Epidemiologist Tyler VanderWeele (Harvard) and Social Psychologist Steven Pinker (Harvard) join in a discussion moderated by Rosalind Picard (MIT) about human flourishing, religion, and methods of measuring progress in society. | Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 3/2/23 | Explore more at https://www.veritas.org.
Speakers:
Tyler VanderWeele - John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Loeb Professor of Epidemiology at Harvard University
Steven Pinker - Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Moderator:
Rosalind Picard - Director of Affective Computing Research, MIT and Faculty Chair, MIT Mind+Hand+Heart
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00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:13 What does human flourishing mean to you?
00:07:00 Does humanity trend toward dystopia or utopia?
00:23:33 Is flourishing an individual endeavor?
00:29:52 Secular humanism and the Gospel
00:48:16 Transition to Q&R
00:48:51 How do you measure human flourishing?
00:57:01 Would you promote a false religious worldview that still leads to flourishing?
01:01:28 Pinker's thoughts on universal healthcare & individual flourishing
01:06:21 Is religious flourishing based on belief or community?
01:14:43 How should we define human rights?
01:19:30 Are you personally flourishing, and what can you attribute that to?
01:27:05 Outro