make us uniquely human, concepts that are central to the theory of intelligent design. On this episode of Mind Matters News, host and neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Egnor welcomes Michael Shermer, historian of science and founder of Skeptic magazine, to discuss Shermer's new book Truth: What It Is, How to Find It, and Why It Still Matters. The conversation quickly evolves into a deep philosophical debate between Egnor and Shermer over whether truths about morality and the universe are created by humans or discovered as objective features of reality. Read More ›
ai-and-future-concept-stockpack-adobe-stock-251415009-stockpack-adobestock
AI and future concept
Image Credit: Who is Danny - Adobe Stock
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Author
Robert J. Marks
Date
March 20, 2026
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What Separates AI From the Qualities of the Human Mind

Robert J. Marks
March 20, 2026
Uncategorized
2
ID The Future listeners now get to enjoy a new episode each month (as well as a bingecast archive episode) from our sister podcast Mind Matters News, a production of the Discovery Institute’s Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence. The Mind Matters News podcast brings you interviews and insight from computer scientists, engineers, inventors, neurosurgeons, and other experts who bring sanity to the conversation about natural and artificial intelligence, going beyond the hype to explore the undercurrents of these important ideas. And although the Mind Matters News podcast will not often explicitly discuss intelligent design, it regularly explores the nature of intelligence, the origin of information, and the things that make us uniquely human, concepts that are central to the theory of intelligent design. Is consciousness the exclusive domain of human beings? Proponents of a view known as integrative information theory argue that AI will eventually achieve that same level of consciousness as systems build up and integrate more knowledge in the future. On this archive episode, Mind Matters guest host Pat Flynn welcomes Dr. Selmer Bringsjord to discuss some of the flaws in this theory as well as a possible alternative. Read More ›
relaxing-at-sunset-at-top-of-mountain-stockpack-adobe-stock-253946182-stockpack-adobestock
Relaxing at Sunset at Top of Mountain
Image Credit: Ronny Friedrich - Adobe Stock
Type
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Author
Robert J. Marks
Date
February 20, 2026
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No Thinking Without a Thinker: Dr. Mihretu Guta on Consciousness

Robert J. Marks
February 20, 2026
Uncategorized
2
Starting this month, ID The Future listeners will get to enjoy a new episode each month (as well as a bingecast archive episode) from our sister podcast Mind Matters News, a production of the Discovery Institute’s Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence. The Mind Matters News podcast brings you interviews and insight from computer scientists, engineers, inventors, neurosurgeons, and other experts who bring sanity to the conversation about natural and artificial intelligence, going beyond the hype to explore the undercurrents of these important ideas. And although the Mind Matters News podcast will not often explicitly discuss intelligent design, it regularly explores the nature of intelligence, the origin of information, and the things that make us uniquely human, concepts that are central to the theory of intelligent design. On this archive "bingecast" episode, hosts Robert J. Marks and Angus Menuge welcome Dr. Mihretu Guta to discuss his contribution to the book Minding the Brain. Dr. Guta discusses the nature of consciousness and the challenges in understanding it from a philosophical perspective. He argues that consciousness is a unique property that is deeply subjective and personal, making it difficult to study scientifically. Guta contrasts first-order and second-order approaches to understanding consciousness, emphasizing the need to go beyond just the empirical observation of mental phenomena and examine the underlying metaphysical and ontological questions. The discussion covers a number of relevant topics, highlighting the profound and puzzling nature of consciousness and the importance of philosophical inquiry in grappling with this fundamental aspect of human experience. Read More ›
a-boy-uses-the-interactive-touchscreen-of-an-electronic-mult-432999461-stockpack-adobestock
A boy uses the interactive touchscreen of an electronic multimedia kiosk at a museum of modern history. Education, training and technology concept
Image Credit: Leka - Adobe Stock
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Author
Robert J. Marks
Date
February 9, 2026
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The Accidental Inventor: An Interview with Hal Philipp

Robert J. Marks
February 9, 2026
Uncategorized
3
Starting this month, ID The Future listeners will get to enjoy a new episode each month (as well as a bingecast archive episode) from our sister podcast Mind Matters News, a production of the Discovery Institute's Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence. The Mind Matters News podcast brings you interviews and insight from computer scientists, engineers, inventors, neurosurgeons, and other experts who bring sanity to the conversation about natural and artificial intelligence, going beyond the hype to explore the undercurrents of these important ideas. On this episode of Mind Matters News, host Robert J. Marks is joined by Bradley Norris as they welcome Hal Philipp, the man behind the modern touchscreen and a prolific inventor with an impressive 98 U.S. patents. Hal shares his story and some of the lessons he’s learned over a career in invention. Read More ›
Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889
Vincent van Gogh, (1853-1890) The Starry Night, 1889, oil on canvas. Museum of Modern Art, New York City. Licensed via Adobe Stock; GiorgioMorara - stock.adobe.com
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Author
Robert J. Marks
Date
May 28, 2025
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Can Evolutionary Processes Explain Human Creativity?

Robert J. Marks
May 28, 2025
Uncategorized
2
On this ID The Future, we're sharing a conversation that first aired on Mind Matters News, another podcast from Discovery Institute that focuses on the intersection of artificial and natural intelligence. In this episode, guest host Pat Flynn welcomes engineer Dr. Eric Holloway and professor Robert J. Marks to discuss the information cost of creativity. The conversation is based on a chapter in the recent volume Minding the Brain, authored by Dr. Holloway and Marks. This conversation originally aired on the Mind Matters News podcast. Visit mindmatters.ai/podcast for more. Read More ›
sunrise-over-group-of-planets-in-space-stockpack-adobe-stock.jpg
Sunrise over group of planets in space
Licensed from Adobe Stock
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Author
Michael Newton Keas
Date
May 11, 2020
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Cosmos: Possible Worlds’ Religious Mythology

Michael Newton Keas
May 11, 2020
Uncategorized
1

On this episode of ID the Future, science historian Michael Keas and philosopher Jay Richards continue their conversation about Neil deGrasse Tyson’s new National Geographic series Cosmos: Possible Worlds. As Keas explains, Tyson’s story of ancient superstition evolving at last into modern medicine gets both ancient and modern medicine factually wrong. His long-running “history” of the warfare between science and religion also is historically mistaken, Keas, author of Unbelievable: 7 Myths About the History and Future of Science and Religion insists. Curiously, Tyson has a future, quasi-religious myth of his own to promote: personal immortality through futuristic technology.

Discovery Institute