The Well

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Ideas that inspire a life well-lived

Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional?

Life’s biggest questions rarely have simple answers. That is precisely why they continue to occupy the world’s most thoughtful minds. The Well is a place to engage those questions, drawing on insights from science, philosophy, and the humanities.

Created by the John Templeton Foundation in partnership with Big Think, The Well brings together ideas that inspire deeper understanding and a more considered approach to living.

with

The Templeton Foundation supports interdisciplinary research and catalyzes conversations that inspire awe and wonder.

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The biggest obstacle to discovering life beyond Earth
The biggest obstacle to discovering life in space? Not distance. Not capability. It’s ambiguity — and it’s built into science. MIT astrophysicist Sara Seager explains.

by Sara Seager

A volcano erupts at night, spewing lava and smoke, while several people observe from a distance in the foreground.
Everything Articles Videos
The Well
Why a strict sense of justice hinders progress toward a fairer society
When justice isn’t tempered by something such as mercy, forgiveness, or nonviolence, efforts to make society more equitable often backfire.
Jonathan Kendall
John Templeton Foundation
A figure with wings kneels and gestures toward a standing, robed figure against a red background, evoking the question: what is hell like? Both appear in a detailed, engraved style.
4mins
The Well
Why this bishop hopes hell is empty
What’s hell really like?
Bishop Robert Barron
John Templeton Foundation
A bearded man with outstretched arms and blue drapery appears to be in motion, depicted in a classical painting style that evokes the search for evidence for God.
4mins
The Well
Can God exist in a scientific world?
There is no evidence for God as a “big being.” Is God something else?
Bishop Robert Barron
John Templeton Foundation
A metallic, blindfolded bust of a person is shown against a black background, symbolizing justice, impartiality, and the resolve to turn the other cheek in the face of adversity.
5mins
The Well
Why ‘turning the other cheek’ is fundamentally misunderstood
When should we seek justice, and when should we forgive? A bishop explains.
Bishop Robert Barron
John Templeton Foundation
A close-up of a painted human arm and hand reaching out with extended fingers against a light, cracked background.
5mins
The Well
What kind of atheist are you?
Atheists are not immune from supernatural thinking.
Clay Routledge
A red, intricately patterned lace heart with a floral border and a cherub design in the center, set against a black background.
4mins
The Well
The power of gratitude, explained
New research shows that having an attitude of gratitude is key to healthy relationships, and it can virally impact society.
Dr. Sara Algoe
John Templeton Foundation
A painting of an elderly man with long white hair and beard, wearing a red robe, surrounded by clouds with a halo above his head, set against a soft green sky—inviting reflection on beliefs and the types of atheism.
The Well
These are the 4 types of atheism
Just as there are many types of believers, there's not only one type of atheist.
Big Think
John Templeton Foundation
Illustration of large, mechanical tripod machines with glowing eyes detecting life as they shoot a beam of light at a smoking building, causing sparks and destruction.
The Well
I’m a chemist, and I’m building a universal robot to make life and find aliens
The emergence of life in the universe is as certain as the emergence of matter, gravity, and the stars. Life is the universe developing a memory, and our chemical detection system could find it.
Lee Cronin
John Templeton Foundation
A nude figure with outstretched arms stands against a sky with rainbows and flying birds, evoking a sense of belief in the supernatural.
4mins
The Well
Why do we believe in the supernatural?
From superstition to religion, we are surrounded by supernatural thinking. Is that a bad thing?
Clay Routledge
John Templeton Foundation
A blurred image of a green grassy field bordered by tall trees under a partly cloudy sky evokes a sense of nostalgia.
4mins
The Well
Nostalgia is a deeply misunderstood phenomenon
Escape a mental rut by using nostalgia.
Clay Routledge
John Templeton Foundation
Two figures embrace in the foreground as celestial bodies or stars, evoking supernatural thinking, tumble from a dark sky; in the background, a crowd with raised arms watches in awe.
7mins
The Well
Why our minds crave the supernatural
"Supernatural thinking is actually an important part of being a complete human being."
Clay Routledge
John Templeton Foundation
A bronze Buddha head sculpture with ornate crown and elongated earlobes, set against a black background, embodies the philosophies of self through its serene expression and timeless artistry.
3mins
The Well
Philosophies of self: East-West distinctions
People in the East and West really do think differently, especially when it comes to self-identity. Depending where you live, either associative or distinctive thinking will shape your sense of self.
Gish Jen
John Templeton Foundation
Close-up of a lion's open mouth showing sharp teeth and tongue, painted in a realistic style with rich brown and yellow tones, capturing intensity that echoes themes seen in the neuroscience of inequality.
6mins
The Well
The incredible neuroscience behind the culture wars
What inequality and populism look like in the brain, according to a neuroscientist.
Molly Crockett
John Templeton Foundation
science and religion
The Well
I am an astrophysicist. I am also a Christian.
It might seem like science and faith are at war, but the two have a historical synergy that extends back in time for centuries.
Deborah Haarsma
John Templeton Foundation
A painting of a brown monkey sitting on the ground with one hand raised to its mouth, looking to the left with a surprised expression.
6mins
The Well
95% of your behavior is primate behavior
He's studied apes for 50 years – here's what most people get wrong.
Frans de Waal
John Templeton Foundation
Two hands reaching towards each other against a bright blue sky with clouds, subtly exploring why empathy is bad when it leads to emotional overwhelm.
4mins
The Well
Why I’m against empathy
Not an empathetic person? Here’s why that might be a good thing.
Paul Bloom
John Templeton Foundation
Illustration of a human brain with a metallic on/off switch embedded in its side, set against a solid dark purple background.
8mins
The Well
How to turn information into intelligence
Having trouble learning? A PhD engineering professor gives you one key tip.
Barbara Oakley
John Templeton Foundation
The Well
Why a meaningful life is impossible without suffering
Pain makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. What's puzzling is why so many of us choose to seek out painful experiences.
Stephen Johnson
John Templeton Foundation
A gold crown with pointed tips and ornate detailing is shown against a solid blue background, symbolizing the evolution of kindness through regal elegance.
4mins
The Well
Has evolution made us ultra-selfish?
We evolved to be kind – and die for others.
Paul Bloom
John Templeton Foundation
A woman cradles a baby while surrounded by four children in a rustic kitchen, with dishes on shelves and blue sky outside—a heartwarming scene that might inspire thoughts like, should I have kids?.
4mins
The Well
Should I have kids? A psychologist explains how to decide
Kids don’t always make you happier. Here’s why people have them anyway.
Paul Bloom
John Templeton Foundation
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