CRIS Lecture | Science & Humanities: Bridging Two Cultures - Mitch Stokes, PhD

The speaker, Mitch Stokes, PhD, is a senior fellow of philosophy at New St Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho. He argues that the divide between science and humanities is a major problem, and that we need to bridge this gap in order to better understand the world around us.
Dr. Stokes uses the example of Stephen Hawking's book, The Grand Design, to illustrate his point. Hawking, a physicist, argued that philosophy is dead, and that science has taken over the task of answering life's biggest questions. However, Dr. Stokes argues that Hawking was actually doing philosophy himself, even though he didn't realize it. This, according to Dr. Stokes, is a problem because it leads to bad philosophy.
Dr. Stokes goes on to say that science and humanities are not as different as we might think. They are actually interconnected, and each can inform the other. For example, scientists need to be able to communicate their findings effectively, and this requires an understanding of language and rhetoric, which are humanities disciplines. Similarly, humanities scholars can benefit from a understanding of science, so that they can better understand the world around them.
In conclusion, Dr. Stokes argues that we need to bridge the gap between science and humanities. This will allow us to better understand the world around us, and to make better decisions about the future.