Science and Spirituality
The WFC wants to initiate a dialog between those seeking spirituality and scientists to overcome the growing distrust of the current scientific paradigm. Which potentially harmful scientific projects should be halted until there is a more widespread consensus within our society? Can science and society agree on a new social contract?
With support of the Fetzer Foundation in the US, Councillor Stephen Marglin and Advisor Arthur Zajonc will supervise research on the root causes of current crises by explosing the ideas guiding modern scientific conduct and comparing them with alternative approaches. This research will be fed into two Commission meetings with selected experts, resulting in reports to the WFC and recommendations for its campaign work.
Current project
Science and Spirituality in the Global Awakening: An Exploration with The World Future Council is a project being conducted by Dr. Arthur Zajonc (WFC Board of Advisors, Prof. of Physics, Amherst College), Dr. Stephen Marglin (WFC Councillor, Prof. of Economics, Harvard University), and Lois Barber (WFC founding advisor, Director of EarthAction) with funding from the Fetzer Institute (Michigan, USA). This study includes the members of the WFC community to see how their values, world views, and opinions about economics, science, and spirituality can inform and guide the work of the WFC.
The findings from this project will be reported to the WFC to help strengthen its work. The results from the survey and interviews will also provide the basis for discussion at two international meetings to be held in 2010; one on compassionate and sustainable economics and the other on science, spirituality and the environment. The study will also provide information aimed at helping other organizations working to create a better world.
