Afleveringen
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Naomi Fisher is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University Chicago. She earned her Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame in 2016, and prior to that earned her M.S. in physics from UC Davis.
Her research focuses on Kant and German Idealism and Romanticism, specifically the relationship between nature, freedom, and rationality in Kant and Schelling. Currently, she is working on projects related to the impact of Plato and Neoplatonism on Schelling’s philosophy. She also has interests in the broader history of philosophy, philosophy of science, and philosophy of religion.
In her talk, she discusses:
The disconnect between epiphanies and everyday thoughtOn the function of imagination in philosophyThe philosophy of art according to SchellingManifesting the divine through the power of imaginationComparing Schelling’s work to the RomanticsOn accessing transcendent realitiesTo learn more about Naomi, you can find her at:
Website: https://naomifisher.weebly.com/
Email: [email protected]This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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This episode is the first of a series of presentations from an International Symposium on “Spiritual Yearning in a Disenchanted Age” held at McGill University in Montreal in November 2024.
The origins of humanity’s deeper spiritual searchWhy poetry re-enchanting a disenchanted worldHow the study of comparative religion shaped his own spiritual lifeCosmic longing explored across diverse culturesBeauty unites communities in transformative experiencesHow a secular age can spark religious rediscoveries
In this first episode, Dr. Charles Taylor, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at McGill University, shares the motivations and long history behind his new book Cosmic Connections: Poetry in the Age of Disenchantment.
Prof. Taylor is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in political philosophy, social theory, and intellectual history. Over the years, he has received numerous prestigious honors, such as the Kyoto Prize, the Templeton Prize, the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy, and the John W. Kluge Prize. In 2007, together with Gérard Bouchard, he co-led the Bouchard–Taylor Commission, which examined how to accommodate cultural differences in Quebec. Taylor has authored or edited more than thirty books, including Sources of the Self and A Secular Age.
In this episode, Prof. Taylor talks about:
To learn more about Dr. Charles Taylor’s work, you can visit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Taylor_(philosopher)
Cosmic Connections: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674296084
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This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)
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https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast
#beauty #beautyatwork #podcast #symposium #science #connection #spiritual #CharlesTaylorSupport the show
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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This episode is the second part of my conversation with Dr. Francis Collins, a pioneer physician-scientist who led the Human Genome Project and has been director of the National Institutes of Health during the tenures of three U.S. presidents.
Dr. Collins shares insights from his impressive career: from the discovery of genes linked to many diseases to addressing public health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and his efforts to bring harmony between science and faith. We will also discuss the intersection of beauty and science, public health leadership, and the critical task of bridging societal divides in our polarized times. Dr. Collins’s latest book, The Road to Wisdom, deals with the relationship between truth, science, faith, and trust.In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:
The transformative power of faith in scienceThe power of beauty to evoke spiritual longingBuilding bridges through healthy conflictThe need for faith communities in creation careThe pursuit of truth amidst uncertainty and misinformation
To learn more about Dr. Francis Collins's work, you can find him at:Website: https://biologos.org/?campaign=539861
Twitter: https://x.com/BioLogosOrg
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/biologosorg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biologosorgThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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Can science, beauty, and faith converge in our quest for truth? Joining us to discuss this topic is Dr. Francis Collins: a pioneer physician-scientist who led the Human Genome Project and has been director of the National Institutes of Health during the tenures of three U.S. presidents. Dr. Collins shares insights from his impressive career: from the discovery of genes linked to many diseases to addressing public health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and his efforts to bring harmony between science and faith. We will also discuss the intersection of beauty and science, public health leadership, and the critical task of bridging societal divides in our polarized times. Dr. Collins’s latest book, The Road to Wisdom, deals with the relationship between truth, science, faith, and trust.
In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:
The transformative power of scienceWhy Francis wrote The Road to WisdomHow politics has led to misinformationThe importance of trust in institutions despite failuresThe search for truth in science amidst uncertainty
To learn more about Dr. Francis Collins's work, you can find him at:Website: https://biologos.org/?campaign=539861
Twitter: https://x.com/BioLogosOrg
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/biologosorg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biologosorgThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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Human beings are meaning-seeking creatures. This search is at the heart of religions all around the world. Over the past century or so, however, religion, especially in the West, has been in decline, and many commentators have marked the rise of the “nones” and “dones”--those who have no religious affiliation and those who have abandoned religion with no intention to return. What factors are behind these shifts? What does the search for meaning in the absence of religion look like? What is spirituality and what is its relevance in our contemporary context? In this episode, I interview a psychologist and philosopher who are trying to make sense of these trends.
Daryl Van Tongeren, PhD, is a professor of psychology at Hope College and the director of the Frost Center for Social Science Research. A social psychologist, he has published more than 200 scholarly articles and chapters, and four books, on topics such as religion, meaning in life, and virtues. Most recently, his work has focused on the psychological and social processes of leaving religion and undergoing religious change, culminating in his newest book, Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion. His research has been covered by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, BBC, Hidden Brain, Washington Post, The Atlantic, NPR-affiliated radio stations, Scientific American, and Men’s Health. His work has been supported by numerous grants from the John Templeton Foundation, and he has won national and international awards for his research. He is also an associate editor for The Journal of Positive Psychology. He enjoys running, biking, and hiking near where he lives with his wife, Sara, in Holland, MI.David McPherson is Professor of Philosophy in the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida as well as Affiliate Professor in the Department of Philosophy. McPherson works in the areas of ethics (especially virtue ethics), political philosophy, meaning in life, and philosophy of religion. He is the author of The Virtues of Limits (Oxford University Press, 2022) and Virtue and Meaning: A Neo-Aristotelian Perspective (Cambridge University Press, 2020), as well as the editor of Spirituality and the Good Life: Philosophical Approaches (Cambridge University Press, 2017). McPherson is currently the project leader for a three-year Templeton-funded grant project on “Spiritual Yearning and the Problem of Spiritual Alienation,” which will result in his third book monograph titled Spiritual Alienation and the Quest for God as well as an edited volume titled Spiritual Yearning in an Age of Secularization: Philosophical, Psychological, and Sociological Perspectives.
In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:
The Search for Meaning and Spiritual YearningSpiritual Alienation and the Struggle for AuthenticityThe Role of Yearning in Psychological GrowthThe Existential Challenge of Living FullySpiritual Practices and the Path to ReceptivityThe Future of Spirituality in a Secular AgeTo learn more about Daryl and his work, you can find him at:
Website: http://darylvantongeren.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/darylvantongeren/
X: https://x.com/drvantongeren
Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion: https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/doneTo learn more about David and his work, you can find him at:
Website: https://davidmcpherson.weebly.com/
X: https://Support the show
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Human beings are meaning-seeking creatures. This search is at the heart of religions all around the world. Over the past century or so, however, religion, especially in the West, has been in decline, and many commentators have marked the rise of the “nones” and “dones”--those who have no religious affiliation and those who have abandoned religion with no intention to return. What factors are behind these shifts? What does the search for meaning in the absence of religion look like? What is spirituality and what is its relevance in our contemporary context? In this episode, I interview a psychologist and philosopher who are trying to make sense of these trends.
Daryl Van Tongeren, PhD, is a professor of psychology at Hope College and the director of the Frost Center for Social Science Research. A social psychologist, he has published more than 200 scholarly articles and chapters, and four books, on topics such as religion, meaning in life, and virtues. Most recently, his work has focused on the psychological and social processes of leaving religion and undergoing religious change, culminating in his newest book, Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion. His research has been covered by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, BBC, Hidden Brain, Washington Post, The Atlantic, NPR-affiliated radio stations, Scientific American, and Men’s Health. His work has been supported by numerous grants from the John Templeton Foundation, and he has won national and international awards for his research. He is also an associate editor for The Journal of Positive Psychology. He enjoys running, biking, and hiking near where he lives with his wife, Sara, in Holland, MI.David McPherson is Professor of Philosophy in the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida as well as Affiliate Professor in the Department of Philosophy. McPherson works in the areas of ethics (especially virtue ethics), political philosophy, meaning in life, and philosophy of religion. He is the author of The Virtues of Limits (Oxford University Press, 2022) and Virtue and Meaning: A Neo-Aristotelian Perspective (Cambridge University Press, 2020), as well as the editor of Spirituality and the Good Life: Philosophical Approaches (Cambridge University Press, 2017). McPherson is currently the project leader for a three-year Templeton-funded grant project on “Spiritual Yearning and the Problem of Spiritual Alienation,” which will result in his third book monograph titled Spiritual Alienation and the Quest for God as well as an edited volume titled Spiritual Yearning in an Age of Secularization: Philosophical, Psychological, and Sociological Perspectives.
In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:
The four main reasons people leave religionNavigating cognitive dissonance and existential anxietyVirtue ethics and the good lifeWhat is spirituality and do we need it?Spiritual alienationTo learn more about Daryl and his work, you can find him at:
Website: http://darylvantongeren.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/darylvantongeren/
X: https://x.com/drvantongeren
Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion: https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/done
To learn more about David and his work, you can find him at:
Website: https://davidmcpherson.weebly.com/
X: https://x.com/davidlmcpherson
Virtue and Meaning: A Neo-Aristotelian Perspective:Support the show
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This episode is the second part of the conversation between Brandon Vaidyanathan and Robert Lawrence Kuhn.
Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn is the creator, writer, host and executive producer of Closer To Truth, the long-running PBS/public television series and leading global resource on Cosmos (cosmology/physics, philosophy of science), Life (philosophy of biology), Mind (consciousness, brain/mind, philosophy of mind), and Meaning (theism/atheism/agnosticism, global philosophy of religion, critical thinking).Kuhn has written or edited over 30 books, including The Mystery of Existence: Why is there Anything At All? (with John Leslie); Closer To Truth: Challenging Current Belief; Closer To Truth: Science, Meaning and the Future; The Library of Investment Banking; How China’s Leaders Think (featuring President Xi Jinping); The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin (China’s best-selling book in 2005 and in December 2022); and "The Origin and Significance of Zero: An Interdisciplinary Perspective” (with Peter Gobets).
An international corporate strategist and investment banker, Dr. Kuhn is a recipient of the China Reform Friendship Medal and is a frequent commentator in the international media and Chinese media.
Kuhn’s comprehensive review article on consciousness – “A Landscape of Consciousness: Toward a Taxonomy of Explanations and Implications” – is published in Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology (August 2024), and is considered the most comprehensive article written on the landscape of consciousness theories.
Dr. Kuhn is chairman of The Kuhn Foundation. He has a BA in Human Biology (Johns Hopkins), PhD in Anatomy/Brain Research (UCLA), and SM (MBA) in Management (MIT).
In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:
The Landscape of Consciousness article, which develops a comprehensive taxonomy of theories of consciousnessThe value of loving the questions more than seeking certaintyThe humility of acknowledging the limits of one's own beliefsThe impact of Closer to Truth
To learn more about Robert, you can find him at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-lawrence-kuhn-4b893221
Closer to Truth: https://closertotruth.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CloserToTruthTV/videos
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/closer-to-truth/id411527781
A Landscape of Consciousness: Toward a taxonomy of explanations and implications: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38281544/
The Mystery of Existence: Why Is There Anything At All?: https://a.co/d/izIoY8I
Why anything? Why this? by Derek Parfit: https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v20/n02/derek-parfit/why-anything-why-thisThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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What does it look like to live a life in pursuit of understanding? Our guest today exemplifies this quest across a wide range of domains.
Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn is the creator, writer, host and executive producer of Closer To Truth, the long-running PBS/public television series and leading global resource on Cosmos (cosmology/physics, philosophy of science), Life (philosophy of biology), Mind (consciousness, brain/mind, philosophy of mind), and Meaning (theism/atheism/agnosticism, global philosophy of religion, critical thinking).Kuhn has written or edited over 30 books, including The Mystery of Existence: Why is there Anything At All? (with John Leslie); Closer To Truth: Challenging Current Belief; Closer To Truth: Science, Meaning and the Future; The Library of Investment Banking; How China’s Leaders Think (featuring President Xi Jinping); The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin (China’s best-selling book in 2005 and in December 2022); and "The Origin and Significance of Zero: An Interdisciplinary Perspective” (with Peter Gobets).
An international corporate strategist and investment banker, Dr. Kuhn is a recipient of the China Reform Friendship Medal and is a frequent commentator in the international media and Chinese media.
Kuhn’s comprehensive review article on consciousness – “A Landscape of Consciousness: Toward a Taxonomy of Explanations and Implications” – is published in Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology (August 2024), and is considered the most comprehensive article written on the landscape of consciousness theories.
Dr. Kuhn is chairman of The Kuhn Foundation. He has a BA in Human Biology (Johns Hopkins), PhD in Anatomy/Brain Research (UCLA), and SM (MBA) in Management (MIT).
In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:
The beauty of understandingRobert's trajectory from neuroscience to business to China policyThe drive to explore big existential questionsThe creation of Closer to Truth
To learn more about Robert, you can find him at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-lawrence-kuhn-4b893221
Closer to Truth: https://closertotruth.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CloserToTruthTV/videos
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/closer-to-truth/id411527781
A Landscape of Consciousness: Toward a taxonomy of explanations and implications: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38281544/
The Mystery of Existence: Why Is There Anything At All?: https://a.co/d/izIoY8I
Why anything? Why this? by Derek Parfit: https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v20/n02/derek-parfit/why-anything-why-thisThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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Maggie Jackson is an award-winning author and journalist with a global reach. Her new book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure, explores why we should seek not-knowing in this era of angst and flux. Nominated for a National Book Award and named to multiple “Best Books of 2023” lists, Uncertain is an official selection of the Next Big Idea Club curated by Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Pink, Adam Grant, and Susan Cain. Lauded as “incisive and timely” (Dan Pink), “surprising and practical” (Gretchen Rubin), and “remarkable and persuasive” (Library Journal), Uncertain was named a Top 10 Summer Reading pick by Nautilus magazine.
Jackson’s previous book, Distracted, sparked a global conversation on the steep costs of fragmenting our attention. A former longtime columnist for the Boston Globe, Jackson has written for The New York Times and major publications worldwide. Her work has been translated into numerous languages and is widely covered by the press. She lives in New York and Rhode Island and seeks a daily dose of uncertainty by swimming in the sea nearly every day, year-round.
In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:
The value of taking time to think before reacting.How uncertainty can help us learn and grow.The strengths that can come from growing up in tough situations.Making AI more adaptable by embracing uncertainty.Finding deeper beauty by being open to different perspectives.To learn more about Maggie Jackson, you can find her at: https://www.maggie-jackson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggie.jackson.books/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiejackson/
Website: https://www.maggie-jackson.com/
Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Maggie-Jackson/author/B001JP8IEAThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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Maggie Jackson is an award-winning author and journalist with a global reach. Her new book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure, explores why we should seek not-knowing in this era of angst and flux. Nominated for a National Book Award and named to multiple “Best Books of 2023” lists, Uncertain is an official selection of the Next Big Idea Club curated by Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Pink, Adam Grant, and Susan Cain. Lauded as “incisive and timely” (Dan Pink), “surprising and practical” (Gretchen Rubin), and “remarkable and persuasive” (Library Journal), Uncertain was named a Top 10 Summer Reading pick by Nautilus magazine.
Jackson’s previous book, Distracted, sparked a global conversation on the steep costs of fragmenting our attention. A former longtime columnist for the Boston Globe, Jackson has written for The New York Times and major publications worldwide. Her work has been translated into numerous languages and is widely covered by the press. She lives in New York and Rhode Island and seeks a daily dose of uncertainty by swimming in the sea nearly every day, year-round.
In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:
The value of embracing uncertainty as a superpowerThe distinction between aleatory and epistemic uncertaintyThe cultural and psychological effects of our aversion to uncertaintyThe role of adaptive expertise in leadership and problem-solvingThe relationship between humility and uncertaintyTo learn more about Maggie Jackson, you can find her at: https://www.maggie-jackson.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggie.jackson.books/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiejackson/
Website: https://www.maggie-jackson.com/
Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Maggie-Jackson/author/B001JP8IEAThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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Daniel McInerny is associate professor and chair of the philosophy department at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. He is also a novelist and dramatist. As a scholar, Daniel is foremost interested in reactivating an Aristotelian understanding of mimetic art, long out of favor among philosophers. His latest book is Beauty and Imitation: A Philosophical Reflection on the Arts. At Christendom College Daniel teaches courses on the Philosophy of Art & Beauty, the Philosophy of Technology, the Philosophy of Culture, and Poetic Experience & Truth. In March 2023 Chrism Press published his novel, The Good Death of Kate Montclair. Daniel is also the author of a play, The Actor, which will premiere in November 2024. Daniel also writes the Substack newsletter, The Comic Muse, where he shares stories and sketches from his studio.
The importance of choice over chance in compelling narrativesThe moral dimension of storytellingThe relationship between subjective and objective beauty in artThe significance of context in art appreciation
In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:
To learn more about Daniel and his work:
Newsletter: https://danielmcinerny.substack.com/
Beauty and Imitation: https://a.co/d/cNquN03
The Good Death of Kate Montclair: https://a.co/d/0KKy0PS
Podcast: https://danielmcinerny.substack.com/podcastThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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How is art relevant to our yearning for flourishing? In this episode, I interview philosopher Daniel McInerny about his new book, Beauty and Imitation.
What is mimetic art?Mimetic art as storytellingDelighted contemplation as the ultimate goal of art
Dr. Daniel McInerny is associate professor and chair of the philosophy department at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. He is also a novelist and dramatist. As a scholar, Daniel is foremost interested in reactivating an Aristotelian understanding of mimetic art, long out of favor among philosophers. His latest book is Beauty and Imitation: A Philosophical Reflection on the Arts. At Christendom College Daniel teaches courses on the Philosophy of Art & Beauty, the Philosophy of Technology, the Philosophy of Culture, and Poetic Experience & Truth. In March 2023 Chrism Press published his novel, The Good Death of Kate Montclair. Daniel is also the author of a play, The Actor, which will premiere in November 2024. Daniel also writes the Substack newsletter, The Comic Muse, where he shares stories and sketches from his studio.
In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:
To learn more about Daniel and his work:
Newsletter: https://danielmcinerny.substack.com/
Beauty and Imitation: https://a.co/d/cNquN03
The Good Death of Kate Montclair: https://a.co/d/0KKy0PSThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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In this episode, sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan interviews MIT Physicist Dr. Alan Lightman about his spiritual materialism.
Alan Lightman is an American physicist, writer, and social entrepreneur. He holds a PhD in physics from Caltech. He has served on the faculties of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was the first person at MIT to receive dual faculty appointments in science and in the humanities. He is currently professor of the practice of the humanities at MIT. Lightman is the recipient of six honorary doctoral degrees. He is the author of numerous books, both nonfiction and fiction, including Einstein’s Dreams, an international bestseller, and The Diagnosis, a finalist for the National Book Award in fiction. His essays concern the intersection of science, culture, philosophy, and theology. Lightman is the host of the public television series “SEARCHING: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science,” funded by the John Templeton Foundation. In 2005, Lightman founded Harpswell, a nonprofit organization devoted to empowering young women leaders in Southeast Asia, and he has served as chair of its board. In August 2023, Lightman was appointed a member of the United Nations’ Scientific Advisory Board. His latest book is The Transcendent Brain: Spirituality in the Age of Science (2023).
The limits of scientific inquiryHow to interpret spiritual experiencesThe concept of creative transcendenceWhy spirituality matters for us allAlan's humanitarian work
In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:To learn more about Alan and his work:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-lightman-6bb7191b6Website: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/Email: [email protected]: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APY6Q4Scientific Publications: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/#SCIENTIFIC%20PUBLICATIONSHarpswell Organization: https://harpswell.org/This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) andTempleton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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In this episode, sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan interviews MIT Physicist Dr. Alan Lightman about his spiritual materialism.
Alan Lightman is an American physicist, writer, and social entrepreneur. He holds a PhD in physics from Caltech. He has served on the faculties of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was the first person at MIT to receive dual faculty appointments in science and in the humanities. He is currently professor of the practice of the humanities at MIT. Lightman is the recipient of six honorary doctoral degrees. He is the author of numerous books, both nonfiction and fiction, including Einstein’s Dreams, an international bestseller, and The Diagnosis, a finalist for the National Book Award in fiction. His essays concern the intersection of science, culture, philosophy, and theology. Lightman is the host of the public television series “SEARCHING: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science,” funded by the John Templeton Foundation. In 2005, Lightman founded Harpswell, a nonprofit organization devoted to empowering young women leaders in Southeast Asia, and he has served as chair of its board. In August 2023, Lightman was appointed a member of the United Nations’ Scientific Advisory Board. His latest book is The Transcendent Brain: Spirituality in the Age of Science (2023).
Balancing interests in art and science from a young ageThe role of beauty in scientific discoveryAlan's concept of spiritual materialismTranscendence and the Hindu concept of "darshan"
In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:To learn more about Alan and his work:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-lightman-6bb7191b6Website: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/Email: [email protected]: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APY6Q4Scientific Publications: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/#SCIENTIFIC%20PUBLICATIONSHarpswell Organization: https://harpswell.org/This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) andTempleton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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Elizabeth Oldfield is the author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times. She has spent her career trying to lever open space for deeper conversations - about what it means to be a human being, where we can find wisdom and how we build a society where we hate each other a little less. She has worked at BBC Radio 4, led a Westminster think tank, and is now the host of The Sacred podcast, speaking to guests like Nick Cave, Sally Philips, Rabbi Sacks, Rainn Wilson, Sathnam Sanghera and Krista Tippett about their deepest values. She lives with her family in a Christian intentional community in South London.
Moving beyond individualismMoving from wrath to peacemakingMoving from greed to generosity and gratitudeFinding freedom in commitmentThe concept of God
In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:To learn more about Elizabeth and her work:
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-oldfield-5a5b6216 Website: https://www.elizabetholdfield.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ X: https://x.com/esoldfield Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times: https://a.co/d/4iFq69r Substack Newsletter: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ Larger Us Organization: https://larger.us/ The Sacred podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=1326888108This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) andTempleton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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Elizabeth Oldfield is the author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times. She has spent her career trying to lever open space for deeper conversations - about what it means to be a human being, where we can find wisdom and how we build a society where we hate each other a little less. She has worked at BBC Radio 4, led a Westminster think tank, and is now the host of The Sacred podcast, speaking to guests like Nick Cave, Sally Philips, Rabbi Sacks, Rainn Wilson, Sathnam Sanghera and Krista Tippett about their deepest values. She lives with her family in a Christian intentional community in South London.
How cultural narratives shape our understanding of the worldMaking sense of our turbulent timesHow religious traditions can be a source of wisdom The concept of sin as our tendency to f*** things upOur deep need for connection
In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:To learn more about Elizabeth and her work:
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-oldfield-5a5b6216 Website: https://www.elizabetholdfield.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ X: https://x.com/esoldfield Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times: https://a.co/d/4iFq69r Substack Newsletter: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ Larger Us Organization: https://larger.us/ The Sacred podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=1326888108This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) andTempleton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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This is the second part of our conversation with Andy Youniss, founder and former President and CEO of Rocket Software.
Youniss has been the guiding force behind Rocket’s innovation, acquisitions, partnerships, strategy, culture, and values since the company launched in 1990. Today, Rocket serves a diverse customer community all around the globe and continues to differentiate itself by delivering exceptional customer experiences and living its core values of empathy, humanity, trust, and love.In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:
Developing Rocket's company cultureBuilding trust at workThe importance of empathy in leadershipWhat music can teach us about leadershipAndy's advice for living a more integrated lifeTo learn more about Andy and his work at Rocket Software, you can find him at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-youniss-3093b664
Website: https://www.rocketsoftware.com/
X: https://x.com/RocketThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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In this episode, sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan interviews Andy Youniss, founder and former President and CEO of Rocket Software.
Andy has been the guiding force behind Rocket’s innovation, acquisitions, partnerships, strategy, culture, and values since the company launched in 1990. Today, Rocket serves a diverse customer community all around the globe and continues to differentiate itself by delivering exceptional customer experiences and living its core values of empathy, humanity, trust, and love. Andy currently serves as the company's executive chairman.Andy has been recognized as New England Technology Entrepreneur of the Year (2017) by EY and is one of the world’s foremost experts on making an impact through innovation in, and modernization of, mission-critical legacy technology. He has been a guest lecturer at Babson College, Berklee College of Music, The Catholic University of America, and Tufts University, and has inspired many through his TEDx talk about the meaningful intersection of music and technology throughout his life. In addition to his role as executive chairman at Rocket, Andy is a trustee at Boston Medical Center and at Berklee. He also mentors, coaches, and advises rising leaders and growing organizations such as Spoonfuls, The Record Co. and We Make Noise.
Youniss is also an accomplished pianist and guitarist who has performed on stage in Boston and Las Vegas, solo and with the Rocket Band, and has opened for Aerosmith, Elton John, Maroon 5, Gwen Stefani, Elvis Costello, and others.In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:
The impact of Andy's early musical experiencesHow Andy developed a passion for software developmentThe role of music in integrating personal and professional lifeThe beauty of problem-solving in both music and softwareThe transformative power of creativity and personal expressionTo learn more about Andy and his work at Rocket Software, you can find him at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-youniss-3093b664
Website: https://www.rocketsoftware.com/
X: https://x.com/RocketThis episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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This episode is a conversation with two experts combating our current loneliness crisis: Ron Ivey and Monika Jiang.
Ron Ivey is a writer, researcher, and strategic advisor to business, governments, and philanthropies with a focus on social trust, belonging, and human flourishing. Ron is currently the Managing Director of the Humanity 2.0 Institute and a Research Fellow at the Harvard Human Flourishing Program where he co-leads the Trust and Belonging Initiative. Ron also currently serves as a Fellow at the Centre for Public Impact, a global think tank seeking to re-imagine government and restore relationships between governments and those they govern. In 2017, Ron established a consultancy, Rembrandt Collective, to shape business strategies for trust, alignment and social impact.
Monika Jiang, a second-generation Chinese immigrant, has always walked the line between feeling estranged and belonging. Her journey, marked by oscillations between aloneness, loneliness, and connection, has profoundly influenced her personal and professional life, shaping her into a visionary who senses what wants to emerge as we move closer to ourselves, each other, and the world. Professionally, Monika has made a significant impact at the House of Beautiful Business. Here, she helped build a global community of 50,000 members dedicated to a life-centered economy. Monika’s deep desire to move from loneliness to oneliness inspired her to found the initiative Sharing Our Loneliness. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the paradoxical power of loneliness to reconnect us with ourselves and others. Through intimate gatherings, writing, and speaking engagements, Monika cultivates spaces for dialogue, connection, and community, addressing loneliness as a personal, collective, and societal challenge. Additionally, she is a teacher in training with Humanize, an evidence-based program focused on fostering emotional and social skills, and she practices these skills based on social neuroscientific research at the Max-Planck Institute in Berlin.
The need to create cities with shared spaces The stigma of discussing the shame and suffering that comes with lonelinessEmbracing the discomfort of lonelinessHow AI and new technologies are shaping loneliness and belonging The connection between awe and loneliness
In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:To learn more about Monika’s work, you can find her at:
Website: https://www.monikajiang.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monika.jiang/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monika-jiang/
To learn more about Ron’s work, you can find him at:
X: https://x.com/ronivey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monika.jiang/
Linkedin: https://fr.linkedin.com/in/ron-ivey-0bb9a33
This episode is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and
the Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
-
Sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan talks to two experts combating our current loneliness crisis: Ron Ivey and Monika Jiang.
Ron Ivey is a writer, researcher, and strategic advisor to business, governments, and philanthropies with a focus on social trust, belonging, and human flourishing. Ron is currently the Managing Director of the Humanity 2.0 Institute and a Research Fellow at the Harvard Human Flourishing Program where he co-leads the Trust and Belonging Initiative. Ron also currently serves as a Fellow at the Centre for Public Impact, a global think tank seeking to re-imagine government and restore relationships between governments and those they govern. In 2017, Ron established a consultancy, Rembrandt Collective, to shape business strategies for trust, alignment and social impact.Monika Jiang, a second-generation Chinese immigrant, has always walked the line between feeling estranged and belonging. Her journey, marked by oscillations between aloneness, loneliness, and connection, has profoundly influenced her personal and professional life, shaping her into a visionary who senses what wants to emerge as we move closer to ourselves, each other, and the world. Professionally, Monika has made a significant impact at the House of Beautiful Business. Here, she helped build a global community of 50,000 members dedicated to a life-centered economy. By curating and hosting transformative gatherings, she helped business leaders imagine and transform themselves and their environments. Monika’s deep desire to move from loneliness to oneliness inspired her to found the initiative Sharing Our Loneliness. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the paradoxical power of loneliness to reconnect us with ourselves and others. She is a teacher in training with Humanize, an evidence-based program focused on fostering emotional and social skills, and she practices these skills based on social neuroscientific research at the Max-Planck Institute in Berlin.
Loneliness and growing up in a multicultural environment How the experience of shared loneliness can actually bring us closer togetherCurrent research on loneliness and social cohesion and the blind spots in policiesCross-cultural differences in lonelinessThe surprising beauty that can be found within our experience of loneliness
In this episode we talk about:
To learn more about Monika’s work, you can find her at:
Website: https://www.monikajiang.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monika.jiang/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monika-jiang/
To learn more about Ron’s work, you can find him at:
X: https://x.com/ronivey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monika.jiang/
Linkedin: https://fr.linkedin.com/in/ron-ivey-0bb9a33
This episode is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and
the Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)Support the show
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