DeepSummary
The podcast episode features an interview with psychology professor David DeSteno, who discusses his research on the science behind the benefits of religion and spirituality. DeSteno argues that even in the age of science, we shouldn't dismiss spiritual wisdom, as many religious and spiritual practices have been shown to have positive impacts on human well-being, such as helping people deal with grief, cultivate gratitude, and find meaning in life.
DeSteno explains the concept of 'spiritual technologies,' which are mind-body practices like meditation, contemplating death, and prayers of gratitude that can positively affect our minds and bodies. He shares examples of how these practices can increase compassion, empathy, and resilience, based on scientific experiments conducted in his lab.
The conversation also touches on the role of faith and belief in human life, the placebo effect, and how to find hope in difficult times. DeSteno emphasizes the importance of approaching spiritual traditions with an open mind and humility, as there may be wisdom and practices that can benefit people, regardless of their specific beliefs.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Spiritual and religious practices can have scientifically proven benefits for human well-being, including increased compassion, resilience, and ability to find meaning.
- Concepts like 'spiritual technologies' and the placebo effect demonstrate the power of ritual and belief in shaping human experience and outcomes.
- An open-minded, humble approach to studying spiritual wisdom can reveal valuable insights for improving lives, regardless of one's personal beliefs.
- Practices like meditation, contemplating death, and gratitude can positively impact the mind and body in measurable ways.
- Religious traditions offer time-tested methods for coping with universal human experiences like grief, suffering, and finding hope.
- Cultivating 'wise hope' by focusing on the act itself rather than the outcome can help maintain motivation during difficult times.
- Bridging science and spirituality requires separating religious institutions from the potentially beneficial practices themselves.
- Both spiritual practices and science should be approached with humility, as there is always more to learn and understand.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “From what we know, people who engage with spirituality live longer, healthier and happier lives. And as someone who studies human well being and human morality, I can't ignore that data.“ by David DeSteno
- “One of the biggest predictors of helping people move through grief is something called instrumental help, instrumental support. And what that is, it basically means showing up and being there.“ by David DeSteno
- “Hope itself is an act of resistance. Hope itself is an act of doing what you can, just in case. Everything will work out okay, rather than turning away and giving up.“ by David DeSteno
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Episode Information
How to Be a Better Human
TED and PRX
6/24/24
Faith has always been a strong force in human history – but in modern times, it may feel antiquated to have it. Psychology professor and author David DeSteno has conducted research exploring questions about the benefits of faith, and in this episode he shares his findings, and why he believes even in the age of science, we shouldn’t leave spiritual wisdom behind.
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts.