This interview is an episode from The Well, our new publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the John Templeton Foundation.

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Watch Jim Al-Khalili's next interview ► Einstein’s beef with quantum physics, explained    • Einstein’s beef with quantum physics,...  

With so much chaos in the world, it is tempting to embrace the adage, "Ignorance is bliss." But, what if it's actually the opposite?

Many scientists would argue that knowledge, understanding, and enlightenment are always better than ignorance. Why?

Because the more we know about the world, the better we understand the interconnectedness of nature and mankind and how the universe is full of magic and wonder.

Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/the-well/where-s...

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About Jim Al-Khalili:
Jim is a multiple award-winning science communicator renowned for his public engagement around the world through writing and broadcasting and a leading academic making fundamental contributions to theoretical physics, particularly in nuclear reaction theory, quantum effects in biology, open quantum systems and the foundations of quantum mechanics.

Jim is a theoretical physicist at the University of Surrey where he holds a Distinguished Chair in physics as well as a university chair in the public engagement in science. He received his PhD in nuclear reaction theory in 1989 and has published widely in the field. His current interest is in open quantum systems and the application of quantum mechanics in biology.

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About The Well
Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.

So what do they think?

How is the power of science advancing understanding? How are philosophers and theologians tackling these fascinating questions?

Let’s dive into The Well.

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