Humans have learned a lot about the world around us and the universe beyond. We have made powerful insights and created profound theories about the universe and everything in it. Surely the ultimate theory must be waiting, just beyond our current knowledge. Well, maybe. In Into the Unknown, astrophysicist Kelsey Johnson takes us to the edge of scientific understanding about the universe: What caused the Big Bang? What happens inside black holes? Are there other dimensions? She doesn’t just celebrate what we know but rather what we don’t, and asks what it means if we never find that knowledge. Exploring the convergence of science, philosophy, and theology, Johnson argues we must reckon with possibilities—including those that may be beyond human comprehension. The very places where we run smack into total ignorance are the places where the most important questions—about the philosophy of knowledge, the nature of our cosmos, and even the existence of God—await.
Kelsey Johnson is a professor of astronomy at the University of Virginia, former president of the American Astronomical Society, and founder of the award-winning Dark Skies, Bright Kids program. She has won numerous awards for her research, teaching, and promotion of science literacy. She lives in rural Virginia with her family, including two very large dogs. Her new book is Into the Unknown: The Quest to Understand the Mysteries of the Cosmos.
Shermer and Johnson discuss:
- What is knowledge and truth and how do we know it?
- Why is there something rather than nothing?
- What caused the big bang?
- How old is the universe?
- How big is the universe?
- Are aliens out there somewhere? Have they come here?
- What are Dark Matter and Dark Energy
- What is the nature of time?
- Multiple dimensions
- Multiple universes
- What are the laws of nature
- Is the universe mathematical?
- The block universe, determinism and free will
- Is the universe finely tuned for life and us?
- The origin of life
- What is our place in the universe?
- Is there a place for God in science?
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This episode was released on November 23, 2024.
