Dan Burns, Research Scientist
| Jan/25 | Wed | 11:30AM-12:30PM | 54-209 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
The scientific enterprise is rooted in wonder and amazement, and that is what captured our imaginations and brought us to MIT. But the daily grind and pressures of life, along with the incremental nature of progress on difficult scientific and engineering problems, can sometimes drain us of energy. Our culture also encourages us to compartmentalize our intellectual, emotional, and spiritual selves into different boxes, imposing barriers that constrain us and keep us fragmented. Many of the most exciting areas in science and engineering in recent years are at the interface of different fields, often involving the breaking down of false barriers between fields. The same is true in our own lives – we need to breakdown barriers and false compartments in order to live as whole human beings in mind and spirit. This is how we find the most happiness and fulfillment in life, the most meaning and balance.
Beginning with a summary of some points of commonality between spirituality and science, we will then move deeper in seeking ways to view our work in science and technology as a spiritual practice in order to rekindle the deep wonder and excitement that led us to this type of work in the first place. We will draw on wisdom from various faith traditions, poets, and scientists to illuminate our own experiences and longings and provide some framework and direction to our quest to become more fully alive, joyful, and free.
Sponsor(s): Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
Contact: Dan Burns, 54-223, 617.253.7206, burns@mit.edu