Elliot Severn’s photo of Whoopi Goldberg, Eugene Mirman, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael Shermer, Rev. James Martin, SJ, and Michael Ian Black in the green room at StarTalk Live! at the Kings Theatre.
Elliot Severn’s photo of Whoopi Goldberg, Eugene Mirman, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael Shermer, Rev. James Martin, SJ, and Michael Ian Black in the green room at StarTalk Live! at the Kings Theatre.

StarTalk Live! at Kings Theatre: Science and Morality (Part 1)

In the green room at StarTalk Live! at the Kings Theatre. L to R: Whoopi Goldberg, Eugene Mirman, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael Shermer, Rev. James Martin, SJ, Michael Ian Black. Photo Credit: Elliot Severn.
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About This Episode

What is right and what is wrong? How do we set our moral compass? On this episode of StarTalk Radio, recorded live at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, as a part of the final Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival, we explore the intersection of science and morality. Neil deGrasse Tyson is joined by comic co-host Eugene Mirman, author and editor of Skeptic magazine Michael Shermer, comedian Michael Ian Black, Rev. James Martin, SJ, and the legendary Whoopi Goldberg. Explore the different origins of how people get their sense of right and wrong, including how Whoopi got hers from her mother. Ponder the definition of morality through the lens of religion in our modern society. You’ll confront the idea that morality might just be a constructed narrative that humanity uses to justify actions. Discover if other animals have any sense of morality. You’ll also ponder how much of morality is culturally conditioned and/or shaped by the time in which you live. You’ll hear if science can be used to determine human values, whether the moral arc of civilization is constantly evolving, and more about the comparative method of natural experiments. Be on the lookout for Part 2 next Friday! (Warning: Adult Language).

NOTE: All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: StarTalk Live! at Kings Theatre: Science and Morality (Part 1).

In This Episode

  • Host

    Neil deGrasse Tyson

    Neil deGrasse Tyson
    Astrophysicist
  • Co-Host

    Eugene Mirman

    Eugene Mirman
    Comedian
  • Guest

    Michael Shermer

    Michael Shermer
    Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine; Author of The Moral Arc: How Science Makes Us Better People
  • Guest

    Michael Ian Black

    Michael Ian Black
    Comedian
  • Guest

    Rev. James Martin

    Rev. James Martin, SJ
    Jesuit Priest, editor-at-large of America, The National Catholic Review, author of Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity
  • Guest

    Whoopi Goldberg

    Whoopi Goldberg
    Actress, Comedian, TV Host

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