199: Francis Collins: The Road to Wisdom in an Age of Distrust

No Small Endeavor with Lee C. Camp

Lee Camp

Philosophy, Society & Culture, Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 555 Ratings

🗓️ 10 March 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Francis Collins has led some of the most significant scientific initiatives of our time, including the Human Genome Project and the National Institutes of Health under three U.S. presidents. In his new book, The Road to Wisdom, Collins grapples with the erosion of public trust in science, the polarization of society, and the challenge of discerning truth in the modern age. In this conversation, Collins shares insights from his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, his journey from atheism to Christian faith, and the importance of humility in the pursuit of knowledge. He reflects on his unlikely friendship with the late atheist Christopher Hitchens, the philosophical roots of truth skepticism, and the need for genuine dialogue across divides. Join us as we explore how wisdom, truth, science, and faith intersect—and why curiosity and compassion might just be the antidote to our age of distrust. Show Notes Resources: "The Road to Wisdom" by Francis Collins Similar NSE episodes: Quincy Byrdsong: Tuskegee, Healthcare, Justice Jennifer Wiseman: How Science Produces Wonder David Wilkinson: The (Not Really) War Between Science and Faith Rachel Held Evans, Francis Collins, and Ed Larson: Faith, Science, Humility PDF of Lee's Interview Notes Transcription Link Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Great Feeling Studios, the team behind No Small Endeavor and other award-winning podcasts, helps nonprofits and brands tell stories that inspire action. If your organization has a message that deserves to be heard, start your podcast at helpmemakeapodcast.com. Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hello, friends, Lee Seacamp here. If you enjoy the kinds of conversations we have here on
0:04.3	Noseful Endeavor about ideas, culture, and how we might make sense of the world, there's another
0:09.0	show you might appreciate. It's called The Gist with Mike Peska. The Gist is the longest-running
0:14.2	daily news podcast, and each weekday, Mike takes about 30 minutes to examine the stories shaping
0:19.3	our moment. What makes the show interesting
0:21.5	is that it resists the usual partisan scripts. Mike brings on economists, historians, journalists,
0:27.3	and other thinkers to look at issues from multiple angles. One day he might unpack the dynamics
0:31.7	of a major political story. Another day, he might explore the psychology behind public outrage
0:36.7	or while we humans are so quick to believe strange things.
0:40.6	Mike's an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in an outlets like The Atlantic, the free press, and the Washington Post.
0:45.9	His approach combines careful reporting with a sharp sense of humor and a willingness to question assumptions wherever they come from.
0:53.2	If you're someone who likes thoughtful
0:54.3	inquiry and conversations that challenge easy answers, give the gist a listen. You can find the just
0:59.3	every weekday on YouTube or follow wherever you get your podcasts. Hey friends, Lee Camp here. We all need
1:05.7	advice, but it's not always clear who to ask, even in 2026, which is why I recommend checking out How to,
1:13.4	the longstanding advice show and 2026 Amby Award nominated Best Personal Growth Podcast. No Small
1:20.3	Endeavor was also just up for the very same award in that category. So you know how to must be a
1:24.8	great companion to our show. More than that, how to is back with new episodes and a new host with award-winning journalist Mike Peska.
1:32.6	Each week, Mike tackles a listener question ranging from travel to finance to relationships and beyond
1:38.7	with help from world-class experts who actually know what they are talking about.
1:43.1	Think of it as eavesdropping on someone else's
1:45.4	therapy session without a copay or awkward silence. No questions too big or too specific, like how to
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Lee Camp, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Lee Camp and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.