The Beauty of Understanding:
Navigating the complex relationship between the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and wonder for human flourishing.
What drives scientists to dedicate their lives to scientific inquiry? Sociologists Dr Brandon Vaidyanathan and Bridget Ritz conducted a ground-breaking study of several thousand physicists and biologists in four countries. Their results reveal that science is a quest for the beauty of understanding—a quest that is imperilled by the current institutional culture of science. Moderated by Dr Milena Ivanova, speakers and panellists discussed key findings from the CUA study and implications for flourishing in science and academia.
Using artistic & creative methods, Dr Eri Mountbatten-O'Malley helped us move into dynamic set of discussion rounds. We explored the nature of flourishing, the relationship between beauty, understanding, wonder, & flourishing, and we imagined together possibilities for co-creating conditions for a flourishing academic life.
Why not check out an introductory video to the project below…
In association with….
Huge thanks to the speakers, Dr Brandon Vaidyanathan (Catholic University of America), and to Dr Bridget Ritz (Notre Dame University) for delivering with such poise and insight. Also to Dr Milena Ivanova (Cambridge University) for co-organizing and moderating this event so skilfully. Also to the awesome panellists at (Cambridge University) for providing some stimulating discussions. Not forgetting Clare Goodridge (Future of Flourishing) and Ralph Mann (Purple Heron) for supporting me in the delivery of some of the creative FlourishCafé elements. It worked so well we should do it again.
Finally, to the Burrough’s Wellcome Fund & the Templeton Religion Trust for their generous sponsorship. This event came together as an awesome collaboration of diverse forces, so thank you all.
Credits to Still Vision Photography Ltd (Cambridge) for the event images captured. Thank you.
