Templeton Ideas Podcast

Dr. Philip Goff is an associate professor of philosophy at Durham University, who researches philosophy of mind and consciousness with a specific focus on how to integrate consciousness into a scientific worldview. His popular book, Galileo's Error, posits the theory of panpsychism as a plausible explanation for human consciousness. Philip joins the podcast to discuss his lifelong struggle with the problem of consciousness, the relationship between panpsychism and physics, and why he believes there is good philosophical reason to be optimistic about the future of our world. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.

Jennifer is an accomplished journalist and a best-selling author. Jennifer's first book, Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic, sounded the alarm about a troubling trend in our society. She has followed up with a new book entitled Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose, which offers an alternative to precarious, achievement-based identities, and shows how to construct more meaningful lives. Jennifer joins the podcast today to discuss the concept of "mattering" and our core human needs. Do you feel exhausted by the hyper-competitive nature of our society? Job applications, college admissions, extracurriculars, even enrolling children in the right summer camp? If you haven't heard it yet, check out our first Templeton Ideas episode with Jennifer Wallace on Breaking the Cycle of Toxic Achievement Culture. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.

Chris Duffy is an award-winning comedian, writer, and podcast host. He currently hosts the TED program How to Be a Better Human and gave a popular TED talk entitled, "How to Find Laughter Anywhere." Chris recently expanded his comedic repertoire by publishing a new book called Humor Me: How Laughing More Can Make You Present, Creative, Connected, and Happy. Chris is also a former fifth-grade teacher and a former fifth-grade student. Humor can be a good way of diffusing the tension around discerning who is right and who is wrong. Instead of furrowing our brows, sometimes it helps to step back and laugh about a situation, especially if we've made an error. To find out more, we invite you to watch the video The Joy of Being Wrong. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.

Dr. Seth is a Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. The author of over 200 research papers, Anil integrates psychology, philosophy, computer science, and neuroscience to explore how our brains generate subjective experiences. Outside the laboratory, Anil has a knack for communication, too. His TED Talk has reached nearly 15 million viewers, and his bestselling book Being You: A New Science of Consciousness takes a baffling topic and makes it relatable and engaging for general readers. Anil joins the podcast to explain why animals may be conscious, but artificial intelligence is not, and why, despite the potential for technological dystopias, he is optimistic about the future. Are you curious about consciousness? Don't miss out on our intriguing story "Can Digital Computers Ever Achieve Consciousness?" by Marcus Arvan on Templeton Ideas. What did you think of this episode? Let us know with a rating and a review! Join the conversation on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Angela Duckworth is a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studies human character traits that lead to high achievement. She authored the bestselling book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, and her related TED Talk has been viewed over 37 million times. In 2013, Angela received the coveted MacArthur Genius Award. She is also the co-founder of Character Lab, an organization that advanced scientific insights to help children thrive for over a decade. Angela joins the podcast to discuss forming character through the heart, mind, and will. Grit is a virtue that helps us get things done and reach high achievements. But of the many different things that we could tenaciously pursue, what should we prioritize, and how do our individual goals fit into a bigger picture? To find out more, check out our Templeton Ideas essay, Hope and Grit: Companions on the Road to Change by journalist Annelise Jolley. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.

Michael McCullough is a psychology professor at UC San Diego who explores the ways our evolutionary past illuminates how humans today think, feel, and behave. For 25 years, he has pioneered experimental work on forgiveness, gratitude, empathy, religion, and morality. With the support from the Templeton philanthropies, he directs an international effort to better understand the role of gratitude in many different cultures. Among his many publications, Mike has authored the book The Kindness of Strangers: How a Selfish Ape Invented a New Moral Code, as well as Beyond Revenge: The Evolution of the Forgiveness Instinct. Mike joins the podcast to discuss forgiveness, revenge, and our evolutionary and cultural tendencies toward each. In the aftermath of apartheid in South Africa, it's hard to imagine how they could rebuild the fabric of their society–and yet they've done so through an arduous process of truth and reconciliation. To learn more, check out the Templeton Ideas essay Beyond Forgiveness: The Reparative Quest in South Africa, featuring Templeton Prize winner Pumla Godobo-Madikizela. Join our growing community of 140,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Olga Khazan is an author and staff writer at The Atlantic, where she publishes stories on health, social science, psychology, and other thought-provoking topics. In 2020, she published her first book, Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World, which draws on her experiences as both an immigrant and a natural introvert. Olga's latest book, Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change, chronicles her year-long personal experiment to reshape her personality. Olga joins the podcast to discuss how she intentionally became more extroverted and how becoming a parent can change our personalities. Does being a parent make you miserable, happy, or is that the wrong question entirely? Explore these ideas, and more, in an essay by psychologist Kendra Thomas entitled "Parenting is About Hope, Not Happiness." Join our growing community of 140,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Jason Marsh is the executive director of the Greater Good Science Center at UC-Berkeley. Greater Good is committed to sharing science-based insights with educators, parents, and other professionals to foster meaningful lives and a thriving society. In recent years, Greater Good has received grants from the John Templeton Foundation to engage and promote virtues such as intellectual humility and love. He joins the podcast to discuss their research and how your life can be improved by practicing intellectual humility. At their best, holidays fill us with hope, wonder, generosity, love, and joy. But what is joy, really, and can we experience it even when life is turbulent and tough going? To learn more, check out Alene Dawson's Templeton Ideas essay Unwrapping the Science of Joy. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.

Colin Allen is a professor of philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he specializes in cognitive science, particularly animal cognition and artificial intelligence. Among his many publications, Colin has authored books such as Moral Machines: Teaching Robots Right From Wrong. In his efforts to study diverse intelligences, Colin received Templeton funding for a project called "Joyful by Nature," which explores the evolution and function of joy in various animals. Colin joins the podcast to discuss the research behind animal emotion and behavior. When it comes to animal emotions, no person stands out more than the naturalist Jane Goodall; Jane dedicated her life to studying the lives of primates and advocating for their dignity. To learn more about how Jane saw the world and our place in it, we invite you to watch a short video in honor of her winning the Templeton Prize. Join our growing community of 200,000+ listeners and be notified of new episodes of Templeton Ideas. Subscribe today. Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and YouTube.

Vera Gluscevic, a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at USC, dives into the mysteries of the universe, focusing on dark matter and dark energy. She shares her journey from Belgrade to cosmology, a field that connects the quantum realm to the vast cosmos. Vera explains how the Rubin Observatory will revolutionize our understanding of galaxies and discusses the importance of collaboration in science. Using a cupcake metaphor, she illustrates the relationship between dark energy, dark matter, and visible matter, making complex concepts approachable for everyone.