Two copies of the book "The Road to Wisdom" by Francis Collins

The Road
to Wisdom

In The Road to Wisdom, Francis Collins reminds us of the four core sources of judgment and clear thinking: truth, science, faith, and trust.

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About the Book

From “national treasure” Francis Collins (Philip Yancey), the New York Times bestselling author of The Language of God and former director of the National Institutes of Health, comes a deeply thoughtful guidebook to get us beyond societal divisions and back to the sources of wisdom—"the sort that can save us before it is too late” (Jane Goodall).

As the COVID-19 pandemic revealed, we have become not just a hyper-partisan society but also a deeply cynical one, distrustful of traditional sources of knowledge and wisdom. Skepticism about vaccines led to the needless deaths of at least 230,000 Americans. “Do your own research” is now a rallying cry in many online rabbit holes. Yet experts can make mistakes, and institutions can lose their moral compass. So how can we navigate through all this?

In The Road to Wisdom, Francis Collins reminds us of the four core sources of judgment and clear thinking: truth, science, faith, and trust. Drawing on his work from the Human Genome Project and heading the National Institutes of Health, as well as on ethics, philosophy, and Christian theology, Collins makes a robust, thoughtful case for each of these sources—their reliability, and their limits. Ultimately, he shows how they work together, not separately—and certainly not in conflict. It is only when we relink these four foundations of wisdom that we can begin to discern the best path forward in life.

​Thoughtful, accessible, winsome, and deeply wise, The Road to Wisdom leads us beyond current animosities to surer footing. Here is the moral, philosophical, and scientific framework with which to address the problems of our time—including distrust of public health, partisanship, racism, response to climate change, and threats to our democracy—but also to guide us in our daily lives. This is a book that will repay many readings, and resolve dilemmas that we all face every day.

A portrait of author Francis Collins

About the Author

Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D, is a physician-scientist and one of the best-known scientists of the current era.  His own research has led to the discovery of the cause of cystic fibrosis and several other genetic disorders.  He continues to lead an active research group at the National Institutes of Health focused on diabetes and progeria, a rare form of premature aging.  He is also currently leading a national initiative to eliminate the viral disease hepatitis C.

Dr. Collins served as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden. In that role, he guided the nation’s biomedical research in everything from basic science to clinical trials, including a historic series of research partnerships addressing diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, neuroscience, precision medicine, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that, he served as Director of the International Human Genome Project, coordinating a consortium of laboratories in six countries to produce the first-ever complete sequence of the human DNA instruction book in 2003. His contributions to science have been recognized by election to the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and the awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Science.

Dr. Collins became a Christian at age 27. His best seller The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (2006) made the case for the rationality of faith and its complementarity to science. He followed that up by founding BioLogos, which has become the leading organization for discussions of the possible harmony of rigorous science and serious Christian faith. In 2020, he received the Templeton Prize, which celebrates scientific and spiritual curiosity.

Dr. Collins received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Virginia, a doctorate in physical chemistry from Yale University, and a medical degree from The University of North Carolina. He lives with his wife Diane Baker in Chevy Chase, MD.

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FAQ

  • This is a book about the sources of wisdom, something that our divisive society has pushed back into the shadows.  I was inspired to write it after spending many years in the public eye and seeing just how badly polarization and politics have warped our thinking – including our ability to discern truth, our understanding of science, our anchor to the fundamentals of faith, and our insights about where to place our trust. This is my attempt to “un-warp” us, and to help recover what matters most.

  • In The Road to Wisdom, I point out that science and faith ask and answer different questions.  Science is a reliable way to learn how the natural world works.  But science has no answers for questions like “Why is there something instead of nothing?”, or “Why am I here?”.  Put another way, science answers questions that begin with “How”.  Faith answers questions that being with “Why”.  Since I became a serious Christian 47 years ago, I have not encountered a situation where I found my faith and scientific perspectives to be in conflict.  I wrote about this in The Language of God (Free Press, 2006, still in print). For more information about how rigorous science and serious Christian faith can fit together, check out www.biologos.org, a website that addresses the most commonly asked questions and provides insights and testimonials.

  • Dr. Collins continues to oversee a research laboratory at the National Human Genome Research Institute, where his group is investigating hereditary factors in type 2 diabetes, and developing a possible gene therapy cure for the rare disorder of premature aging called progeria.  In his spare time, he spends time with his wife Diane, two daughters, and five grandchildren, plays guitar in a rock and roll band, rides a Harley Road King Classic motorcycle, and works out body and soul with a home gym and a well worn Bible.

  • Yes. For invitations about The Road to Wisdom, please contact Liz Garriga at elizabeth.garriga@hbgusa.com. 

    For invitations that relate to Dr. Collins’s past and present scientific research at NIH, please contact Gretchen Wood at gretchen.wood@nih.gov.

 the Road to Wisdom pledge

In the final chapter of The Road To Wisdom, Dr. Collins proposes that those interested in helping a society heal from its current divisions and animosities should consider signing a pledge of personal commitment to be part of the solution.  The pledge is being hosted by the Braver Angels organization, which provides an opportunity for you to sign.  The website also provides a host of information about organizations that are devoted to bridging our societal divisions.

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Early Praise

  • “Through his leadership of the Human Genome Project, Dr. Francis Collins revealed the simple truth that we are all far more alike than we are different. Now, in his thoughtful book The Road to Wisdom, he urges us to have the courage and humility to bridge our divides, embrace what we have in common, and rebuild a fractured society. When Dr. Collins speaks, I listen—and his message is more important now than ever.”

    President Bill Clinton

  • “In The Road to Wisdom, Francis Collins—a distinguished scientist as well as a former atheist who found meaning in the Christian faith—draws on his own deep, diverse experiences as he leads us through a maze of conflicting beliefs and opinions in search of wisdom: the sort that can save us before it is too late. This book should be read by anyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, who is seeking meaning or trying to make sense of our troubled times.”

    Jane Goodall

  • "Francis Collins offers us a path back to wisdom with this inspirational and unflinching look at his life as a research scientist, a man of faith, and a servant-leader who oversaw the work of our nation’s medical research agency through turbulent times. In the final pages of The Road to Wisdom, he urges us to sign a pledge, committing to seek truth, build trust, and practice generosity. I hope that many, many readers will join me in doing so.”

    Yo-Yo Ma

  • "Dr. Francis Collins is a national treasure, acclaimed not only for his scientific achievements but for his example as a bridge person in a polarized time. He has served under every U.S. president of this century, in the process winning the respect of some of his fiercest critics. Amid the shrillness of our era, Dr. Collins offers a calming voice of hope, as well as practical suggestions on how to heal the nation’s wounds."

    Philip Yancey
    Author of What’s So Amazing About Grace

  • “Working with Francis Collins as he led the National Institutes of Health under three very different presidents, I saw firsthand his ability to find common ground and common goals. As timely as it is compelling, The Road to Wisdom is an encapsulation of those gifts, based on the reinforcing values of truth, science, faith, and trust.”

    Senator Roy Blunt

  • "Drawing on decades of public service, Francis Collins blends science, faith, and philosophy in The Road to Wisdom. Full of insights to help readers navigate today's complex world and grapple with critical issues including public health, partisanship, and climate change, this book is essential reading for anyone seeking clarity and direction."

    Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate, and co-author of A Crack in Creation

  • “In this important and timely book, Francis Collins takes on fundamental questions of faith and science and suggests ways to bridge the gaps that divide us by more actively engaging with those with whom we disagree. Listening, understanding, and tolerance are the essential threads that weave their way throughout The Road to Wisdom—a book to learn from.”

    Kay Redfield Jamison, author of Fires in the Dark and An Unquiet Mind

  • “Smart… lucid… [The Road to Wisdom] has plenty to offer.”

    Publishers Weekly

  • “Collins, a physician, evangelical Christian, and former director of the National Institutes of Health, seeks a remedy for the divisiveness and anger that besets our nation… Drawing on examples from his personal and professional experiences, he reveals times when his trust has been honored, and times when it has been broken. As a scientist who finds belief in a Christian God “entirely consistent” with his faith in evidence-based truths and scientific methods, he recounts his journey from atheism to Christianity. Overall, Collins urges each reader to create a renewed sense of community through “reanchoring your worldview”; engaging with family, friends, and community; and carefully distinguishing facts from fakes. Thoughtful guidance in tumultuous times.”

    Kirkus Reviews

  • “An important book…thought-provoking…[Collins] proves to be a reliable, insightful, and agreeable guide to the road to wisdom.”

    Booklist

  • "This practical, refreshingly humble book shows the human side of one of the most eminent scientists of our time, and offers applicable and accessible guidance for all those worried about the state of wisdom in our world."

    Author of Fully Alive and host of ‘The Sacred’ podcast

    Elizabeth Oldfield

  • "Here is one of the great scientists of our time showing that there is no conflict between science and faith. We need science in order to answer the "How?" questions. But only faith can provide rational compelling answers to the "Why?" questions. I would recommend this book to anyone but especially to those who are exploring the compatibility of science and faith.’"

    Nicky Gumbel, Pioneer of Alpha

  • "A remarkable book for our troubled times, telling the powerful story of one man's extended quest for wisdom. Collins's personal journey of reflection and discovery will speak to many struggling to make sense of life, cope with uncertainty, and find their place in a greater scheme of things. Essential reading for those trying to work out how science and faith belong together, and how they can enrich our vision of human existence."

    Senior Research Fellow in Science and Religion, Oxford University

    Professor Alister McGrath

  • "This is an important book. Francis Collins is the most influential biomedical scientist of our time, leading the public effort to decode the human genome, and then managing a $40 billion annual budget for scientific research. Here, he offers an intimate glimpse into the man behind the science. Discover what made him hide in a toilet to cry, how his Christian faith profoundly animates his life, what it was like to navigate the Coronavirus pandemic when urgent decisions had to be made in the midst of uncertainty, and the lessons he’s learned about mending the divisions that plague our world."

    Professor of Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford

    Ard Louis

  • "Collins’s book is a cri de Coeur that looks to the future. Its argument is, in essence, that truth, science, faith, and trust jointly lead to wisdom. The thrust of Collins’s argument is that we need to do a better job of listening to one another. 'If our nation’s political system has lost much of its commitment to truth, compromise, and civility,' Collins argues, 'it is up to us to turn that around.' It’s a worthy sentiment, even if remains an elusive goal.”

    Harvard Public Health

  • “The Road to Wisdom is enlightening both in its illumination of Collins’s personal journey to wisdom and for the insights it offers into his views on sources of wisdom.”

    Science Magazine

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