Charles Murray: Why I’m Taking Religion Seriously

Michael Shermer sits down with Charles Murray (author of The Bell Curve, Coming Apart, and now Taking Religion Seriously) for a riveting 100-minute conversation about Murray’s late-life turn from Harvard-bred agnosticism (“Smart people don’t believe that stuff anymore”) to Bayesian theism (“I put the afterlife at just over 50%”). This wide-ranging discussion explores the evidence for the existence of God and the afterlife, the problem of evil, and the historical growth of Christianity. They also delve into topics such as the nature of consciousness, terminal lucidity, and even evolutionary vs. religious perspectives on love. A thought-provoking exploration for skeptics, seekers, and anyone wondering whether the universe has a purpose. Charles Murray is a policy analyst educated at Harvard and MIT and currently serves as the Hayek Emeritus Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He is the author of several influential books, including the controversial The Bell Curve, Coming Apart, and Facing Reality. His most recent book is Taking Religion Seriously.