Federalist Publisher Ben Domenech sat down with renowned theoretical physicist and Harvard Professor Avi Loeb, on the latest episode of Fox News’ “The Ben Domenech Podcast” to discuss the importance of scientific inquiry beyond conventional academic consensus.
Institutions, Loeb said, should be taking risks to fund risky research as opposed to merely projects that can promise what they can deliver.
“These are the most boring projects,” Loeb said. “If you can tell in advance what you can discover, then it’s not a major advance.”
Loeb is the author of “Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth,” and said outer space ought to reclaim its fundamental role in the pursuit of academic progress considering the long-term guarantee of the Earth’s demise, whether it comes from armed conflict or an extraterrestrial-born Armageddon via asteroid.
“Currently, all our eggs are in one basket here on Earth,” Loeb said, “and if any catastrophe happens here it could destroy everything we care about.”
In the more immediate term, Loeb said humans need the inspiration captured by space exploration.
“We need something beyond our troubles that lifts us up and gives meaning to our lives,” said Loeb, emphasizing the Apollo program once served that purpose in landing the first people on the moon which “changed the psychology of humans.”
On the intersection of space and religion, Loeb said, they complement, rather than conflict with each other when refraining from attempts to explain physical phenomenon with theological ideas.
“If you believe in God, then what you want is to appreciate reality to its greatest details,” Loeb said. “That will give you the wonder and awe that otherwise you would not have.”
Listen to the full podcast here.
Source: The Federalist
