James Tour and Stephen Meyer Bring Clarity to Origin of Life Debate

Intelligent Design the Future

Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture

Science, Philosophy, Astronomy, Society & Culture, Life Sciences

4 • 993 Ratings

🗓️ 19 July 2023

⏱️ 60 minutes

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Summary

On this ID The Future, we kick off a series of conversations between Dr. Stephen Meyer and Dr. James Tour on the many challenges faced by origin of life researchers. Dr. Tour, a world-leading synthetic organic chemist at Rice University, has recently been engaged in a series of back-and-forth responses to attacks on his work from YouTube science communicator Dave Farina. This has given Tour a new opportunity to critique experts in the field of abiogenesis and allows an interested public to evaluate both sides of the argument. Philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer hosts these engaging conversations. Meyer is author of the 2009 book Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design, which explores theories attempting to explain the origin of the first life. So Meyer is the perfect candidate to unpack Tour's expertise and draw out key insights. In Part 1, Meyer and Tour critique the work of origin of life researcher Steve Benner. Along the way, they discuss the basic definition of life, the RNA world hypothesis, the problem with hands-on chemistry, and why the challenges facing origin of life research increase every year as our understanding of the cell grows. "What is being simulated is the need for intelligent agency to move simple chemicals in a life-friendly direction," says Meyer, and researchers "seem utterly blind to the role of their own hand, their own mind, in achieving the results that they get, such as they are." This is Part 1 of a four-part series of conversations. Watch the video versions of these at Dr. Meyer's YouTube channel: @DrStephenMeyer Learn more about Dr. Tour's work via his YouTube channel: @DrJamesTour

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0:00.0	I d the future a podcast about evolution and intelligent design welcome to the. I'm your host Andrew McDermott. Today we're kicking off a
0:17.6	four-part conversation series between Dr Stephen Meyer, author of among other books, Signature in the Cell, DNA and the Evidence for
0:26.0	Intelligent Design, and Dr. James Tour, a world-leading synthetic organic chemist at Rice University.
0:34.5	The topic is the origin of the First Life and Dr. Tours's assessment of the state of
0:39.2	origin of life research today.
0:42.1	These conversations were recorded in November and December
0:44.8	2022 after Dr. Tour released a series of videos in response to YouTube
0:50.1	Science Communicator Dave Farina and his videos attacking Dr. Tours research.
0:55.0	Dr Turin and Farina also conducted a formal debate at Rice University in May 2023.
1:01.0	But for those who were not satisfied with that debate or still have questions
1:06.2	about the origin of life, this set of conversations between Dr Meyer and Dr. Tuer should
1:11.6	bring much needed calm and Dr. Toer should bring much needed calm and clarity.
1:15.0	In part one, Dr. Meyer starts by asking Dr. Toer to provide a basic definition of life.
1:21.0	Behind every question about the origin of life, says Meyer, is a deeper question, what is it that we're trying to explain
1:28.2	the origin of?
1:30.1	The pair then discuss the basic problems that plague origin of life research
1:34.2	before moving into a discussion of the work of origin of life researcher Steve Benner.
1:39.8	Along the way they also review the RNA world hypothesis, the problem with hands-on chemistry, and why
1:46.2	the challenges facing origin of life research increase every year as our understanding of
1:51.7	the cell gets more complex.
1:54.0	These conversations were recorded on video.
1:56.0	So as each begins, you'll hear an introduction over some background music.
	...

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