Purposeful Lab

Modern society often presents science as a field that can stand completely alone, but is that true? Dr. Michael Hanby, professor of religion and philosophy of science at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute at the Catholic University of America and author of No God, No Science, explains to Dr. Dan Kuebler the relationship between science, theology, and philosophy—and why the Christian doctrine of creation is essential to understanding our world.

Can the faith coincide with—and even enrich—evolutionary theory? Dr. Dan Kuebler talks with Dr. Matthew Ramage, theology professor at Benedictine College, to unpack Pope Benedict XVI’s writings on creation, why evolutionary theory doesn’t mean God’s creative power is any less, and how God’s creation works as a “symphony.”

Dr. Jordan Haddad, professor of dogmatic theology at Notre Dame Seminary, sets the stage for the evolutionary discussions of the 19th and 20th centuries. He shares with Dr. Dan Kuebler the perspectives of different Church leaders on man’s bodily origin, while still maintaining that the human soul is uniquely created by God.

In this season of Purposeful Lab, Dr. Dan Kuebler explores the origins of humanity from a Catholic perspective. He sits down with Dr. Shane Owens, theology professor at Franciscan University, to talk about the papal encyclical Humani generis, how the Church upholds truth while allowing exploration of new ideas, and the creation narrative in Genesis. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.

Father Michael Baggot, LC, professor of bioethics at Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, shares with Dr. Dan Kuebler about his vocation story and what led him to study transhumanism. They discuss the philosophies behind transhumanism, why it’s more prevalent than you think, the ethics of emerging technology and enhancements, and what Catholics can bring to the conversation. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.

Transhumanists want to use technology to alter our human condition, but what does it mean to be human? Dr. Paul Symington, chair of Franciscan University’s Philosophy Department, joins Dr. Dan Kuebler to talk about why we are both body and soul, what we understand (and don’t understand) about consciousness, Elon Musk’s Neuralink, and if there’s any overlap between transhumanist and Christian views. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.

What is AI, really? Dr. Dan Kuebler and Dr. Fernanda Psihas, computer science and physics professor at Franciscan University, explore all things artificial intelligence, including how AI works, why using ChatGPT is different from having a human conversation, how bias appears in algorithms, and where the future of AI is headed. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.

Genetic engineering has been brought from science fiction into reality, but it raises many ethical questions. Dr. Daniel Kuebler and Dr. Derek Doroski, a Franciscan University engineering and biology professor, discuss the moral dilemma of genetic engineering, addressing everything from how it can help produce medical products such as insulin to the dangers of genetically modifying humans. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.

Dr. Dan Kuebler talks with Dr. Alex Plato, philosophy professor at Franciscan University, about the impact of technology, for good and for ill, on society and on the human person. They explore how rapid technological advances have drastically altered our relationships with each other, ourselves, nature, and God—and how we always have the freedom to make more virtuous choices. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.

In the new season of Purposeful Lab, Dr. Dan Kuebler discusses transhumanism, exploring how humans interact with technology and how technology changes us. He talks with Dr. Michael Deem, professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health, about the history of transhumanism, why the movement has escalated in recent years, and its ethical implications. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.

Dr. Dan Kuebler talks with Dr. Deborah Savage, theology professor at Franciscan University and the director of the Institute for the Study of Man and Woman, about the complementarity of man and woman, the feminine genius and masculine genius, and how a proper understanding of sexuality leads to human flourishing. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.

Dr. Abigail Favale, author of The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory, and Dr. Dan Kuebler explore the meaning of sex and gender, how modern culture and the feminist movement have fallen away from this truth, and how Catholic Church teaching provides a fuller vision of the reality of man and woman. Listen to more Purposeful Lab episodes and discover other Catholic podcasts, videos, and resources at Faith and Reason.