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The symposium was sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation.

Learn more at www.canbeautysavetheworld.com and www.beautyatwork.net

#beautyatwork #beauty #aesthetics #philosophy #philosophyofbeauty

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Before founding the Artificiality Institute, they co-founded Intelligentsia.ai, an AI-focused research firm acquired by Atlantic Media. Helen previously led large-scale technology and transformation efforts in critical infrastructure, while Dave spent years shaping creative tools at Apple and investing in emerging technologies as a venture capitalist at CRV and an equity research analyst at Morgan Stanley and ThinkEquity.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. Rethinking intelligence as something layered, embodied, and expressed in different forms
2.  The “SaaSpocalypse” moment on Wall Street
3.  The “Dust Bowl” metaphor and the risk of automating complex human systems too quickly
4.  Transition from the attention economy to the intimacy economy
5.  Dave and Helen’s reflections on what is lost when we use AI
6.  How AI systems uncover hidden structures in language, science, and the natural world
7.  Practical ways creators can decide where AI belongs in their creative process

To learn more about Helen and Dave’s work, you can find them at:

https://artificialityinstitute.org/ 

Books and resources mentioned:

The Artificiality, AI Culture, and Why the Future Will Be Co-Evolution (by Helen Edwards)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

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My guests today, Helen and Dave Edwards, have been working seriously on this question.

Helen and Dave Edwards are co-founders of the Artificiality Institute, a nonprofit research organization that helps people stay human in the age of AI. They explore how AI changes the way we think, who we become, and what it means to be human. Through story-based research, education, and community, they help people choose the relationship they want with machines, so they remain the authors of their own minds.

Before founding the Artificiality Institute, they co-founded Intelligentsia.ai, an AI-focused research firm acquired by Atlantic Media. Helen previously led large-scale technology and transformation efforts in critical infrastructure, while Dave spent years shaping creative tools at Apple and investing in emerging technologies as a venture capitalist at CRV and an equity research analyst at Morgan Stanley and ThinkEquity.

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1. Helen and Dave's early childhood experiences of beauty
2. The origin of the Artificiality Institute 
3.  How AI is already reshaping the way we reason, write, create, and make decisions
4.  What happens to human reasoning and decision-making when AI becomes part of our thinking process
5.  The difference between “drift” and intentional authorship when working with AI
6.  Cognitive sovereignty as the central challenge of the AI era
7.  How can people use AI deeply and skillfully
8.  The concept of symbolic plasticity and how AI can reshape the frameworks we use to understand the world

To learn more about Helen and Dave’s work, you can find them at:

https://artificialityinstitute.org/ 

Books and resources mentioned:

The Artificiality, AI Culture, and Why the Future Will Be Co-Evolution (by Helen Edwards)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Marco is the author of numerous books, including From Your Gods to Our Gods and Nelle mani di Dio, la super religione del mondo che verrà. Over the past decade, he has helped shape the emerging field exploring the encounter between religion and innovation.

In this episode, we explore Marco's work on bioethics and technoscience, their influential position paper mapping out this emerging field of religion and innovation, and what innovation really means in a religious context.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. The language of innovation

2. How do religious communities decide what kind of change is desirable?

3. Innovation, markets, and technology as rival meaning systems

4. Resistance movements as responses to innovation

5. Politicization and polarization in debates about markets and capitalism

To learn more about Marco’s work, you can find him at: 

• https://credo.unisi.it/about/secretariat-and-experts/person/marco

Links Mentioned:

• Religion, Innovation, Position paper, FBK 2019 - https://isr.fbk.eu/en/about-us/position-paper/ 
• Fondazione Bruno Kessler – https://www.fbk.eu/ 
• G20 Interfaith Forum – https://www.g20interfaith.org/ 
• Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – https://www.osce.org/

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Marco is the author of numerous books, including From Your Gods to Our Gods and Nelle mani di Dio, la super religione del mondo che verrà. Over the past decade, he has helped shape the emerging field exploring the encounter between religion and innovation.

In this episode, we explore Marco's work on bioethics and technoscience, their influential position paper mapping out this emerging field of religion and innovation, and what innovation really means in a religious context.

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1. The balance between tradition and contemporary art
2. The story of St. Francis and “repair my church” as a metaphor for renewal
3. Catholic Church’s response to reproductive technologies
4. Why “innovation” was chosen instead of simply “technology.”
5. Distinction between technological innovation and social innovation
6. Two categories of innovation
7. Why religious actors want a voice in innovation-driven global agendas
8. The use of innovation in a religious context

To learn more about Marco’s work, you can find him at: 

• https://credo.unisi.it/about/secretariat-and-experts/person/marco

Links Mentioned:

• Religion, Innovation, Position paper, FBK 2019 - https://isr.fbk.eu/en/about-us/position-paper/ 
• Fondazione Bruno Kessler – https://www.fbk.eu/ 
• G20 Interfaith Forum – https://www.g20interfaith.org/ 
• Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – https://www.osce.org/

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

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Louis Kim is a former Vice President at Hewlett-Packard, where he led teams in developing AI-enabled technologies for healthcare and other industries. After decades in corporate leadership, he is now pursuing a Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School, focusing on hospice and palliative care. Alongside his theological training, Louis participates in Vatican-sponsored conversations on principled AI in healthcare, exploring where technology can assist care and where it must not replace human presence.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. Why calling AI “inevitable” can obscure human agency and choice
2. The rapid adoption of AI scribes in medicine
3. Two aspects of the inevitability of AI
4.  AI and ethical dilemmas in healthcare ethics
5. The limits of “better than nothing” as a moral framework for AI
6. The painful beauty of unpredictability in human relationships
7. Shame, vulnerability, and why AI feels easier than people
8. The risk of bypassing growth through technological shortcuts
9.  Safeguarding dignity and belonging for the future of work

• To learn more about Allison’s work, you can find her at:                                            https://www.allisonpugh.com/ 
• To learn more about Louis’s work, you can find him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisjkim/ 
• Books and Resources Mentioned: The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (by Allison Pugh)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Louis Kim is a former Vice President at Hewlett-Packard, where he led teams in developing AI-enabled technologies for healthcare and other industries. After decades in corporate leadership, he is now pursuing a Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School, focusing on hospice and palliative care. Alongside his theological training, Louis participates in Vatican-sponsored conversations on principled AI in healthcare, exploring where technology can assist care and where it must not replace human presence.

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1.  What in-depth interviewing reveals about being truly seen
2.  How experiences of death shape our understanding of accompaniment
3.  The difference between emotional labor and connective labor
4.  How automation and standardization threaten dignity and belonging
5.  Why institutions rely on checklists, data, and control
6.  The factors driving institutional challenges to connective labor
7.  Why human connection is defined by unpredictability
8.  The role of moral formation in resisting depersonalization

• To learn more about Allison’s work, you can find her at:                                            https://www.allisonpugh.com/ 
• To learn more about Louis’s work, you can find him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisjkim/ 
• Books and Resources Mentioned: The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (by Allison Pugh)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Wendy Cadge is President of Bryn Mawr College and a nationally renowned sociologist of religion and spirituality. She is the founder of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab, which brings together chaplains, educators, and social scientists to study and support spiritual care across public institutions and community settings. Her work focuses on religious diversity, spirituality, and the role of chaplaincy in contemporary society.

Michael Skaggs is Director of Programs and Co-Founder of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab. A historian of American religion based at the University of Notre Dame, his research explores interfaith dialogue, maritime and port chaplaincy, American Catholicism, and emerging models of spiritual care. He oversees education, professional development, and public-facing initiatives for the Lab.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. The biggest challenges facing chaplaincy and spiritual care today
2. Business models and sustainability in spiritual care work
3. Barriers faced by spiritual care providers from minority faith traditions
4. What the “spiritual infrastructure of the future” really means
5. How congregational closures are reshaping where people find meaning and care
6. The promises and dangers of AI in spiritual care

To learn more about Wendy and Michael’s work, you can find them at:

• Wendy Cadge: https://www.brynmawr.edu/inside/people/wendy-cadge 
• Michael Skaggs: https://chaplaincyinnovation.org/team/michael-skaggs-phd 

Links Mentioned:

• Chaplaincy Innovation Lab – https://chaplaincyinnovation.org/ 
• Templeton Religion Trust – https://templetonreligiontrust.org/ 

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Wendy Cadge is President of Bryn Mawr College and a nationally renowned sociologist of religion and spirituality. She is the founder of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab, which brings together chaplains, educators, and social scientists to study and support spiritual care across public institutions and community settings. Her work focuses on religious diversity, spirituality, and the role of chaplaincy in contemporary society.

Michael Skaggs is Director of Programs and Co-Founder of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab. A historian of American religion based at the University of Notre Dame, his research explores interfaith dialogue, maritime and port chaplaincy, American Catholicism, and emerging models of spiritual care. He oversees education, professional development, and public-facing initiatives for the Lab.

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1. The origins and mission of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab
2. Traditional and emerging models of chaplaincy and spiritual care
3. The blurry boundaries of chaplaincy
4. Real applied value of good social, scientific, and historical research
5. Public perceptions of chaplains versus how chaplains describe their work
6. Chaplaincy as religious leadership in the future
7. The role of chaplains in addressing loneliness and isolation
8. Spiritual care beyond formal religion
9. Community-based and workplace chaplaincy models

To learn more about Wendy and Michael’s work, you can find them at:

• Wendy Cadge: https://www.brynmawr.edu/inside/people/wendy-cadge 
• Michael Skaggs: https://chaplaincyinnovation.org/team/michael-skaggs-phd 

Links Mentioned:

• Chaplaincy Innovation Lab – https://chaplaincyinnovation.org/ 
• Templeton Religion Trust – https://templetonreligiontrust.org/ 

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Scott’s work builds on more than two decades of field research and close mentorship under Clayton Christensen, spent over 20 years at Innosight, and is the author of several influential books, including his latest, Epic Disruptions.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. The three clear patterns of disruption
2. What Shiseido’s transformation reveals about balancing heritage and reinvention
3. Models of social generativity
4. Relationship between change and discomfort
5. The invisible “ghosts” that haunt organizations
6. Competing against non-consumption and why “something is better than nothing” drives disruption
7. The systemic dimension of innovation
8. The three shadows of innovation
9. What past disruptions can teach us about governing AI responsibly
10. What disruptive innovation might look like in religious and spiritual communities

To learn more about Scott’s work, you can find him at: 

https://www.innosight.com/ 

Books and resources mentioned:

• Epic Disruptions (by Scott D. Anthony)
• The Innovator’s Dilemma (by Clayton M. Christensen)
• The First Mile (by Scott D. Anthony)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Scott’s work builds on more than two decades of field research and close mentorship under Clayton Christensen, spent over 20 years at Innosight, and is the author of several influential books, including his latest, Epic Disruptions.

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1. The meaning of innovation: something different that creates value
2. How the meaning of “innovation” shifted from something dangerous to something sacred
3. Scott’s first encounter with Clayton Christensen
4. Clay Christensen’s regret over how the term “disruption” has been misused
5. The four big questions Scott poses about innovation
6. What Gutenberg’s printing press reveals about collective creativity and unintended consequences
7. The predictable and unpredictable nature of innovation
8. Lessons from a failed medical tourism venture on testing real demand

To learn more about Scott’s work, you can find him at: 

https://tuck.dartmouth.edu/faculty/faculty-directory/scott-d-anthony

https://www.innosight.com/ 

Books and resources mentioned:

• Epic Disruptions (by Scott D. Anthony)
• The Innovator’s Dilemma (by Clayton M. Christensen)
• The First Mile (by Scott D. Anthony)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Jaron Lanier coined the terms Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality and is widely regarded as a founding figure of the field. He has served as a leading critic of digital culture and social media, and his books include You Are Not a Gadget and Who Owns the Future? In 2018, Wired Magazine named him one of the 25 most influential people in technology of the previous 25 years. Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Jaron is currently the Prime Unifying Scientist at Microsoft’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer, which spells out “Octopus”, in reference to his fascination with cephalopod neurology. He is also a musician and composer who has recently performed or recorded with Sara Bareilles, T Bone Burnett, Jon Batiste, Philip Glass, and many others.

E. Glen Weyl is Founder and Research Lead at Microsoft Research’s Plural Technology Collaboratory and Co-Founder of the Plurality Institute and RadicalxChange Foundation. He is the co-author of Radical Markets and Plurality and works at the intersection of economics, technology, democracy, and social institutions.

Taylor Black is Director of AI & Venture Ecosystems in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft and the founding director of the Leonum Institute on Emerging Technologies and AI at The Catholic University of America. His background spans philosophy, law, and technology leadership.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. The idea that modern technology and AI, in particular, have taken on religious or idolatrous qualities

2. Why the Talmud offers a powerful model for collective intelligence without erasing individual voices

3. The dangers of excessive anonymity in digital systems and AI training

4. The idea of “superintelligences” as collective human systems like corporations, democracies, and religions

5. Vatican-led efforts toward algorithmic ethics and the protection of human dignity

6. Where Glen and Jaron disagree about human-centered AI

7. AI as a tool for metacognition

8. How imagination, storytelling, and shared meaning can shape the future of innovation

To learn more about Jaron, Glen and Taylor’s work, you can find them at: 

• Jaron Lanier - https://www.jaronlanier.com/ 
• Glen Weyl - https://glenweyl.com/ 
• Taylor Black - https://www.linkedin.com/in/blacktaylor/ 

Books and Resources mentioned:

• You Are Not a Gadget (Jaron Lanier)
• Who Owns the Future? (Jaron Lanier)
• Radical Markets (Eric Posner & E. Glen Weyl)
• Plurality (Audrey Tang & E. Glen Weyl)
• The Human Use of Human Beings (Norbert Wiener)
• The Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Jaron Lanier coined the terms Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality and is widely regarded as a founding figure of the field. He has served as a leading critic of digital culture and social media, and his books include You Are Not a Gadget and Who Owns the Future? In 2018, Wired Magazine named him one of the 25 most influential people in technology of the previous 25 years. Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Jaron is currently the Prime Unifying Scientist at Microsoft’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer, which spells out “Octopus”, in reference to his fascination with cephalopod neurology. He is also a musician and composer who has recently performed or recorded with Sara Bareilles, T Bone Burnett, Jon Batiste, Philip Glass, and many others.

E. Glen Weyl is Founder and Research Lead at Microsoft Research’s Plural Technology Collaboratory and Co-Founder of the Plurality Institute and RadicalxChange Foundation. He is the co-author of Radical Markets and Plurality and works at the intersection of economics, technology, democracy, and social institutions.

Taylor Black is Director of AI & Venture Ecosystems in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft and the founding director of the Leonum Institute on Emerging Technologies and AI at The Catholic University of America. His background spans philosophy, law, and technology leadership.

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1. How aesthetic experience shapes worldview, imagination, and intellectual vocation

2. The historical rivalry between artificial intelligence and cybernetics

3. The danger of treating AI as an object of faith or a replacement for human meaning

4. The psychological and spiritual costs of assuming people will become obsolete

5. A tension between two different modalities of beauty

To learn more about Jaron, Glen and Taylor’s work, you can find them at: 

• Jaron Lanier - https://www.jaronlanier.com/ 
• Glen Weyl - https://glenweyl.com/ 
• Taylor Black - https://www.linkedin.com/in/blacktaylor/ 

Books and Resources mentioned:

• You Are Not a Gadget (Jaron Lanier)
• Who Owns the Future? (Jaron Lanier)
• Radical Markets (Eric Posner & E. Glen Weyl)
• Plurality (Audrey Tang & E. Glen Weyl)
• The Human Use of Human Beings (Norbert Wiener)
• The Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

He has designed everything from books to organizations, working across six continents with artists, entrepreneurs, and leadership teams. He has advised companies including PayPal, Microsoft, and Interface, taught at institutions such as MIT, INSEAD, and the Sloan School of Management, and helped guide some of the world’s most innovative enterprises.

He is the author of four books, including No Straight Lines: Making Sense of Our Nonlinear World and Do Design: Why Beauty Is Key to Everything. His work has been featured in outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and The Huffington Post.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. Beauty as a quest for truth rather than surface aesthetics

2. What it means to create something like a jewel

3. Inevitability in design

4. Beauty as a metric for innovation

5. The distinction between extractive and regenerative approaches

6. Beauty as a verb and everyday practices for “doing beauty.” 

To learn more about Alan’s work, you can find him at:

https://thebeautifuldesignproject.com/ 

Books and resources mentioned:

• No Straight Lines: Making Sense of Our Nonlinear World (by Alan Moore)
• Do Design: Why Beauty Is Key to Everything (by Alan Moore)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

He has designed everything from books to organizations, working across six continents with artists, entrepreneurs, and leadership teams. He has advised companies including PayPal, Microsoft, and Interface, taught at institutions such as MIT, INSEAD, and the Sloan School of Management, and helped guide some of the world’s most innovative enterprises.

He is the author of four books, including No Straight Lines: Making Sense of Our Nonlinear World and Do Design: Why Beauty Is Key to Everything. His work has been featured in outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and The Huffington Post.

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1. Beauty as a sense of homecoming to self, family, and the natural world

2. Why beauty is felt in the body, not just understood in the mind

3. Beauty as something soulful, universal, and deeply human

4. Living and working through the transition from analog to digital culture

5. Innovation as seeing latent potential and unmet human needs

6. The idea of beauty as the “ultimate metric” for decision-making

7. How beauty challenges dominant ideas of success, value, and the good life

To learn more about Alan’s work, you can find him at:

https://thebeautifuldesignproject.com/ 

Books and resources mentioned:

• No Straight Lines: Making Sense of Our Nonlinear World (by Alan Moore)
• Do Design: Why Beauty Is Key to Everything (by Alan Moore)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

In 1999, she co-founded Bellisse and co-invented the Compressure Comfort® Bra, a breakthrough medical garment now supporting breast cancer survivors worldwide. She has been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (2022), received a U.S. Congressional Commendation, and has long served as an advocate for women’s health, most notably through her leadership roles at the Epilepsy Foundation of America.

She is the author of Beauty as Action (2017), her philosophical guide to practicing “True Beauty,” and the acclaimed memoir Unleash the Girls (2019).

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. True beauty is harmony rather than glamour
2. The problem of living in a culture rooted in fear, competition, and accumulation
3. “Practicing beauty” works through simple, everyday disciplines
4. Lisa’s 16 practices of beauty
5. The three-legged stool of truth, beauty, and justice

To learn more about Lisa’s work, visit:

• https://www.lisalindahl.com/ 
• https://beautyinaction.com/ 

Links Mentioned:

• Beauty as Action by Lisa Z. Lindahl
• Unleash the Girls (Lisa’s memoir on inventing the sports bra)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

In 1999, she co-founded Bellisse and co-invented the Compressure Comfort® Bra, a breakthrough medical garment now supporting breast cancer survivors worldwide. She has been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (2022), received a U.S. Congressional Commendation, and has long served as an advocate for women’s health, most notably through her leadership roles at the Epilepsy Foundation of America.

She is the author of Beauty as Action (2017), her philosophical guide to practicing “True Beauty,” and the acclaimed memoir Unleash the Girls (2019).

In this first part of our conversation, we talked about:

1. Lisa’s earliest encounters with beauty, from frozen rivers to childhood moments of oneness with nature
2. The story behind the first Jogbra prototype and why sewing “stretch on stretch” is its own art
3. Why the need for the sports bra was far greater than she ever imagined
4. The surprising moment when she realized that “beauty is what really matters.”
5. What she means by true beauty and why she believes it is eternal

To learn more about Lisa’s work, visit:

• https://www.lisalindahl.com/ 
• https://beautyinaction.com/ 

Links Mentioned:

• Beauty as Action by Lisa Z. Lindahl
• Unleash the Girls (Lisa’s memoir on inventing the sports bra)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Today, John serves as the Global Staff Director for the IEEE Planet Positive 2030 Program, guiding efforts that prioritize both ecological and human flourishing in technological design. But his perspective on AI doesn’t begin with policy or engineering; it starts with love, vulnerability, and the deep spiritual questions that have shaped his life.

Previously, John was an EVP of Social Media at Porter Novelli and was a professional actor for over 15 years.  John has written for Mashable and The Guardian and is author of the books, Heartificial Intelligence: Embracing Our Humanity To Maximize Machines, Hacking Happiness: Why Your Personal Data Counts and How Tracking it Can Change the World, and Tactical Transparency: How Leaders Can Leverage Social Media to Maximize Value and Build their Brand.  John is also an expert with AI and Faith. 

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. The core of reality as love
2. Dangers of ignoring grief
3. Why values must be integrated into AI systems from the very beginning
4. How generative AI entered classrooms and workplaces without care, consent, or love
5. The seductive danger of simulated relationships
6. The role of faith communities in an automated society
7. John’s GAP framework: gratitude, altruism, and purpose
8. Risks of using AI in religious settings
9. How genuine community embodies the kind of love and dignity that technology must never replace

To learn more about John’s work:

• IEEE Planet Positive 2030 Program – https://sagroups.ieee.org/planetpositive 
• IEEE 7000 Standards Series – https://standards.ieee.org 

Books and resources mentioned:

• Heartificial Intelligence: Embracing Our Humanity to Maximize Machines (John Havens)
• Hacking Happiness: Why Your Personal Data Counts and How Tracking it Can Change the World (John Havens)
• The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power (Shoshana Zuboff)
• Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (Sherry Turkle)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Today, John serves as the Global Staff Director for the IEEE Planet Positive 2030 Program, guiding efforts that prioritize both ecological and human flourishing in technological design. But his perspective on AI doesn’t begin with policy or engineering; it starts with love, vulnerability, and the deep spiritual questions that have shaped his life.

Previously, John was an EVP of Social Media at Porter Novelli and was a professional actor for over 15 years.  John has written for Mashable and The Guardian and is author of the books, Heartificial Intelligence: Embracing Our Humanity To Maximize Machines, Hacking Happiness: Why Your Personal Data Counts and How Tracking it Can Change the World, and Tactical Transparency: How Leaders Can Leverage Social Media to Maximize Value and Build their Brand.  John is also an expert with AI and Faith. 

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1. How love reframes “weakness” in both human life and AI ethics
2. The impact of generative AI on creativity, intellectual property, and the erosion of human craftsmanship
3. The dangers of anthropomorphism in AI design
4. Ways AI systems undermine our capacity for conscious choice
5. How the surveillance economy and advertising systems shape our habits and decisions
6. Positive psychology matters for designing technology that supports well-being
7. What dreams, virtual reality, the spatial web, data, and spiritual life have in common

To learn more about John’s work:

• IEEE Planet Positive 2030 Program – https://sagroups.ieee.org/planetpositive 
• IEEE 7000 Standards Series – https://standards.ieee.org 

Books and resources mentioned:

• Heartificial Intelligence: Embracing Our Humanity to Maximize Machines (John Havens)
• Hacking Happiness: Why Your Personal Data Counts and How Tracking it Can Change the World (John Havens)
• The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power (Shoshana Zuboff)
• Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (Sherry Turkle)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Casper Ter Kuile shares insight and inspiration on the future of community, ritual, and spirituality. He is the author of The Power of Ritual and co-founder of Sacred Design Lab. He also co-created the hit podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, co-founded Nearness, and co-authored the influential paper How We Gather.

Angie Thurston is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sacred Design Lab. She has worked with hundreds of innovative leaders, finding new ways to address spiritual longings amid religious change. Angie has co-written eight widely read reports on the evolving landscape of community and spiritual life, including How We Gather.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. What makes spiritual innovation succeed: how to meet innovators’ practical, relational, and spiritual needs
2. How projects endure, and what sustainable models beyond individual founders and short-term funding might look like
3. Common pitfalls such as ethical lapses, burnout, and the challenge of translating sacred traditions responsibly
4. Gen Z’s openness to religion and search for meaning, purpose, and belonging
5. The new Spiritual Innovation Hub and a call for cross-sector collaboration and shared wisdom

To learn more about Casper and Angie’s work, you can find them at: https://www.sacred.design 

Books and resources mentioned:

• The Power of Ritual (by Casper Ter Kuile)
• How We Gather (by Casper Ter Kuile & Angie Thurston)
• Harry Potter and the Sacred Text (podcast)
• Illuminating Spiritual Innovation (report by Sacred Design Lab)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Casper Ter Kuile shares insight and inspiration on the future of community, ritual, and spirituality. He is the author of The Power of Ritual and co-founder of Sacred Design Lab. He also co-created the hit podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, co-founded Nearness, and co-authored the influential paper How We Gather.

Angie Thurston is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sacred Design Lab. She has worked with hundreds of innovative leaders, finding new ways to address spiritual longings amid religious change. Angie has co-written eight widely read reports on the evolving landscape of community and spiritual life, including How We Gather.

In this first part of our conversation, we discuss:

1. The origins of Sacred Design Lab and its mission
2. What “spiritual innovation” means and how it appears across traditions
3. The story behind Harry Potter and the Sacred Text and how reading can become a spiritual practice
4. What it means to design for risk in ritual and liturgy
5. Why the term “spiritual innovation” can be both inspiring and controversial
6. Real stories of spiritual innovators around the world: Buddhist monks leading meditation in the metaverse to Muslim leaders blending theology with psychology

To learn more about Casper and Angie’s work, you can find them at: https://www.sacred.design 

Books and resources mentioned:

• The Power of Ritual (by Casper Ter Kuile)
• How We Gather (by Casper Ter Kuile & Angie Thurston)
• Harry Potter and the Sacred Text (podcast)
• Illuminating Spiritual Innovation (report by Sacred Design Lab)

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

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Matt Ridley's books have sold over a million copies, been translated into 31 languages and won several awards. His books include The Red Queen, Genome, The Rational Optimist, The Evolution of Everything, How Innovation Works, and Viral: the search for the origin of covid-19 (co-authored with Alina Chan). His latest book is Birds, Sex, and Beauty.

He served the House of Lords between 2013 and 2021 and served on the science and technology select committee and the artificial intelligence select committee.

He was founding chairman of the International Centre for Life in Newcastle. He created the Mind and Matter column in the Wall Street Journal in 2010 and was a columnist for the Times 2013-2018.

 He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He lives in Northumberland.

In this episode, we talk about:

1. The myth of “disruptive innovation” and the overlooked beauty of incremental progress
2. The real relationship between basic science and technology
3. Why Ridley still calls himself a “rational optimist”
4. Why freedom, not brilliance, is the secret sauce of innovation
5. How universities and industry can collaborate to keep creativity alive

To learn more about Matt’s work, you can find him at: https://www.mattridley.co.uk/ 

Books and resources mentioned:

• Birds, Sex and Beauty (by Matt Ridley) 
• How Innovation Works (by Matt Ridley)
• The Rational Optimist (by Matt Ridley)
• The Mating Mind (by Geoffrey Miller)
• The Descent of Man (by Charles Darwin)
• The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection (by Ronald Fisher)
• Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty (by Nancy Etcoff)
• The Rational Optimist Society – rationaloptimistsociety.com 

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

Matt Ridley's books have sold over a million copies, been translated into 31 languages and won several awards. His books include The Red Queen, Genome, The Rational Optimist and The Evolution of Everything. His book on “How Innovation Works” was published in 2020, and "Viral: the search for the origin of covid-19", co-authored with Alina Chan, was published in 2021.

He served the House of Lords between 2013 and 2021 and served on the science and technology select committee and the artificial intelligence select committee.

He was founding chairman of the International Centre for Life in Newcastle. He created the Mind and Matter column in the Wall Street Journal in 2010 and was a columnist for the Times 2013-2018.

 He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He lives in Northumberland.

In this episode, we talk about:

1. How Ridley’s childhood fascination with birds led him to study evolution
2. The courtship rituals of black grouse and the surprising role of female choice
3. How Ronald Fisher’s “sexy sons” hypothesis changed everything
4. What bowerbirds can teach us about aesthetics and art
5. Sexual selection as a driver of creativity, humor, and the human brain

To learn more about Matt’s work, you can find him at: https://www.mattridley.co.uk/ 

Books and resources mentioned:

• Birds, Sex and Beauty (by Matt Ridley) 
• How Innovation Works (by Matt Ridley)
• The Rational Optimist (by Matt Ridley)
• The Mating Mind (by Geoffrey Miller)
• The Descent of Man (by Charles Darwin)
• The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection (by Ronald Fisher)
• Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty (by Nancy Etcoff)
• The Rational Optimist Society – rationaloptimistsociety.com 

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.

Support the show

What really drives human progress? What is innovation, and why is innovation not just a feature of modern society but a law of life? How do energy, cooperation, and culture shape the way we create new ideas?

These are ideal questions with which to launch our new podcast season on the beauty and burdens of innovation, and I can’t think of anyone better suited to address them than my guest today.

Dr. Michael Muthukrishna is joint Professor of Economic Psychology at the London School of Economics and Professor of Psychology at NYU (from January 2026). At LSE, he is also Affiliate of the Data Science Institute and STICERD Developmental Economics Group. Michael is co-founder and Technical Director of The Database of Religious History (religiondatabase.org), founder of the LSE Culturalytik project (culturalytik.com), London School of Artificial Intelligence (lsai.org.uk), and Center for Human Progress (humanprogress.center), Research Lead of Cities, Culture, and Technology at the African School of Economics’ Africa Urban Lab (aul.city), and Scientific Advisor at the AI startup Electric Twin (electrictwin.com). Michael's research applies an evolutionary framework to understand human cooperation, tackling key topics, including: the barriers to cooperation, particularly how different mechanisms of cooperation (such as family ties versus impartial institutions) can potentially undermine each other; the impact of cultural differences on psychology and behavior; the processes of social learning; and how these learning processes drive innovation and cultural change. His research and interviews have appeared in outlets including CNN, BBC, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Scientific American, PBS, Vice, Newsweek, Time, New York Magazine, Nature News, Science News, The Times, The Telegraph, and The Guardian. Michael’s research is informed by his educational background in engineering and psychology, with graduate training in evolutionary biology, economics, and statistics, and his personal background living in Sri Lanka, Botswana, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Canada, United States, and United Kingdom. He is the author of A Theory of Everyone: The new science of who we are, how we got here, and where we’re going (MIT Press / Basic Books).

In this episode, we talk about:

1. The compass model and the adjacent possible zone
2. How to solve the paradox of diversity
3. Three ingredients of evolution: Variation, transmission, selection
4. The promise and pitfalls of AI - The Second Enlightenment
5. The promise of AI to create abundance
6. The relationship between innovation and religion

To learn more about Michael’s work, you can find him at: https://www.michael.muthukrishna.com/ 

Links Mentioned:
A Theory of Everyone by Michael Muthukrishna - https://www.atheoryofeveryone.com/ 

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust

Support the show

These are ideal questions with which to launch our new podcast season on the beauty and burdens of innovation, and I can’t think of anyone better suited to address them than my guest today.

Dr. Michael Muthukrishna is joint Professor of Economic Psychology at the London School of Economics and Professor of Psychology at NYU (from January 2026). At LSE, he is also Affiliate of the Data Science Institute and STICERD Developmental Economics Group. Michael is co-founder and Technical Director of The Database of Religious History (religiondatabase.org), founder of the LSE Culturalytik project (culturalytik.com), London School of Artificial Intelligence (lsai.org.uk), and Center for Human Progress (humanprogress.center), Research Lead of Cities, Culture, and Technology at the African School of Economics’ Africa Urban Lab (aul.city), and Scientific Advisor at the AI startup Electric Twin (electrictwin.com). Michael's research applies an evolutionary framework to understand human cooperation, tackling key topics, including: the barriers to cooperation, particularly how different mechanisms of cooperation (such as family ties versus impartial institutions) can potentially undermine each other; the impact of cultural differences on psychology and behavior; the processes of social learning; and how these learning processes drive innovation and cultural change. His research and interviews have appeared in outlets including CNN, BBC, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Scientific American, PBS, Vice, Newsweek, Time, New York Magazine, Nature News, Science News, The Times, The Telegraph, and The Guardian. Michael’s research is informed by his educational background in engineering and psychology, with graduate training in evolutionary biology, economics, and statistics, and his personal background living in Sri Lanka, Botswana, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Canada, United States, and United Kingdom. He is the author of A Theory of Everyone: The new science of who we are, how we got here, and where we’re going (MIT Press / Basic Books).

In this episode, we talk about:

1. Michael's encounter with beauty in Botswana
2. The impact of culture on bad foreign policy and global problems
3. The “four laws of life” that underlie human progress
4. Difference between cooperation and competition
5. How innovation really happens through the “collective brain”

To learn more about Michael’s work, you can find him at: https://www.michael.muthukrishna.com/ 

Links Mentioned:
A Theory of Everyone by Michael Muthukrishna - https://www.atheoryofeveryone.com/ 

This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust

Support the show

Brian shares how AI can be built differently—safely, ethically, and in partnership with human insight—for high-stakes, real-world applications. From malaria detection in mosquitoes to the myth of superintelligence, the conversation explores the promises and perils of AI, and how beauty—in simplicity, function, and deep understanding—emerges in the process.

Mullins discusses why we’re a long way away from AI transforming into a super-intelligence that truly rivals human intelligence. And, he shares where he finds beauty in his work.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/14500178
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #BrandonVaidyanathan #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #BrianMullins #MindFoundry #Superintelligence #ScienceAndBeauty #UnderstandingAI #AIInnovation #TechForGood #FutureOfAI #EthicalTech #OxfordAI #HumanCenteredAI #ResponsibleAI

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In this clip from the Beauty at Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan speaks with Timothy Myers, acclaimed conductor and Music Director of the Austin Opera. Myers shares deeply personal stories—from his early musical memories at a powwow in Oklahoma to the transformative moment of hearing Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade live. He reflects on the collaborative nature of conducting, the aesthetic principles behind orchestral sound, and why live performance is more than entertainment—it's a sacred act of communal enchantment.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/14411268
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

 #TimothyMyers #BeautyAtWork #ClassicalMusic #OrchestralMusic #AustinOpera #LivePerformance #MusicAndBeauty #Conducting #ArtisticLeadership #MusicPodcast #EnchantmentThroughArt #BrandonVaidyanathan #SacredArt #PowerOfSound #MusicalJourney #ModernClassical

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In this episode of the Beauty at Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan speaks with Wayne about the role of vulnerability in his creative process, how his artwork opens space for healing conversations, and why untrained hands often produce the most powerful pieces. Wayne also shares what he’s learned from working with veterans, healthcare workers, and others processing deep pain through art.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/14296065
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #WayneBrezinka #BrandonVaidyanathan #ArtHealing #ArtAndTrauma #ArtPodcast #TraumaRecovery #MentalHealthAwareness #Inspiration #StoryThroughArt #PodcastEpisode #CreativeExpression #HealingThroughArt #MixedMediaArt #ArtWorkshops

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In this clip from the Beauty at Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan speaks with Michael about his new co-edited academic book on digital fashion. They explore the origins of digital garments, the impact of virtual try-ons on sustainability, and the deep human drive for aesthetic expression. Michael explains how digital fashion opens up new possibilities for self-expression, challenges traditional fashion norms, and intersects with issues of equity, decoloniality, and even Supreme Court rulings.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/14217467
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

 #BeautyAtWork #DigitalFashion #Aesthetics #PhilosophyOfBeauty #MichaelSpicher #VirtualFashion #FashionAndTech #BeautyPolitics #PhilosophyPodcast #BrandonVaidyanathan #SustainabilityInFashion #MetaverseFashion #VirtualTryOn #Neuroaesthetics #BeautyAndJustice

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In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan welcomes Jennifer to explore her remarkable journey—from working at Merrill Lynch to becoming a beauty industry pioneer and nature wellness advocate. She shares how early TV appearances and entrepreneurial grit helped launch one of the first apothecary-style beauty boutiques in the U.S., and how her personal healing in Central Park sparked a mission to reconnect people with the natural world.

Together, they unpack the science of biophilia, how design impacts well-being, and why walking slowly through nature may be one of the most profound forms of self-care today.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2043099/episodes/14144885
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

 #JenniferWalsh #Biophilia #NatureHeals #WellnessWalks #BeautyBar #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #MindfulLiving #BeautyIndustry #BiophilicDesign #HealingWithNature #WalkWithWalsh #BrainOnNature #BeautyAndWellness #PodcastInterview #NatureTherapy

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This conversation explores the deeper power of fashion—not just as an industry, but as a transformative, expressive force in our lives.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/14060070
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #DCFashionWeek #EanWilliams #CreativeJourneys #FashionJourney #ModelLife #FromRejectionToSuccess #EngineeringMeetsFashion #FashionAndIdentity #ConfidenceThroughStyle #BehindTheScenes #DesignWithPurpose

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In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan talks with Chris Everett about how he and his husband transformed an old farm into Everwood, an artist retreat rooted in nature, creativity, and community. Chris reflects on the healing power of the arts, his mission to support artists, and how beauty can open hearts—even across ideological divides.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13967102
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #ChrisEverett #ArtsRetreat #CreativeHealing #EverwoodFarm #ArtAndCommunity #BeautyInDiversity #ArtistSupport #MusicForHealing #PodcastClips #TransformThroughArt #BrandonVaidyanathan #SacredSpaces #ArtsNonprofit

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In this clip from the Beauty At Work podcast, host Brandon Vaidyanathan is joined by Esther Blásquez Blanco for a profound conversation on what it truly means to create a "beautiful" culture within an organization. Esther challenges the idea of perfection, emphasizing that beauty in culture lies in commitment, honesty, and human connection. From resisting copy-paste culture fixes to nurturing safe mental spaces, she shares real-life insights, practical advice, and a refreshing approach to leadership. A must-listen for leaders, consultants, and anyone passionate about workplace transformation.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2043099/episodes/13877333
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

 #CompanyCulture #BeautifulLeadership #OrganizationalChange #WorkplaceWellbeing #EstherBlazquezBlanco #BeautyAtWork #LeadershipDevelopment #HumanCenteredWork #CultureConsulting #BrandonVaidyanathan #SafeSpacesAtWork #ConsciousLeadership #WorkplaceTransformation

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In this clip of Beauty At Work episode, hosted by Brandon Vaidyanathan, Dr. Kaplan reflects on his intellectual journey—from global exploration and entrepreneurship to the study of fragile states and American communities. Drawing from his book Fragile Neighborhoods, he emphasizes the foundational role of social relationships in national stability and personal well-being, and explores how neighborhood-level vitality holds the key to reversing societal decline.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13769256
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#SethKaplan #PoliticalScience #FragileStates #BeautyAtWork #PodcastEpisode #BeautyAtWork #BrandonVaidyanathan #NeighborhoodsMatter #ThrivingCommunities #BeautifulNeighborhoods

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What motivates a musical theater professional to become a personal trainer and Pilates instructor? From dancing on stage to teaching at Disney and building a massive online following, Sean reveals what it means to find harmony between art, fitness, and personal growth.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13682599
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #SeanVigue #YogaLife #PilatesInstructor #FromStageToStudio #MovementAsArt #FitnessJourney #TheaterToWellness #MindBodyConnection #PilatesLife #YogaForEveryone #ArtAndDiscipline #WellnessWisdom

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For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13587754
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #PallaviDean #RoarDesign #DesignWithEmpathy #ArchitectureAndBeauty #ImperfectionInDesign #WomenInArchitecture #CreativeLeadership #HumanCenteredDesign #BuiltEnvironment #Dubai

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For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13501443
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #ScienceAndBeauty #DaveGammon #BrandonVaidyanathan  #MockingbirdMindscapes #BeautyInTheWild #VariationOnATheme #SongsOfScience #ScientificStorytelling #InterdisciplinaryImprov #FromBigBangToUs #FearTheMockingbird #ChorusOfCuriosity #BiologyInHarmony

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How is aesthetics a tool for social justice? Public intellectual Dr. Sheri Parks shares how her projects harness the powerful beauty of dance, art therapy, indigo dye, and more to transform communities.

From healing trauma through art and movement, to restoring economic and cultural dignity through the Indigo Dye Initiative, Parks reveals how beauty functions as a force for resilience, justice, and joy. Learn how aesthetics can reconnect communities, empower Black farmers, and provide meaningful labor for returning citizens.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13387670
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #SheriParks #IndigoDyeInitiative #AestheticHealing #CulturalRevival #BlackFarming #ArtTherapy #SocialImpact #BeautyAndJustice #CreativeEconomy #HealingThroughArt #AestheticsMatter #BaltimoreInitiatives #ReturnToRoots #BeautyForChange

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In conversation with Brandon Vaidyanathan, Tim reflects on his early influences, the cultural disillusionment he experienced in Silicon Valley, and the emergence of a countercultural movement rooted in beauty, emotion, and imagination. He introduces the concept of a “life-centered” economy—one that honors all life within and around us—and shares how the House of Beautiful Business is building spaces for meaningful change across the corporate world.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13304558
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #PodcastEpisode #NewEpisode #TimLeberecht #BrandonVaidyanathan #BeautifulBusiness #RomanticBusiness #LifeCenteredEconomy #WorkplaceWellbeing #BusinessWithSoul #FutureOfWork #HumanizingWork #EmotionalIntelligence #BusinessPhilosophy #MeaningfulWork #LeadershipWithHeart #WorkplaceCulture

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In this episode of Beauty At Work, Adi joins sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan to reflect on her deeply personal journey through architecture, travel, and human connection. From hitchhiking in India to reimagining a hotel in Japan, she explores how spaces shape our emotions, behavior, and sense of belonging. Drawing from universal patterns of human comfort—like refuge, beauty, and interaction—Cohen invites us to see architecture not as static form, but as a living dialogue with place, culture, and the human spirit.

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13220549
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

Hashtags:
#BeautyAtWork #ArchitectureAndTravel #AdiCohen #DesignForBelonging #NomadicArchitect #HumanCenteredDesign #GlobalArchitecture #CreativeJourneys #SpacesThatInspire #ArchitectureOfConnection #DesigningBeauty #BrandonVaidyanathan #TedxSpeaker #WomenInDesign #ArchitecturePodcast

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The panelists are:
Dr. Alan Lightman (physicist and Professor of the Practice of the humanities at MIT, and author of numerous books including most recently, the The Miraculous from the Material) - he was a guest on Season 3

Dr. Neil Theise (professor of pathology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, pioneer of adult stem stell plasticity and the interstitium, and author of "Notes on Complexity: A Scientific Theory of Connection, Consciousness, and Being,”)

Dr. Scarlet Soriano, Executive Director at Duke Health & Well-Being, whose work focuses on the development of equity-based and community-grounded health and well-being interventions;

and Dr. Katy Hinman is the Director of Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion (DoSER) program at the American Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS),

The panel was moderated by Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn, who is the creator, writer, host and executive producer of Closer To Truth, the long-running public television series and leading global resource on Cosmos, Life, Mind, and Meaning.

Together, they discuss: Can spirituality coexist with scientific rationality? How do love, consciousness, and our connection to the universe shape our understanding of life's purpose?

This event, sponsored by The John Templeton Foundation and produced by Rohan Routroy and Thirty Eight, explores and debates diverse approaches to consciousness and spirituality in an age of science.

Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iaUV4QWbZcI

#ScienceAndSpirituality #ScienceAndReligion #MeaningOfLife #CloserToTruth #Consciousness #AlanLightman #NeilTheise

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For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13121277
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#BeautyAtWork #ScienceAndArt #FutureThinking #ClimateChange #SpeculativeFutures #Interdisciplinary #Microbiome #ScienceCommunication #ArtAndScience #RobDunn

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For the full interview see:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/13028725
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#Architecture #BeautyAndSpirituality #ThoughtfulDesign #SpiritualArchitecture #DesignWithPurpose #WellBeing #ArchitecturalDesign #HarmonyInDesign #NatureAndDesign #AwardWinningArchitect #RachaelGrochowski #PeacefulSpaces #SpiritualityInDesign

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For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/episodes/12950416
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#AestheticIntelligence #CorporateCulture #BusinessSuccess #LuxuryGoods #HospitalityIndustry #Branding #CustomerRelationships #BusinessEthics #AuthenticityInBusiness #MeaningfulConnections #Starbucks #CreativeLeadership #PaulineBrown #BusinessInnovation

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There is no doubt that loneliness and a widespread malaise characterize the lives of young and not-so-young generations. The speakers have dedicated their professional careers to studying societal changes and will look at the root causes of this unease. They will also discuss the impact of social media on human identity and relationships and reflect on ways to address them.

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There is no doubt that loneliness and a widespread malaise characterize the lives of young and not-so-young generations. The speakers have dedicated their professional careers to studying societal changes and will look at the root causes of this unease. They will also discuss the impact of social media on human identity and relationships and reflect on ways to address them.

Support the show

It has become increasingly difficult to pay attention to what is in front of us. We have lost the habit of marveling at things and are thus often deprived of a fundamental human experience. The speakers dialogue on the essential role that attentive observation and wonder play in scientific research and education. They also address how the practice of science, starting from the experience of awe and curiosity about nature, can evoke existential questions that lead to ultimate meaning.

This panel is sponsored by the Meaning and Mystery in Science initiative funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iaUV4QWbZcI

Support the show

It has become increasingly difficult to pay attention to what is in front of us. We have lost the habit of marveling at things and are thus often deprived of a fundamental human experience. The speakers dialogue on the essential role that attentive observation and wonder play in scientific research and education. They also address how the practice of science, starting from the experience of awe and curiosity about nature, can evoke existential questions that lead to ultimate meaning.

This panel is sponsored by the Meaning and Mystery in Science initiative funded by the John Templeton Foundation.

Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iaUV4QWbZcI

Support the show

Francesca’s work has been featured on The Today Show, Marie Claire, and The New York Times, and she’s the founder of The True Love Society—a community for those seeking deeper romantic and self-love. In this episode, Francesca dives into the transformative power of self-love and how it shapes our ability to form healthy relationships.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

• Importance of Vulnerability
• Love Confidence
• Breaking Negative Dating Patterns
• Commitment and Cultural Conditioning
• Shifting Negative Beliefs About Love

Tune in for an episode that will empower you to nurture love in every aspect of your life.

To learn more about Franscesca visit these links:

• Francesca on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dearfranny?igsh=bmNqZWNycHh1OThi 
• How to Find True Love by Francesca Hogi - https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/francesca-hogi/how-to-find-true-love/9781538769577/?lens=balance 
• Dear Franny Podcast -https://pod.link/1475127865 
• Francesca’s TED Talk - https://www.instagram.com/dearfranny?igsh=bmNqZWNycHh1OThi 

This episode is sponsored by:

• John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/ )
• Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Tags:

#LoveCoach #FindingLove #TrueLove #SelfLove #DatingTips #RelationshipAdvice #HealthyRelationships #DearFrannyPodcast #SelfCompassion #Confidence #SpiritualConnection #ValentinesDay #Matchmaking #JourneyToLove

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Francesca’s work has been featured on The Today Show, Marie Claire, and The New York Times, and she’s the founder of The True Love Society—a community for those seeking deeper romantic and self-love. In this episode, Francesca dives into the transformative power of self-love and how it shapes our ability to form healthy relationships.

In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:

• Love is an Active Practice, Not Just a Feeling
• The Dangers of the "Fairy Tale" Narrative
• Self-Love as a Foundation for Healthy Relationships
• Rejection and its Impact on Self-Worth
• Attraction Shifts as You Grow in Love

Tune in for an episode that will empower you to nurture love in every aspect of your life.

To learn more about Franscesca visit these links:

• Francesca on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dearfranny?igsh=bmNqZWNycHh1OThi 
• How to Find True Love by Francesca Hogi - https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/francesca-hogi/how-to-find-true-love/9781538769577/?lens=balance 
• Dear Franny Podcast -https://pod.link/1475127865 
• Francesca’s TED Talk - https://www.instagram.com/dearfranny?igsh=bmNqZWNycHh1OThi 

This episode is sponsored by:

• John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/ )
• Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Tags:

#LoveCoach #FindingLove #TrueLove #SelfLove #DatingTips #RelationshipAdvice #HealthyRelationships #DearFrannyPodcast #SelfCompassion #Confidence #SpiritualConnection #ValentinesDay #Matchmaking #JourneyToLove

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In this episode, we’re joined by Deepa Gulrukh Patel, a creative facilitator blending arts, sciences, and social justice. Her work spans refugee camps, cultural diversity, bereavement support, and contemplative education, collaborating with organizations like the UNHCR, the London College of Fashion, and the Fetzer Institute to build healing-centered, sustainable initiatives.  

We’re also joined by Dr. Angel Acosta, a leader in mindfulness, social justice, and healing-centered education. With a doctorate in curriculum and teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, Angel creates transformative frameworks like the Contemplating 400 Years of Inequality Experience to address structural inequities and foster restorative practices.  

Together, Deepa and Angel share profound insights on healing trauma, supporting frontline workers, and building resilience through mindful education and community-centered approaches.

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

• Becoming wounded healers
• The importance of listening and presence
• Resilience for frontline workers
• Burnout in caregiving jobs
• Agency over labels

To learn more about Dr. Angel Acosta and Deepa Gulrukh Patel follow these links:

Deepa:
Jordan Refugee Camps - https://www.dress4ourtime.org/
Center for Sustainable Fashion- https://www.sustainable-fashion.com/vital-signs
Inayitiyya Org - https://inayatiyya.org/
Tamasha Theatre Company - https://tamasha.org.uk/
The Loss Foundation - https://thelossfoundation.org/
Charis Interspirituality Org - https://charisinterspirituality.org/ 

Dr. Angel:
Website - https://www.drangelacosta.com
Podcast - https://www.drangelacosta.com/podcast
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-angel-acosta-1886653b 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/ )
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

In this episode, we’re joined by Deepa Gulrukh Patel, a creative facilitator blending arts, sciences, and social justice. Her work spans refugee camps, cultural diversity, bereavement support, and contemplative education, collaborating with organizations like the UNHCR, the London College of Fashion, and the Fetzer Institute to build healing-centered, sustainable initiatives.  

We’re also joined by Dr. Angel Acosta, a leader in mindfulness, social justice, and healing-centered education. With a doctorate in curriculum and teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, Angel creates transformative frameworks like the Contemplating 400 Years of Inequality Experience to address structural inequities and foster restorative practices.  

Together, Deepa and Angel share profound insights on healing trauma, supporting frontline workers, and building resilience through mindful education and community-centered approaches.

In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:

• Healing through stillness
• Beauty as a path to healing
• Healing ourselves to help the world
• Healing-centered education
• Creativity heals

To learn more about Dr. Angel Acosta and Deepa Gulrukh Patel follow these links:

Deepa:
Jordan Refugee Camps - https://www.dress4ourtime.org/
Center for Sustainable Fashion- https://www.sustainable-fashion.com/vital-signs
Inayitiyya Org - https://inayatiyya.org/
Tamasha Theatre Company - https://tamasha.org.uk/
The Loss Foundation - https://thelossfoundation.org/
Charis Interspirituality Org - https://charisinterspirituality.org/ 

Dr. Angel:
Website - https://www.drangelacosta.com
Podcast - https://www.drangelacosta.com/podcast
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-angel-acosta-1886653b 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/ )
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

Dr. Galen Watts addresses this question in this final presentation from our international symposium held at McGill University in November 2024.

Galen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on cultural and institutional change in liberal democracies, with particular attention to religion, morality, work, and politics. He is the author of The Spiritual Turn: The Religion of the Heart and the Making of Romantic Liberal Modernity (Oxford University Press, 2022), which explores the shift from "religion" to "spirituality" and its social and political implications in the West. Currently, his work investigates the cultural dimensions of the "diploma divide," analyzing how symbolic boundaries and cultural practices shape distinctions between urban university-educated professionals and rural nonuniversity-educated workers in Canada and the U.S. Galen has published extensively in leading academic journals, including American Journal of Cultural Sociology, Sociology of Religion, Civic Sociology, European Journal of Social Theory, and The Sociological Review. He also writes for public audiences, bridging academic insights with broader cultural conversations.

In his talk, Galen addresses the following themes:

1. Why cosmic connection may be harder to achieve today
2. The impact of cultural and institutional change on spiritual yearning
3. The decline of the humanities and the loss of deep formative experiences
4. The "secular sacred canopy" and its barriers to transcendence
5. The paradox of ethical progress alongside increasing spiritual disorientation
6. Can modernity be reconciled with cosmic connection?

To learn more about Dr. Watts, you can find him at:

Website: https://www.galenwatts.com/

Linked: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/galen-watts-a8877a212

Book: The Spiritual Turn Buy here

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

Dr. William Barbieri teaches in the Religion and Culture and Moral Theology/Ethics programs in the School of Theology and Religious Studies and directs the Peace and Justice Studies Program at The Catholic University of America. He is also a fellow of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies and of the Center for the Study of Culture and Values. In addition to his monographs Ethics of Citizenship: Immigration and Group Rights in Germany (Duke University Press, 1998) and Constitutive Justice (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015), he has edited From Just War to Modern Peace Ethics (with Heinz-Gerhard Justenhoven; De Gruyter, 2012) and At the Limits of the Secular:  Reflections on Faith and Public Life (Eerdmans 2104).  He has also published articles in the areas of human rights, comparative ethics, peace studies, Catholic social teaching, and German studies. His current research addresses the historicity of morals. A member of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Christian Ethics, he has also served on the boards of the Peace and Justice Studies Association and the Institut für Theologie und Frieden in Germany. Barbieri is a past recipient of an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship and a Fulbright German Studies Fellowship. After studying religion and comparative area studies at Duke University, he received a doctorate in religious studies from Yale University in 1992. 

In his talk, Dr. Barbieri talks about: 

1. How agency is ecological
2. Contextualizing agency through social, historical, and material dimensions
3. The way values can be mediated visually
4. The interconnectedness of people, history, and the earth
5. Secularism and excarnation
6. How the moral life requires perceiving things beyond ourselves

To learn more about Dr. Barbieri, you can find him at:
Website: https://trs.catholic.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/barbieri-william/index.html
Email: barbieri@cua.edu 

Publications
Constitutive Justice: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9781137263254
Ethics of Citizenship: Immigration and Group Rights in Germany: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-World-Cannot-Give/Tara-Isabella-Burton/9781982170073
Here in Avalon: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Here-in-Avalon/Tara-Isabella-Burton/9781982170097
Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World: https://a.co/d/gOwySUy
Self-Made: Curating Our Image from Da Vinci to the Kardashians: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/tara-isabella-burton/self-made/9781541789012/ 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

This is the fifth presentation from our international symposium on Spiritual Yearning in a Disenchanted Age, held at McGill University in November 2024.

Dr. Tara Isabella Burton is the author of the novels Social Creature, The World Cannot Give, and Here in Avalon, as well as the nonfiction books Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World and Self-Made: Curating Our Image from Da Vinci to the Kardashians. She is currently working on a history of magic and modernity, to be published by Convergent in 2026. 

​Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic, ​Granta, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and more. She also co-writes the Substack newsletter "Line of Beauty" with her husband, Dhananjay Jagannathan.

Tara received a doctorate in theology from Oxford in 2017. She is a Visiting Fellow at George Mason University's Mercatus Center and a Visiting Research Fellow at Catholic University of America's Institutional Flourishing Lab.

In her talk, Tara explores:

1. Magic’s influence on modernity, from Hermeticism to transhumanism
2. The pursuit of a divine language offering truth and creative power
3. Art as relational creation, distinct from manipulative magical thinking
4. The Divine Liturgy as model for creative practices rooted in connection and participation

To learn more about Tara, you can find her at:
Website: http://www.taraisabellaburton.com/
Email: taraisabellaburton@gmail.com
X: https://x.com/NotoriousTIB  

Books
Social Creature: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/564730/social-creature-by-tara-isabella-burton/
The World Cannot Give: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-World-Cannot-Give/Tara-Isabella-Burton/9781982170073
Here in Avalon: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Here-in-Avalon/Tara-Isabella-Burton/9781982170097
Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World: https://a.co/d/gOwySUy
Self-Made: Curating Our Image from Da Vinci to the Kardashians: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/tara-isabella-burton/self-made/9781541789012/ 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

In this fourth episode of our series from the November 2024 symposium on Spiritual Yearning in a Disenchanted Age held at McGill University, I share results of an ongoing study on Meaning and Mystery in Science, which explores the spiritual experiences of non-religious scientists, and how the practice of science might evoke awe, wonder, and a sense of the transcendent.

We open the episode with a poetry reading from Marie Trotter, and following my presentation is a discussion with Dr. Rob Gilbert, Dr. Rajeev Bhargava, and Dr. Galen Watts.

Here’s a summary of the episode:

1. Marie Trotter opens the episode with original poetry, exploring themes of fragility, hope, and beauty, drawing inspiration from Klimt's paintings
2. Findings from the Meaning and Mystery in Science study reveal how non-religious scientists experience enchantment and spiritual yearning through their work
3. Bhargava notes that spiritual yearning is often disrupted by ideological, social, and political forces, which we need to contend with more seriously
4. Watts explores the idea of science as play, contrasting the childlike enchantment of discovery with the institutionalized pressures of professional science
5. Gilbert highlights the danger of self-satisfaction in science, arguing that humility and vulnerability are essential for true insight 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

In this presentation, he talks about: 

1. Scientific discoveries that have drastically changed the world
2. Unpacking the mechanistic lens of science
3. How delight and play are crucial for scientists
4. The beauty of the form and fit of science
5. On aesthetic delight in science
6. How enchantment is essential to the scientific process

To learn more about Robert, you can find him at:

Website: https://www.strubi.ox.ac.uk/research/professor-robert-gilbert
Email: gilbert@strubi.ox.ac.uk

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

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: 

1. The disconnect between epiphanies and everyday thought
2. On the function of imagination in philosophy
3. The philosophy of art according to Schelling
4. Manifesting the divine through the power of imagination
5. Comparing Schelling’s work to the Romantics
6. On accessing transcendent realities

To learn more about Naomi, you can find her at:

Website: https://naomifisher.weebly.com/
Email: naomi.luce@gmail.com 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

1. The origins of humanity’s deeper spiritual search
2. Why poetry re-enchanting a disenchanted world
3. How the study of comparative religion shaped his own spiritual life
4. Cosmic longing explored across diverse cultures
5. Beauty unites communities in transformative experiences
6. How a secular age can spark religious rediscoveries

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

Follow us on social media for more updates:
X: https://x.com/brvnathan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brvnathan/

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

#beauty #beautyatwork #podcast #symposium #science #connection #spiritual #CharlesTaylor

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In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

• The transformative power of faith in science
• The power of beauty to evoke spiritual longing
• Building bridges through healthy conflict
• The need for faith communities in creation care
• The 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/biologosorg

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:

• The transformative power of science
• Why Francis wrote The Road to Wisdom
• How politics has led to misinformation
• The importance of trust in institutions despite failures
• The 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/biologosorg

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

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 Yearning
• Spiritual Alienation and the Struggle for Authenticity
• The Role of Yearning in Psychological Growth
• The Existential Challenge of Living Fully
• Spiritual Practices and the Path to Receptivity
• The Future of Spirituality in a Secular Age

To 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

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 religion
• Navigating cognitive dissonance and existential anxiety
• Virtue ethics and the good life
• What is spirituality and do we need it?
• Spiritual alienation

To 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

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 consciousness
• The value of loving the questions more than seeking certainty
• The humility of acknowledging the limits of one's own beliefs
• The 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-this

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

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 understanding
• Robert's trajectory from neuroscience to business to China policy
• The drive to explore big existential questions
• The 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-this

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

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/B001JP8IEA

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

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 superpower
• The distinction between aleatory and epistemic uncertainty
• The cultural and psychological effects of our aversion to uncertainty
• The role of adaptive expertise in leadership and problem-solving
• The relationship between humility and uncertainty

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/B001JP8IEA

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

• The importance of choice over chance in compelling narratives
• The moral dimension of storytelling
• The relationship between subjective and objective beauty in art
• The significance of context in art appreciation

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/podcast 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

• What is mimetic art?
• Mimetic art as storytelling
• Delighted contemplation as the ultimate goal of art

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 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

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).

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

• The limits of scientific inquiry
• How to interpret spiritual experiences
• The concept of creative transcendence
• Why spirituality matters for us all
• Alan's humanitarian work 

To learn more about Alan and his work:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-lightman-6bb7191b6
• Website: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/
• Email: lightman@mit.edu
• Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APY6Q4
• Scientific Publications: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/#SCIENTIFIC%20PUBLICATIONS
• Harpswell Organization: https://harpswell.org/ 

This episode is sponsored by:

• John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and
• Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

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).

In this first part of our conversation, we talk about:

• Balancing interests in art and science from a young age
• The role of beauty in scientific discovery
• Alan's concept of spiritual materialism
• Transcendence and the Hindu concept of "darshan"

To learn more about Alan and his work:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-lightman-6bb7191b6
• Website: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/
• Email: lightman@mit.edu
• Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APY6Q4
• Scientific Publications: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/#SCIENTIFIC%20PUBLICATIONS
• Harpswell Organization: https://harpswell.org/ 

This episode is sponsored by:

• John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and
• Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

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• Moving beyond individualism
• Moving from wrath to peacemaking
• Moving from greed to generosity and gratitude
• Finding freedom in commitment
• The concept of God

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=1326888108

This episode is sponsored by:

• John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and
• Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

• How cultural narratives shape our understanding of the world
• Making sense of our turbulent times
• How religious traditions can be a source of wisdom 
• The concept of sin as our tendency to f*** things up
• Our deep need for connection 

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=1326888108

This episode is sponsored by:

• John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and
• Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

• Developing Rocket's company culture
• Building trust at work
• The importance of empathy in leadership
• What music can teach us about leadership
• Andy's advice for living a more integrated life

To 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/Rocket 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

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 experiences
• How Andy developed a passion for software development
• The role of music in integrating personal and professional life
• The beauty of problem-solving in both music and software
• The transformative power of creativity and personal expression

To 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/Rocket 

This episode is sponsored by:
John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/)
Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

Support the show

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. 

In this second part of our conversation, we talk about:

1. The need to create cities with shared spaces 
2. The stigma of discussing the shame and suffering that comes with loneliness
3. Embracing the discomfort of loneliness
4. How AI and new technologies are shaping loneliness and belonging 
5. The connection between awe and loneliness

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

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. 

In this episode we talk about: 

1. Loneliness and growing up in a multicultural environment 
2. How the experience of shared loneliness can actually bring us closer together
3. Current research on loneliness and social cohesion and the blind spots in policies
4. Cross-cultural differences in loneliness
5. The surprising beauty that can be found within our experience of loneliness

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

• How she created "Treetop Barbie" and overcame Mattel's attempts to stop her
• Partnering with faith groups to emphasize the spiritual value of trees
• Involving inmates in meaningful conservation work
• Leveraging impact investment for sustainable ecological funding
  
  

To learn more about Nalini’s work:

• https://www.nalininadkarni.com/ 
• https://explorers.nationalgeographic.org/directory/nalini-m-nadkarni 

Follow us on social media for more updates:

• Twitter: @brvnathan
• Instagram: @brvnathan

Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive early access to episodes: www.beautyatwork.net

This episode is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/).

Support the show

• Her childhood love for trees
• Her pioneering research on the forest canopy
• How the discovery of canopy roots reshaped our understanding of tree biology.
• Challenges and risks she encountered in her work 
  
  

To learn more about Nalini’s work:

• https://www.nalininadkarni.com/ 
• https://explorers.nationalgeographic.org/directory/nalini-m-nadkarni 

Follow us on social media for more updates:

• Twitter: @brvnathan
• Instagram: @brvnathan

Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive early access to episodes: www.beautyatwork.net

This episode is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/).

Support the show

• Why we are nostalgic for both good and bad times
• How nostalgia is a resource for innovation and spirituality
• Reflection exercises to harness nostalgia for personal growth

To learn more about Clay’s work, you can find him at:
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayroutledge/
X: https://twitter.com/clayroutledge
Human Flourishing Lab: https://humanflourishinglab.org
Personal Website: https://www.clayroutledge.com
Substack (Flourishing Friday): https://www.flourishingfriday.blog/
His latest book (Past Forward): https://www.amazon.com/Past-Forward-Nostalgia-Help-Meaningful/dp/1683648641/

Follow us on social media for more updates:

• Twitter: @brvnathan
• Instagram: @brvnathan

Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive early access to episodes: www.beautyatwork.net

This episode is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/).

Support the show

• His childhood experiences of profound beauty
• How he came to pursue existential psychology
• Key findings from his research on nostalgia, including its motivating and surprisingly future-oriented nature

To learn more about Clay’s work, you can find him at: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayroutledge/ 
X: https://twitter.com/clayroutledge 
Human Flourishing Lab: https://humanflourishinglab.org 
Personal Website: https://www.clayroutledge.com 
Substack (Flourishing Friday): https://www.flourishingfriday.blog/ 
His latest book (Past Forward): https://www.amazon.com/Past-Forward-Nostalgia-Help-Meaningful/dp/1683648641/

Follow us on social media for more updates:

• Twitter: @brvnathan
• Instagram: @brvnathan

Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive early access to episodes: www.beautyatwork.net

This episode is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/).

Support the show

I'd also love to hear your recommendations for guests and topics that you'd like to hear on the show. Please feel free to reach out at beautyatworkpodcast@gmail.com

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These questions were discussed (and even fiercely debated) in our final plenary session of the Beauty at Work international symposium held at The Catholic University of America, May 27, 2023. 

This episode is the second part of the discussion. Please listen to the first part here if you haven't already: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/15128215

Panelists for the session were Hélène Landemore (Yale University), Shadi Hamid (The Atlantic), and Osita Nwanevu (The New Republic)

The panel was moderated by Samuel Kimbriel, The Aspen Institute.

You can find the full video of the discussion on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/9FQPHMRsW1A?si=t7fcKRhfnr4EbL2r

This symposium was sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust, the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California, the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, Archbridge Institute, and the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America.

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These questions were discussed (and even fiercely debated) in our final plenary session of the Beauty at Work international symposium held at The Catholic University of America, May 27, 2023. 

We will share this session with you over the next couple of episodes. 

Panelists for the session were Hélène Landemore (Yale University), Shadi Hamid (The Atlantic), and Osita Nwanevu (The New Republic)

The panel was moderated by Samuel Kimbriel, Aspen Institute.

You can find the full video of the discussion on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/9FQPHMRsW1A?si=t7fcKRhfnr4EbL2r

This symposium was sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust, the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California, the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, Archbridge Institute, and the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America.

Support the show

These questions were the focus of the second plenary session of our International Symposium on Beauty at Work that we held in Washington DC in May 2023. 

Our panelists were:

Anjan Chatterjee, University of Pennsylvania

Julio Bermudez, The Catholic University of America

Pallavi Dean, Roar, Dubai, UAE

Sheri Parks, University of Maryland

The panel was moderated by Christine Emba, Staff Writer at The Atlantic

You can watch the video of the discussion here: https://youtu.be/4VhC7mTxEoQ

This symposium was sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust, the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California, the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, Archbridge Institute, and the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America.

Support the show

These questions were the focus of the second plenary session of our International Symposium on Beauty at Work that we held in Washington DC in May 2023. 

The panelists in this second session of our Symposium tackle these questions

Anjan Chatterjee, University of Pennsylvania
Julio Bermudez, The Catholic University of America
Pallavi Dean, Roar, Dubai, UAE
Sheri Parks, University of Maryland

The panel was moderated by Christine Emba, Staff Writer at The Atlantic

You can watch the video of the discussion here: https://youtu.be/4VhC7mTxEoQ

This symposium was sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust, the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California, the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, Archbridge Institute, and the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America.

Support the show

Please check out part 1 of the discussion here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/15037678

The session was a discussion between four scientists: Dr. Robert Gilbert (Professor of Biochemistry, University of Oxford); Dr. Aaron Dominguez (Professor of Physics and Provost, Catholic University of America); and Dr. Massimo Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute) and Dr. Maria Teresa Landi (National Cancer Institute at NIH) who moderated the conversation.

There are some beautiful visuals and videos that you can watch on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG_ESu8RPeI

This symposium was sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust, the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California, the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, the Archbridge Institute, and the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America.

Support the show

These questions drive the opening plenary session of the Beauty at Work international symposium held at The Catholic University of America, May 26, 2023.

We’re going to share this session with you over the next couple of episodes.

The session opened with remarks from the President of the Catholic University of America, Dr. Peter Kilpatrick. It was followed by a discussion between four scientists: Dr. Robert Gilbert (Professor of Biochemistry, University of Oxford); Dr. Aaron Dominguez (Professor of Physics and Provost, Catholic University of America); and Dr. Massimo Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute) and Dr. Maria Teresa Landi (National Cancer Institute at NIH) who moderated the conversation.

There are some beautiful visuals and videos that you can watch on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG_ESu8RPeI

This symposium was sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust, the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California, the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, the Archbridge Institute, and the Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America.

Support the show

This is the third episode in the series. In this episode, I present results from the world’s first large-scale survey of beauty in science. You can see the slides from the presentation on the YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/t6AQ9O2MLUY?si=VQpoyHYaMSWYpBoN 

Following this presentation we’ll have a discussion among panelists and Q&A from the audience.

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You can see the slides from the panelists’ presentations on the YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/t6AQ9O2MLUY?si=VQpoyHYaMSWYpBoN

This is the second episode in the series; in our last episode we heard from Dr. Ben MacArthur and Dr. James McAllister. In this clip we’re going to hear from three panelists:

Dr. Milena Ivanova is Bye-Fellow at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge. She is the co-editor of The Aesthetics of Science: Beauty, Imagination and Understanding (Routledge, 2020), author of Duhem and Holism (Cambridge University Press, 2021), The Aesthetic Nature of Scientific Experiments (Routledge).

Dr. Robert Gilbert is Professor of Biophysics in the Nuffield Department of Medicine and Director of the University of Oxford’s Medical Sciences Graduate School. He is the author of Science and the Truthfulness of Beauty (Routledge, 2018).

Dr. Sabine Hossenfelder is the author of Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray (Basic Books, 2018) and Existential Physics: A Scientist’s Guide to Life’s Biggest Questions (Viking and Atlantic Books, 2022) and creative director of the YouTube channel “Science without the gobbledygook.”

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We’re going to share this conversation with you over the next few episodes. You can see the slides from the panelists’ presentations on the YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/t6AQ9O2MLUY?si=VQpoyHYaMSWYpBoN

In this first clip, we’ll hear from Dr. Ben MacArthur, who is Director of AI for Science and Government and Deputy Programme Director for Health and Medical Sciences at the Alan Turing Institute. He is also Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Southampton.

Following that we’ll hear from Dr. James McAllister, who is Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at Leiden University. He is the author of Beauty and Revolution in Science (Cornell University Press, 1996). We’ll hear from our other panelists in our next episode.

Support the show

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/12833522
 For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

Support the show

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/12739891  
 For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

Support the show

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/12648186
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

Support the show

Support the show

For the full interview see: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2043099/12434669 
For the broader project, visit: https://www.beautyatwork.net
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast

Support the show

Support the show

Support the show

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