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.

in partnership with

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

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White lines radiate outward from a central point on a blue gradient background, resembling a geometric starburst or abstract sunburst design.
Physics doesn’t explain the universe. Computation does.
What do the laws of physics, biological evolution, and your free will have in common? The same mathematical principle runs through all of them. Stephen Wolfram has spent 40 years finding it.

by Stephen Wolfram

A man sits on a chair against a white backdrop, gesturing with one hand. The background is yellow with abstract black lines and nodes connecting around him.
Everything Articles Videos
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
A hand holding a whip with multiple knotted tails against a solid orange background, subtly hinting at themes of discipline and exploring why suffering is good.
5mins
The Well
Why you should want to suffer — just a little bit
There are two kinds of suffering. One is pure pain. The other makes life worth living.
Paul Bloom
John Templeton Foundation
genius
The Well
Why Einstein is a “peerless genius” and Hawking is an “ordinary genius”
You've heard of Stephen Hawking. Ever heard of Renata Kallosh? Didn't think so.
Albert-László Barabási
John Templeton Foundation
Two hands in handcuffs, connected by a DNA double helix chain, symbolize genome blindness against a solid blue background.
3mins
The Well
Should genetics be used to create social policy?
Eugenics is bad – but understanding DNA is good.
Kathryn Paige Harden
John Templeton Foundation
A glowing, radiant figure stands atop dark rocks near a mountain, with bright light illuminating the scene in a monochrome, sketch-like style.
The Well
Will we download our minds into new bodies?
According to author and entrepreneur Steven Kotler, at some point this century, we will confront the prospect of immortality.
Steven Kotler
John Templeton Foundation
The Well
Why ignoring genetic differences between people exacerbates inequality
Science doesn't fit neatly into ideology.
Elizabeth Gilbert
John Templeton Foundation
Black text on a beige background reads, "YOU ARE NOT YOUR GENETICS," styled like an eye chart with distance markers, challenging the idea that genetics alone define you.
The Well
Schools ignore genetics—and that’s actually a bad thing
Almost all our school improvements fail. Here’s why.
Kathryn Paige Harden
John Templeton Foundation
Close-up image of a green leaf showing detailed vein structure and texture, capturing the intricate design that highlights the essence of nature versus nurture.
4mins
The Well
Nature vs. nurture, explained by a geneticist
“If 90% of children had ADHD and only 10% of children could sit still at a desk, how would we design school?”
Kathryn Paige Harden
John Templeton Foundation
A dark background with vertical lines of varying lengths and colors—yellow, blue, and white—arranged in uneven rows and columns, evoking the randomness of the genetic lottery.
The Well
Your genes affect your education. Here’s why that’s controversial.
We all play the genetic lottery – and the outcome matters a lot.
Kathryn Paige Harden
John Templeton Foundation
A red flag on top of a gray rock, with the right side dissolving into particles—like automatic habits breaking apart—set against a solid green background.
3mins
The Well
Are goals necessary? A habit scientist answers.
The US reduced smoking rates from 50% to 15% with a simple habit hack.
Wendy Wood
John Templeton Foundation
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