Archives: Newsletter Post

Think Again by Adam Grant explores why and how we should aim to be flexible thinkers. Through stories and easy-to-read social science summaries, Grant makes the case that it is beneficial to ourselves and society for us to think like scientists, holding our beliefs humbly and with a willingness to test them, as a scientist does a hypothesis. He […]

Wake Forest University recently launched a 3-year initiative called the Honesty Project to explore what honesty is and how it affects relationships, groups, and institutions. Funded by a $4.4 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation, the project will support many studies across fields including psychology, business, economics, and political science, as well as a number of […]

For educators, cultivating a sense of vocation among students is a deeply meaningful goal—one that imbues our own work with purpose. But what do we know about the difference it makes for students and workers who experience their education and careers this way? Within vocational psychology and organizational behavior, more than 600 studies—nearly all of […]

Highly recommended. If someone said to you, “I have a great book on math and virtue,” you might imagine a dry, niche read that only appeals to the most devout math or philosophy enthusiasts. Mathematics for Human Flourishing by Francis Su is about math and virtue; however, it is anything but dry. Easy to read, funny, and clever, Mathematics for […]

Nicola Sochacka and colleagues at the University of Georgia began teaching empathic communication within core engineering courses more than 5 years ago. As the team has researched the theory, pedagogy, and effectiveness of this work, they have become convinced that empathy is an important skill for engineers. “Empathy helps us build better relationships and better […]

What kind of character traits should education seek to form in children and young adults? More specifically, what kind of virtues do students need in order to get the most out of their education? These are two of the questions considered by Willie Jennings, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at Yale University, […]

Highly recommended. But a perfect meritocracy banishes all sense of gift or grace. It diminishes our capacity to see ourselves as sharing a common fate. It leaves little room for the solidarity that can arise when we reflect on the contingency of our talents and fortunes. This is what makes merit a kind of tyranny, […]