Most Replayed Moment: Christian vs Atheist - Is Faith A Human Creation?

This excerpt from The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett examines whether people discover meaning in life or must create it themselves. The discussion brings together Greg Koukl, a Christian apologist and founder of Stand to Reason; Alex O’Connor, a philosopher, writer and host of the Cosmic Skeptic channel; and Dr K, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, mental health educator and co-founder of Healthy Gamer. Its central question sits at the intersection of faith, philosophy and psychology: how do different approaches explain what makes life feel meaningful?

The show notes identify three forces explored in the conversation: fear of death, the need for control and the desire for something bigger than oneself. These provide psychological considerations alongside the religious and philosophical question of whether meaning exists independently of human beings. The notes frame these forces as potentially shaping the experience of meaning, rather than establishing that any one of them explains faith. They do not provide specific evidence, examples or detailed arguments from the guests.

For a professional audience, the relevance lies in distinguishing questions about what is true from questions about what provides purpose or psychological reassurance. The episode’s Christian-versus-atheist framing introduces a disagreement about faith, while Dr K’s participation adds a mental-health perspective. However, the notes do not specify each guest’s position, any direct rebuttals or a conclusion. Whether meaning is discovered or constructed—and whether faith is a human creation—therefore remains open in the material provided.