This week, Point of Inquiry welcomes Jason Stanley, professor of philosophy at Yale and co-author of a provocative essay in last week’s New York Times entitled “Is the United States a ‘Racial Democracy?” Dr. Stanley and his co-author, Dr. Vesla Weaver, argue that the disproportionate surveillance, imprisonment, and post-conviction voter disenfranchisement of black Americans threatens the …
This week Point of Inquiry is discussing death, specifically, brain death and the efforts of some sectors of the Religious Right to eliminate whole-brain brain death as the legal standard for death in America. Lindsay Beyerstein welcomes the head of the Division of Bioethics at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, Arthur Caplan, PhD. Dr. …
This week on Point of Inquiry we welcome Chris Emdin, a Columbia Professor who’s helped design New York City’s public school policy, a leading science education researcher, and Harvard Hip Hop Archive Fellow. Chris Emdin is a favored guest of Josh Zepps on Huffpost Live, and for good reason. They chat about the state of …
As the War on Christmas wages on, our host Josh Zepps interviews Rob Boston, Senior Policy Analyst for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, editor of Church & State magazine, and author of Close Encounters with the Religious Right: Journeys into the Twilight Zone of Religion and Politics and the upcoming Taking Liberties: Why Religious Freedom Doesn’t …
Joining Lindsay Bernstein this week is Kathryn Joyce, one of the foremost reporters chronicling the Religious Right today. She made “Quiverfull” a household name with her first book, Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement.Her new book is called The Child Catchers: Rescue, Trafficking, and the New Gospel of Adoption. The book is the product of …
This week on Point of Inquiry, Josh Zepps welcomes P.J. O’Rourke, humorist, cultural commentator and best selling author of sixteen books. An early proponent of “gonzo journalism” and is a self described libertarian, O’Rourke has served as editor-in-chief of National Lampoon, and has spent 20 years reporting for Rolling Stone and The Atlantic as the …
This week on Point of Inquiry, Lindsay Beyerstein talks with Barry Lynn, Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. He is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ, and a strong advocate of separation of church and state. The conversation focuses on the Supreme Court’s recent decision to hear …
This week’s Point of Inquiry features Gadadhara Pandit Dasa, first ever Hindu Chaplain for Columbia University and New York University, the interfaith chaplain at Union Theological Seminary, and author of Urban Monk: Exploring Karma, Consciousness, and the Divine. Pandit, who teaches courses on Hindu scriptures, has spoken at a recent TEDx Conference and was featured …
Paul A. Offit, MD is best known as a co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine and a staunch, public supporter of vaccination and opponent of pseudoscientific alternative medicine. His most recent book, Do you Believe in Magic?: The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine points a critical eye at the alt-med industry, one than takes in …
Famed educator, engineer and “Science Guy,” Bill Nye Joins our host Josh Zepps for this week’s Point of Inquiry. They discuss Bill’s start as an Engineer and part-time stand-up comedian to his groundbreaking work in television educating a generation on science. They also delve into Bill’s view into the future of science, science education, as …