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PODCAST

Templeton Ideas Podcast

John Templeton Foundation

The Templeton Ideas Podcast is a show about the most awe-inspiring ideas in our world and the people who investigate them. We sit down with thinkers like Gretchen Rubin, Ethan Kross, and David Brooks to explore how their work has transformed their lives — and how it may transform yours. These thoughtful conversations will take listeners on a journey through psychology, philosophy, physics, and more. The Templeton Ideas Podcast is a project of the John Templeton Foundation.

science social sciences

All Episodes

35:38

Michael Muthukrishna (Laws of Life)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/01/16

Dr. Michael Muthukrishna is a professor of Economic Psychology at the London School of Economics. His research explores the processes that underlie culture and social change, as well as what makes humans so distinctive from other animals. Michael’s latest book is entitled A Theory of Everyone: The New Science of Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going. Michael joins the podcast to discuss the four fundamental laws of life that govern every human society and form of life. Have you ever

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33:28

Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela (Forgiveness)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/01/02

Dr. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela is a professor and influential former member of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was created to address the injustices of apartheid. She was awarded the 2024 Templeton Prize for her insight into trauma and forgiveness in post-apartheid South Africa. She also developed a model for social healing in the aftermath of conflict, which she calls “the reparative quest.” Her award-winning book A Human Being Died That Night recounts her conversations with

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33:49

David Reich (Human Ancestry)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/12/19

Dr. Reich is a Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. His lab analyzes the DNA of ancient human remains to better understand major human migration patterns, adaptations, and population mixing throughout prehistoric and more recent eras. David’s book, Who We Are and How We Got Here, explores the deep history of humanity and how the discoveries of ancient DNA challenge the popular stories we tell about the past. David joins the podcast to explain why every human outside of Africa has some

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32:32

Tyler VandeerWeele (Human Flourishing)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/12/05

Dr. VanderWeele is the Director of Harvard University’s Human Flourishing Program and Co-Director of the Initiative on Health, Spirituality, and Religion. He holds degrees in mathematics, philosophy, theology, finance, and biostatistics from the University of Oxford, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University. Tyler’s research spans epidemiology, the science of happiness and human flourishing, and the study of religion and health. Tyler’s latest book, A Theology of Health: Wholeness and

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36:31

Chip Colwell (Stuff)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/11/21

Dr. Colwell is an anthropologist, editor, and author of over a dozen books. He received his doctorate from Indiana University and was the Senior Curator of Anthropology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for over a decade. He is currently the editor-in-chief of SAPIENS, a digital magazine that makes anthropology accessible to everyone. Chip’s latest book is entitled So Much Stuff: How Humans Discovered Tools, Invented Meaning, and Made More of Everything. Chip joins the podcast to explain how

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40:44

Shadi Hamid & Samuel Kimbriel (Viewpoint Diversity)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/11/07

Shadi Hamid is a columnist and Editorial Board member at The Washington Post and a research professor of Islamic Studies at Fuller Seminary. He has authored several books, including The Problem of Democracy and Islamic Exceptionalism. Hamid is also the co-founder of Wisdom of Crowds. Dr. Samuel Kimbriel is a political philosopher, author, and founding director of Aspen’s Philosophy & Society Initiative. He is the author of Friendship as Sacred Knowing: Overcoming Isolation. He writes widely on

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30:55

Helen De Cruz (Wonder)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/10/24

Dr. De Cruz is a philosophy professor and Danforth Chair of Humanities at Saint Louis University. Helen holds doctorate degrees in philosophy as well as archaeology and art studies. Her research attempts to understand why humans engage in philosophy, religious reflection, mathematics, science, and art. She explores these themes in her new book Wonderstruck: How Wonder and Awe Shape the Way We Think. Helen joins the podcast to explain why activities like art, music, and spirituality are nearly

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28:57

Dacher Keltner (Awe) | From the Archive

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/10/10

Dr. Dacher Keltner is a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley and the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center. He also hosts a podcast called The Science of Happiness. Dacher has written over 200 scientific publications and six books, including Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. Dacher joins the podcast to discuss his personal experiences with awe, how awe relates to life and death, and the many ways people can cultivate

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37:59

Francis Collins (Wisdom)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/09/26

Dr. Francis Collins is the former Director of the National Institutes of Health and led the Human Genome Project to its successful completion in 2003. In his leadership, public speaking, and popular writing, including his bestselling book, The Language of God, Collins has demonstrated how religious faith can motivate and inspire rigorous scientific research. He was awarded the Templeton Prize in 2020. His newest book is entitled The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust. Francis

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31:46

Yujin Nagasawa (The Problem of Evil)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/09/12

Dr. Nagasawa is a global scholar who specializes in the philosophy of religion. After academic positions on three continents, in Australia, Canada, and the U.K., Yujin is now the Kingfisher College Chair of the Philosophy of Religion and Ethics at the University of Oklahoma. He has published two new books this year– Global Dialogues in the Philosophy of Religion and The Problem of Evil for Atheists. Yujin joins the podcast to explain just why the problem of evil is so perplexing, not just for

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30:14

Sara Walker (Origins of Life)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/08/29

Dr. Walker is an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist at Arizona State University, where she explores the origins of life, artificial life, and the detection of life on other worlds. At ASU, she has built a highly interdisciplinary research program and leads one of the largest theory groups in origins of life and astrobiology internationally. Her latest book Life as No One Knows It: The Physics of Life’s Emergence proposes an answer to the age-old question, “What is life?” Sara joins the

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27:21

Ann Merchant (Science & Entertainment)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/08/15

Ann Merchant is the Deputy Executive Director of Communications at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. She leads the institution’s creative engagement activities, including the Science & Entertainment Exchange, a program that connects entertainment industry professionals with top scientists and engineers. Since 2008, these collaborations have borne fruit in hundreds of films and TV series, including many from Marvel Studios and “The Big Bang Theory”. Ann joins the podcast to explain

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33:39

Gretchen Rubin (Happiness) | From the Archive

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/08/01

Gretchen Rubin is a New York Times bestselling author, podcaster and entrepreneur who is known for her thought-provoking investigations into happiness and human nature. She began her career in law, even clerking for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, before pivoting to a career as a writer. Some of Gretchen's most popular books include The Happiness Project and Better Than Before. Her newest book is entitled Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the

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31:21

Shannon Vallor (Artificial Intelligence)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/07/18

Dr. Shannon Vallor is a professor at the University of Edinburgh, where she serves as chair of the Ethics of Data and Artificial Intelligence at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. Her research explores how new technologies, especially AI, robotics, and data science, reshape human character, habits, and practices. She also advises policymakers and industry on the ethical design and use of AI. Her latest book, The AI Mirror: Reclaiming Our Humanity in an Age of Machine Thinking, argues that AI can be a

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34:38

Andy Crouch (Effortless Power)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/07/02

Andy Crouch is a partner for theology and culture at Praxis, a business and non-profit accelerator that supports redemptive entrepreneurs. As the author of five books, he explores culture, power, technology, and the arts. His latest book The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World explores what it means to be a person, and how to flourish in the face of modern challenges. Andy joins the podcast to explain the concept of “effortless power”, and how we can enhance

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36:37

Anil Seth (Consciousness)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/06/20

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

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29:25

Scott Shigeoka (Curiosity)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/06/06

Scott Shigeoka is a fellow at the University of California, Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and a lecturer at the University of Texas, Austin. He is also an international speaker and author whose new book is SEEK: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World. Scott combines social science research and real-world experience into practical strategies to bridge cultural differences, build new relationships, and embark on transformative life experiences. Scott joins the podcast to

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34:34

Shep Doeleman (Black Holes)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/05/23

Dr. Shep Doeleman is a professor at the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard and the Smithsonian, where he studies supermassive black holes. He is the Director of the Event Horizon Telescope, a global array of radio observatories that produced the first-ever image of a black hole. He also leads Harvard’s Black Hole Initiative, which aims to establish black hole science as a new field of study. Shep joins the podcast to discuss his adventures in Antarctica, how you produce an image of an invisible

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33:12

Liane Young (Morality)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/05/09

Liane Young is a professor at Boston College, where she directs the Morality Lab, which explores concepts like virtue, social norms, identity, and belief formation. Dr. Young’s current research focuses on theory of mind and emotions in moral judgment and behavior. Her insights and findings have appeared in The New York Times, NPR, and more. On this episode of the Templeton Ideas podcast, Liane joins Ben Carlson, director of strategic communication at the John Templeton Foundation, to explore why

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34:26

Jim Al-Khalili (Quantum Biology)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2024/04/25

Professor Al-Khalili is a theoretical physicist at the University of Surrey, as well as a prominent author and broadcaster. Jim has written 14 popular books about science translated into 26 different languages. His latest book, The Joy of Science, applies the principles of science to our daily lives. Jim is a regular presenter of science documentaries, and he hosts the long-running weekly BBC Radio 4 programme, The Life Scientific. On this episode of the Templeton Ideas podcast, Jim explores the

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71 results

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