The title of the show comes from Stephen Greenblatt's book of the same name which examines ancient theories about how falling atoms sometimes swerve to create new life forms. (observer.com)
It is no accident that Deuteronomy, which sums up the ideals of the pre-Exilic prophetic party, contains an explicit denial of the ancient theory that an innocent person can rightly be punished for another's sin: «The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.» (religion-online.org)
Denied this direct revelation of the god's will, the priest depended on some ancient theory equivalent to our adage that actions speak louder than words. (religion-online.org)