now joining us is alan lightman. i want to ask, in "the accidental universe: the world you thought you knew" you have a chapter called the spiritual universe. my question is rather inarticulate but is religion real? >> it certainly is a real. there are a few thousand years of human history that a test to quince reality. >> how does it tie in with what you do as a physical theorists, fit theoretical physicist? >> it doesn't tie-in at all to what i do as the theoretical physicists. as i human being, physicists are people. we live in human society and my mind, religion and science have been the two most powerful forces that have shaped human civilization so if you are ignorant of religion or you dismiss it, you are discounting a lot of human history. >> are the incompatible? >> i don't think they are incompatible. i have many scientific colleagues who are devout believers. there are fewer scientists who are devout believers than in the general public, but the fact that there are scientists who are devout believers shows

now joining us is alan lightman. i want to ask, in "the accidental universe: the world you thought you knew" you have a chapter called the spiritual universe. my question is rather inarticulate but is religion real? >> it certainly is a real. there

now joining us is alan lightman. i want to ask, in "the accidental universe: the world you thought you knew" you have a chapter called the spiritual universe. my question is rather inarticulate but is religion real? >> it certainly is a real. there are a few thousand years of human history that a test to quince reality. >> how does it tie in with what you do as a physical theorists, fit theoretical physicist? >> it doesn't tie-in at all to what i do as the theoretical physicists. as i human being, physicists are people. we live in human society and my mind, religion and science have been the two most powerful forces that have shaped human civilization so if you are ignorant of religion or you dismiss it, you are discounting a lot of human history. >> are the incompatible? >> i don't think they are incompatible. i have many scientific colleagues who are devout believers. there are fewer scientists who are devout believers than in the general public, but the fact that there are scientists who are devout believers shows