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  • All
  • Talks 320
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1 - 30 of 638 results

Dan Dennett: Let's teach religion -- all religion -- in schools

Philosopher Dan Dennett calls for religion -- all religion -- to be taught in schools, so we can understand its nature as a natural phenomenon. Then he takes on The Purpose-Driven Life, disputing its claim that, to be moral, one must deny evolution.
https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_dennett_let_s_teach_religion_all_religion_in_schools

Noah Feldman: Politics and religion are technologies

Noah Feldman makes a searing case that both politics and religion -- whatever their differences -- are similar technologies, designed to efficiently connect and manage any group of people.
https://www.ted.com/talks/noah_feldman_politics_and_religion_are_technologies

Playlist: Faith in the modern world (9 talks)

An exploration of faith’s place in our current, tumultuous times.
Curated by TED · 9 talks
https://www.ted.com/playlists/faith_in_the_modern_world

Sharon Brous: It's time to reclaim religion

At a moment when the world seems to be spinning out of control, religion might feel irrelevant -- or like part of the problem. But Rabbi Sharon Brous believes we can reinvent religion to meet the needs of modern life. In this impassioned talk, Brous shares four principles of a revitalized religious practice and offers faith of all kinds as a hop...
https://www.ted.com/talks/sharon_brous_it_s_time_to_reclaim_religion

Playlist: Are you there, God? (11 talks)

For as many people as there are on Earth, there are as many answers to the question: Are you there, God? These talks offer a spectrum of personal perspectives on faith, from ardent atheists to devout believers.
Curated by TED · 11 talks
https://www.ted.com/playlists/are_you_there_god

Kwame Anthony Appiah: Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question)

Plenty of good things are done in the name of religion, and plenty of bad things too. But what is religion, exactly — is it good or bad, in and of itself? Philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah offers a generous, surprising view.
https://www.ted.com/talks/kwame_anthony_appiah_is_religion_good_or_bad_this_is_a_trick_question

Alain de Botton: Atheism 2.0

What aspects of religion should atheists (respectfully) adopt? Alain de Botton suggests a "religion for atheists" -- call it Atheism 2.0 -- that incorporates religious forms and traditions to satisfy our human need for connection, ritual and transcendence.
https://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_atheism_2_0

Religion: Understanding Islam

TED Studies, created in collaboration with Wiley, are curated video collections — supplemented by rich educational materials — for students, educators and self-guided learners. In Understanding Islam, speakers take the TED stage to talk about the faith practiced by more than 1.5 billion people worldwide and often misunderstood by many non-Muslim...
https://www.ted.com/read/ted-studies/religion

Alaa Murabit: What my religion really says about women

Strong faith is a core part of Alaa Murabit's identity -- but when she moved from Canada to Libya as a young woman, she was surprised how the tenets of Islam were used to severely limit women's rights, independence and ability to lead. She wondered: Was this really religious doctrine? With humor, passion and a refreshingly rebellious spirt, she ...
https://www.ted.com/talks/alaa_murabit_what_my_religion_really_says_about_women

Jonathan Haidt: Religion, evolution, and the ecstasy of self-transcendence

Psychologist Jonathan Haidt asks a simple, but difficult question: why do we search for self-transcendence? Why do we attempt to lose ourselves? In a tour through the science of evolution by group selection, he proposes a provocative answer.
https://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_haidt_religion_evolution_and_the_ecstasy_of_self_transcendence

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks | TED Speaker

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks exercised a primary influence on the thought and philosophy of people of all faiths worldwide.
Religious leader
https://www.ted.com/speakers/rabbi_lord_jonathan_sacks

Lyra McKee: How uncomfortable conversations can save lives

Growing up as a gay teen in Northern Ireland, Lyra McKee had her share of disagreements with the Church and, as a journalist in her 20s, found herself estranged from religious institutions. It wasn't until 2017 and an unexpected conversation about LGBTQ rights in an Orlando mosque that she found herself reckoning with the influence of religion o...
https://www.ted.com/talks/lyra_mckee_how_uncomfortable_conversations_can_save_lives

Kwame Anthony Appiah | TED Speaker

Kwame Anthony Appiah is a philosopher, cultural theorist and novelist. His latest book is "The Honor Code," exploring moral revolutions.
Philosopher
https://www.ted.com/speakers/anthony_appiah

Playlist: Misconceptions of Islam and Muslim life (10 talks)

See beyond the prejudice, stereotypes and thoughtless hate with these talks about the Muslim faith.
Curated by TED · 10 talks
https://www.ted.com/playlists/misconceptions_of_islam_and_mu

Karen Armstrong: My wish: The Charter for Compassion

People want to be religious, says scholar Karen Armstrong; we should help make religion a force for harmony. She asks the TED community to help build a Charter for Compassion -- to restore the Golden Rule as the central global religious doctrine.
https://www.ted.com/talks/karen_armstrong_my_wish_the_charter_for_compassion

Activities

Deepen your comprehension of Understanding Islam with these carefully crafted educational exercises that let you get the most out of this TED Studies subject. Activity 1 As noted in the Understanding Islam analysis, Islam is an incredibly diverse religion. Select one country or region and learn more about the history of the Muslim faith in that ...
https://www.ted.com/read/ted-studies/religion/activities

Karen Armstrong | TED Speaker

Karen Armstrong -- winner of the 2008 TED Prize -- is a provocative, original thinker on the role of religion in the modern world.
Religious scholar
https://www.ted.com/speakers/karen_armstrong

Diane J. Savino: The case for same-sex marriage

Hours before New York lawmakers rejected a key marriage equality bill (38-24), State Senator Diane J. Savino made the passionate case for a government that recognizes and administers same-sex marriages. Here's her fresh, thought-provoking perspective on one of the most contentious issues in US culture, religion and government.
https://www.ted.com/talks/diane_j_savino_the_case_for_same_sex_marriage

Krista Tippett: Reconnecting with compassion

The term "compassion" -- typically reserved for the saintly or the sappy -- has fallen out of touch with reality. At a special TEDPrize@UN, journalist Krista Tippett deconstructs the meaning of compassion through several moving stories, and proposes a new, more attainable definition for the word.
https://www.ted.com/talks/krista_tippett_reconnecting_with_compassion

Noah Feldman | TED Speaker

Noah Feldman studies the intersection of religion, politics and law.
Constitutional law scholar
https://www.ted.com/speakers/noah_feldman

Robert Wright | TED Speaker

The best-selling author of "Nonzero," "The Moral Animal" and "The Evolution of God," Robert Wright draws on his wide-ranging knowledge of science, religion, psychology, history and politics to figure out what makes humanity tick -- and what makes us moral.
Journalist, philosopher
https://www.ted.com/speakers/robert_wright

Puqun Li: Zen kōans: unsolvable enigmas designed to break your brain

How do we explain the unexplainable? This question has inspired numerous myths, religious practices and scientific inquiries. But Zen Buddhists practicing throughout China from the 9th to 13th century asked a different question – why do we need an explanation? Puqun Li details the bewildering and ambiguous philosophical thought experiments these...
https://www.ted.com/talks/puqun_li_zen_koans_unsolvable_enigmas_designed_to_break_your_brain

Introductory essay

Written by the educators who created Understanding Islam, a brief look at the key facts, tough questions and big ideas in their field. Begin this TED Study with a fascinating read that gives context and clarity to the material. The TED Talks provide a unique opportunity for an educated layman to learn about the core beliefs and practices of Isla...
https://www.ted.com/read/ted-studies/religion/introductory-essay

Summary analysis

After watching the collection of talks on Understanding Islam, read a thoughtful recap of the major points in this TED Study, and learn where experts believe things are headed. Where next? The greatest challenge to any religion is getting its followers to act in accordance with its principles. As Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf and Karen Armstrong descri...
https://www.ted.com/read/ted-studies/religion/summary-analysis

Alaa Murabit | TED Speaker

Alaa Murabit champions women’s participation in peace processes and conflict mediation.
Peace expert
https://www.ted.com/speakers/alaa_murabit

Hans Rosling: Religions and babies

Hans Rosling had a question: Do some religions have a higher birth rate than others -- and how does this affect global population growth? Speaking at the TEDxSummit in Doha, Qatar, he graphs data over time and across religions. With his trademark humor and sharp insight, Hans reaches a surprising conclusion on world fertility rates.
https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_religions_and_babies

Foreword

A note from the International Islamic University’s president frames this TED Study on Understanding Islam. Here, he gives his heartfelt vote of confidence in the course’s curator and in the power of TED content to create understanding about the Islamic world. Many of us who are not sold on the idea of a grand Western conspiracy against Islam str...
https://www.ted.com/read/ted-studies/religion/foreword

Christopher M. Moreman: The dark history of zombies

Zombies have a distinct lineage— one that traces back to Equatorial and Central Africa. For three centuries, African people were enslaved and brought to the Caribbean Islands. There, a religion known as vodou developed, along with the belief that a person's soul can be captured and stored, becoming a body-less zombie. Christopher M. Moreman unco...
https://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_m_moreman_the_dark_history_of_zombies

Playlist: Brandon Boyd: 9 eye-opening talks (9 talks)

Brandon Boyd, lead singer of Incubus, says, "I hope to one day perform live music on the moon. Perhaps if all goes according to plan, we can make a TED Talk out of it!" We eagerly await this event. Until then, here are his favorite talks.
Curated by Brandon Boyd · 9 talks
https://www.ted.com/playlists/brandon_boyd_9_eye_opening_ta

Billy Graham | TED Speaker

In his long career as a religious evangelist, the Rev. Billy Graham spoken to millions around the world and served as advisor to US presidents.
Preacher
https://www.ted.com/speakers/billy_graham
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