Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds. Together, let's learn from them. Welcome to The Well, a publication by the John Templeton Foundation and Big Think.
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Featured Interviews
“When we get into a romantic relationship, it’s all sparks, and flowers, and hikes, and coffees. But over time, the romantic couple gets into routines.
And so what we’ve argued is that the moments of gratitude still matter, because when we say “thank you,” we’re sending a message to the person who just did something nice for us, that they are valued, that they’re seen, that the thing that they did for us was worth doing in the first place.”
Philosophies of self: East-West distinctions
Gish Jen
Gish Jen is the author of six previous books; she has published short work in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, and dozens of other periodicals and anthologies. Her work[…]
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Should I have kids? A psychologist explains how to decide
Paul Bloom
Paul Bloom is the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology at Yale University. An internationally recognized expert on the psychology of child development, social reasoning, and morality, he has won[…]
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The incredible neuroscience behind the culture wars
Molly Crockett
Dr. Molly Crockett is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Yale University and a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Neuroethics. Prior to joining Yale, Dr. Crockett was[…]
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Featured Article
I’m a chemist, and I’m building a universal robot to make life and find aliens
The emergence of life in the universe is as certain as the emergence of matter, gravity, and the stars. Life is the universe developing a memory, and our chemical detection system could find it.
“What is life? Scientists still cannot agree on an answer.
Many suggest that life requires a metabolism, genetic material, and the ability to self-replicate, but there the possibility of broad agreement ends. Are viruses alive? What about a storm or a flame? Even worse, the driving force that leads to the emergence of life still eludes us.”
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Some scientists see religion as a threat to the scientific method that should be resisted. But faith "is really asking a different set of questions," says Francis Collins.
Dare to do something new today.
We all feel like imposters sometimes.
What we get wrong about hell, explained by a bishop.
Barron’s point is that when Jesus, Gandhi, or Martin Luther King, Jr practiced non-violence, they were sowing a seed. They were telling their oppressors, "I will not live by your…
Imagine transformation today. What does it look like?
Make the person you want to be.
Imagine the world we'd create together.
All Stories
Is religion a threat to science?
Some scientists see religion as a threat to the scientific method that should be resisted. But faith "is really asking a different set of questions," says Collins.
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Why a strict sense of justice hinders progress toward a fairer society
When justice isn’t tempered by something such as mercy, forgiveness, or nonviolence, efforts to make society more equitable often backfire.
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Can God exist in a scientific world?
There is no evidence for God as a “big being.” Is God something else?
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Why ‘turning the other cheek’ is fundamentally misunderstood
When should we seek justice, and when should we forgive? A bishop explains.
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The power of gratitude, explained
New research shows that having an attitude of gratitude is key to healthy relationships, and it can virally impact society.
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These are the 4 types of atheism
Just as there are many types of believers, there's not only one type of atheist.
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I’m a chemist, and I’m building a universal robot to make life and find aliens
The emergence of life in the universe is as certain as the emergence of matter, gravity, and the stars. Life is the universe developing a memory, and our chemical detection system could find it.
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Why do we believe in the supernatural?
From superstition to religion, we are surrounded by supernatural thinking. Is that a bad thing?
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Nostalgia is a deeply misunderstood phenomenon
Escape a mental rut by using nostalgia.
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Why our minds crave the supernatural
"Supernatural thinking is actually an important part of being a complete human being."
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Philosophies of self: East-West distinctions
People in the East and West really do think differently, especially when it comes to self-identity. Depending where you live, either associative or distinctive thinking will shape your sense of self.
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The incredible neuroscience behind the culture wars
What inequality and populism look like in the brain, according to a neuroscientist.
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I am an astrophysicist. I am also a Christian.
It might seem like science and faith are at war, but the two have a historical synergy that extends back in time for centuries.
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95% of your behavior is primate behavior
He's studied apes for 50 years - here's what most people get wrong.
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Why I’m against empathy
Not an empathetic person? Here’s why that might be a good thing.
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How to turn information into intelligence
Having trouble learning? A PhD engineering professor gives you one key tip.
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Why a meaningful life is impossible without suffering
Pain makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. What's puzzling is why so many of us choose to seek out painful experiences.
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Should I have kids? A psychologist explains how to decide
Kids don’t always make you happier. Here’s why people have them anyway.
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Why you should want to suffer — just a little bit
There are two kinds of suffering. One is pure pain. The other makes life worth living.
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Why Einstein is a “peerless genius” and Hawking is an “ordinary genius”
You've heard of Stephen Hawking. Ever heard of Renata Kallosh? Didn't think so.
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Should genetics be used to create social policy?
Eugenics is bad - but understanding DNA is good.
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Will we download our minds into new bodies?
According to author and entrepreneur Steven Kotler, at some point this century, we will confront the prospect of immortality.
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Why ignoring genetic differences between people exacerbates inequality
Science doesn't fit neatly into ideology.
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Schools ignore genetics—and that’s actually a bad thing
Almost all our school improvements fail. Here’s why.
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Nature vs. nurture, explained by a geneticist
“If 90% of children had ADHD and only 10% of children could sit still at a desk, how would we design school?”
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Your genes affect your education. Here’s why that’s controversial.
We all play the genetic lottery - and the outcome matters a lot.
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Are goals necessary? A habit scientist answers.
The US reduced smoking rates from 50% to 15% with a simple habit hack.
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