Classic: From Chaos to Code: Do we need a new theory of Life?  Paul Davis vs Jeremy England

In this episode of Unbelievable's Big Conversation, hosted by Tom Nelson and produced in partnership with the John Templeton Foundation, physicists Paul Davies and Jeremy England engage in a profound exploration of the origins of life. The discussion centers on whether life's emergence from inanimate matter requires a new theory beyond current scientific understanding. Davies, author of The Demon in the Machine, argues that known physics may not fully explain life, proposing that a new physical law—where information is a fundamental physical variable—could bridge the gap between complex chemistry and life's information-processing systems. England, whose book Every Life is on Fire presents a thermodynamic framework, suggests that non-equilibrium systems driven by energy flow can naturally evolve toward greater order and complexity, even before self-replication emerges. Both scientists grapple with the apparent defiance of the second law of thermodynamics by life, explaining that life maintains order by exporting entropy to its environment. The conversation extends into philosophical and theological territory, with England, an ordained rabbi, reflecting on how science and religious texts can coexist as complementary ways of understanding reality, while Davies expresses a 'cosmic religious feeling' rooted in the universe's intelligibility. The episode concludes with a call for humility, emphasizing that scientific models are powerful but limited representations of a deeper, possibly purposeful, reality. Key takeaways include: 1) Life may require a new physical law where information is a fundamental variable, not just an abstract concept; 2) Non-equilibrium thermodynamics can drive matter toward self-organization and complexity without requiring pre-existing life; 3) The universe's comprehensibility to human minds may point to a deeper, purposeful structure; 4) Scientific and religious worldviews can be harmonized as different interpretive frameworks; 5) Discovering a second form of life—either on Earth or elsewhere—would be definitive proof that life is a natural, probable outcome of physical laws. The tone is deeply thoughtful and optimistic, celebrating the human capacity for scientific inquiry while remaining open to the profound mysteries of existence.