In this episode, sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan interviews MIT Physicist Dr. Alan Lightman about his spiritual materialism.

Alan Lightman is an American physicist, writer, and social entrepreneur. He holds a PhD in physics from Caltech. He has served on the faculties of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was the first person at MIT to receive dual faculty appointments in science and in the humanities. He is currently professor of the practice of the humanities at MIT. Lightman is the recipient of six honorary doctoral degrees. He is the author of numerous books, both nonfiction and fiction, including Einstein’s Dreams, an international bestseller, and The Diagnosis, a finalist for the National Book Award in fiction. His essays concern the intersection of science, culture, philosophy, and theology. Lightman is the host of the public television series “SEARCHING: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science,” funded by the John Templeton Foundation. In 2005, Lightman founded Harpswell, a nonprofit organization devoted to empowering young women leaders in Southeast Asia, and he has served as chair of its board. In August 2023, Lightman was appointed a member of the United Nations’ Scientific Advisory Board. His latest book is The Transcendent Brain: Spirituality in the Age of Science (2023).

In this episode we talk about:

His passion for science and poetry at an early age
How beauty is useful in theoretical science
What it means to be a spiritual materialist
The Hindu concept of “Darshan” and openness to the sublime
The power of gratitude
Understanding consciousness
God
Interpreting transcendent experiences
Creative transcendence
Why spirituality matters

To learn more about Alan and his work:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-lightman-6bb7191b6
Website: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/
Email: [email protected]
Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APY6Q4
Scientific Publications: https://cmsw.mit.edu/alan-lightman/#SCIENTIFIC%20PUBLICATIONS
Harpswell: https://harpswell.org/

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This episode is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation (https://www.templeton.org/) and the Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

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