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How Awe Shapes Our Thinking

Published December 06, 2019

Beyond Oneself: The Ethics and Psychology of Awe


Can awe change our perspective on things like science and morality?
Speakers from left to right: Steve Paulson (Wisconsin Public Radio’s To the Best of Our Knowledge), Jennifer Stellar, PhD (University of Toronto), Piercarlo Valdesolo, PhD (Claremont McKenna College), and Lisa Sideris, PhD (Indiana Univsersity)

At their core, awe and wonder appear to be powerful emotions that can inform and shape our attitudes toward ourselves and others, especially in relation to the larger meaning and purpose of our lives. What are the psychological underpinnings of these emotions? And how do they influence our thinking around everything from science to morality?

In this video from the second event in our three-part series, "The Power of Wonder: Modern Marvels in the Age of Science," professor of religious studies and ethicist Lisa Sideris joins psychologists Jennifer Stellar and Piercarlo Valdesolo to explore the ways in which awe shapes our thinking about the world around us. The discussion was moderated by Steve Paulson.

And don't miss the final event in this series. Register here.