Stuart Kauffman teleseminar on "Reinventing the Sacred"

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Originally a medical doctor, author, and biology/physics/astronomy Professor at the University of Calgary, Stuart Kauffman, guides us through an exploration of creativity in biology and human endeavors.

From single cells reproducing, to a scientific description of “sacred,” Professor Kauffman uses analogies to take the listener on a journey through his hypothesis, research and conclusions. He tells us that he does not believe in the commonly accepted definition of God, but he describes how the spark of creativity that results in a new development, whether in evolution or invention, could be defined as sacred, or “god.” Creation arises in response to need and can not be anticipated until a series of events align to first create the need and then create the solution. One example he gives is the television remote control – in 1850 no one could have anticipated the need for such a devise – but the creation of television, then the creation of many channels and the western cultural atmosphere to make life easier all led to the development of the remote control. He applies this premise to biology and concludes the interview talking about his new book, "Reinventing the Sacred: A New View of Science, Reason, and Religion."