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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

28:42

David Goyer (Heroes) | From the Archive

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/10/23

David Goyer is a screenwriter, director, and producer best known for his role in films like Blade, Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight trilogy, in which he redefined superhero storytelling. Goyer has also brought Isaac Asimov’s iconic Foundation novels to television and introduced science-infused, thought-provoking narratives to the big screen. With decades of experience in Hollywood, he continues to push the boundaries of storytelling. Goyer joins the podcast to discuss the fine line between being a

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32:25

Kelly Corrigan (Family)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/10/09

Kelly is the author of four New York Times bestselling memoirs, including Glitter and Glue, Lift, and The Middle Place, which take ordinary events and relationships and make them come alive in funny, memorable prose. Kelly hosts the podcast “Kelly Corrigan Wonders,” and the PBS television show “Tell Me More”, which have received grants from the John Templeton Foundation. She has also given a popular TED talk entitled “To Love is to Be Brave”. Most recently, she co-authored a children’s book with her

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24:46

Kwame Appiah (Animism)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/09/25

Kwame Appiah is a professor of philosophy and law at New York University. Over his long career he has written about topics including political philosophy, ethics, literature, African and African-American studies. As the author of more than 20 books, his notable works include Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers and The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen. His newest book, and the subject of our conversation today, is entitled Captive Gods: Religion and the Rise of Social Science

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33:58

Miroslav Volf (Ambition)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/09/11

Miroslav Volf is a theology professor and director of the Center for Faith and Culture at Yale University. His writing and teaching explore how Christian theology relates to culture, politics, and world religions. He has written and edited more than 20 books, including Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most. His newest book, which we will be discussing, is entitled The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse. He joins the podcast to discuss how striving for

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36:39

Mark Moffett (Insect Societies)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/08/28

Mark Moffett is an explorer, naturalist, and photographer who has traveled to more than a hundred countries to document new species in extremely remote places. He takes a special interest in insect societies, especially ants. Affectionately known as Dr. Bugs, Mark has published extensively in outlets like National Geographic and been a frequent guest on TV and Radio, including Stephen Colbert, Conan O’Brien, and RadioLab. Mark has also authored several popular books, including The Human Swarm,

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31:04

Kaitlin Yarnall (Storytelling)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/08/14

Kaitlin Yarnall is the Chief Storytelling Officer at the National Geographic Society, one of the largest funders of individual storytellers and journalists in the world. A cartographer by trade, Kaitlin travels the world helping NatGeo Explorers—exceptional individuals in their fields—share their work in science, exploration, and education with millions of people. She joins the podcast to discuss storytelling with impact, her partnership with the John Templeton Foundation, and the exciting

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36:53

Simran Jeet Singh (Sikhism)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/07/31

Simran Jeet Singh is a professor of religious history at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He is also a senior advisor at the Aspen Institute and host of the podcast Wisdom & Practice. Simran is the author of three books, including The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life, which introduces readers to the religious tradition of Sikhism and its practical relevance for all of us today. Simran joins the podcast to share the history, beliefs, and practices of the Sikh

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33:27

David Bentley Hart (A Philosopher’s God)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/07/17

David Bentley Hart is a scholar with wide-ranging interests in philosophy, theology, religions, and culture. He is the author of hundreds of literary essays and more than twenty books. Our conversation today focuses on two in particular; the first is The Experience of God: Being, Consciousness, and Bliss; and the second is David’s most recent work entitled All Things Are Full of Gods: The Mysteries of Mind and Life. This book is playfully written in the form of a Platonic dialogue in which the

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33:27

Heather Templeton Dill (Legacy)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/06/30

Heather is the President and CEO of the John Templeton Foundation, one of the world’s largest funders of research at the intersection of science, philosophy, and faith. Over the past decade, she has helped broaden the Foundation’s global reach while championing topics such as intellectual humility, the psychology of purpose, and human flourishing. She is also the granddaughter of Sir John Templeton, whose legacy continues to shape the Foundation’s mission. Join our growing community of 140,000+

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33:18

Agnes Callard (Socrates)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/06/19

Agnes is a philosophy professor at the University of Chicago, where she specializes in ancient philosophy and ethics. Her early studies instilled in her a deep fascination with Socrates, which ultimately led to the publication of her newest book, Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life. In addition to her scholarly work, she also writes for popular outlets like The New Yorker, the Atlantic, New York Times, and Harpers. Join our growing community of 140,000+ listeners and be notified of new

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37:17

Robin Dunbar (Origins of Religion)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/06/05

Robin is a British anthropologist and professor with a special interest in primate behavior and evolution. He is perhaps best known for formulating “Dunbar’s Number”, which states that among humans, there is an upper limit of about 150 people with whom we can maintain stable social relationships. Among his many books, he recently published How Religion Evolved And Why It Endures, in which he explores the deep history of human spirituality and its expression in both small-scale and large-scale

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35:42

Damon Centola (Social Change)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/05/22

Dr. Centola is a professor of communication, sociology, and engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on how ideas transmit and transform societies through network theory and behavior change. He has explored these ideas in two popular books: How Behavior Spreads: The Science of Complex Contagions and Change: How to Make Big Things Happen. Damon joins the podcast to discuss the most effective approaches to social and behavior change. Why is it so difficult to make

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42:33

David Brooks (Human Connection) | From the Archive

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/05/08

David Brooks is a political and cultural commentator who has written an Opinion column for the New York Times for two decades. His essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and more. He is also the author of several books, including The Social Animal, The Road to Character, and The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life. David’s newest book, How to Know a Person is a practical guide to fostering deeper connections at home, work, and throughout our lives. David

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32:20

Olga Khazan (Enhancing Personality)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/04/24

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

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32:59

Ross Douthat (The Importance of Belief)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/04/09

Ross Douthat is a New York Times columnist who writes about religion, society, and moral values. He is also the author of several thought-provoking books, including Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics, and a memoir of his personal struggle with a debilitating sickness, The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery. His latest book is Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. Ross joins the podcast to discuss how decadence is shaping society and whether religion has a vibrant

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38:22

Brian Greene (Ultimate Reality)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/03/27

Brian Greene is a Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Columbia University. His research has significantly contributed to the advancement of string theory, and he is widely regarded as one of the world's leading science communicators. As a best-selling author, co-founder of the World Science Festival, and frequent guest on prominent television programs and films, Brian has a remarkable ability to make complex scientific concepts accessible to audiences across the globe. His latest book, Until

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28:26

Tanya Luhrmann (Divine Encounter)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/03/13

Tanya Luhrmann is a professor of anthropology at Stanford University. Her work focuses on the edge of experience: voices, visions, and the world of the supernatural. From Chicago to London, and from India to Ghana, she has studied Zoroastrians, Evangelical Christians, Orthodox Jews, and people who practice magic. Two of her notable books include When God Talks Back and How God Becomes Real: Kindling the Presence of Invisible Others. Tanya joins the podcast to discuss how people cultivate

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27:18

David Goyer (Heroes)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/02/27

David Goyer is a screenwriter, director, and producer best known for his role in films like Blade, Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight trilogy, in which he redefined superhero storytelling. Goyer has also brought Isaac Asimov’s iconic Foundation novels to television and introduced science-infused, thought-provoking narratives to the big screen. With decades of experience in Hollywood, he continues to push the boundaries of storytelling. Goyer joins the podcast to discuss the fine line between being a

en

34:09

Meghan Sullivan (The Good Life)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/02/13

Dr. Meghan Sullivan is an ethics professor at the University of Notre Dame. Her research examines the ways philosophy contributes to a good life and the best methods for cultivating philosophical thought. Her latest book, The Good Life Method, is based on her wildly popular introductory philosophy course called “God and the Good Life”. The book invites us to question our priorities, explore the underpinnings of virtue, and ask what commitments we should make to lead a meaningful life. Meghan joins

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36:55

Larry Temkin (Altruism)

Templeton Ideas Podcast ·

2025/01/30

Dr. Larry Temkin is a moral philosopher at Rutgers University. His four-decade career in ethics, social, and political philosophy has regularly focused on questions of human inequality. His newest book, Being Good in a World of Need, reveals that many of our efforts to help the world’s neediest people fall woefully short of our expectations. Larry joins the podcast to explain why we may need to rethink how to do good in the world. To build a better society, what are the best opportunities and

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