Welcome to Revise and Resubmit, the podcast where we rethink the narratives that shape our world. Today, we dive into The Blind Spot: Why Science Cannot Ignore Human Experience, a thought-provoking work by three visionaries—Adam Frank, Marcelo Gleiser, and Evan Thompson. This is no ordinary science book; it’s a call for a paradigm shift—one that embraces our personal experiences as vital components of scientific inquiry.
The authors come from diverse fields, each bringing unique expertise. Adam Frank, an astrophysicist at the University of Rochester, known for winning the Carl Sagan Medal, has long explored the interplay of science and society. Marcelo Gleiser, a Dartmouth professor and 2019 Templeton Prize laureate, has spent decades translating the mysteries of the universe for curious minds worldwide. And Evan Thompson, a philosopher at the University of British Columbia, has challenged the boundaries of human consciousness and embodied experience. Together, they urge us to rethink science—not as the pursuit of absolute truth but as an evolving dialogue between reality and our lived experiences.
In The Blind Spot, the authors warn us against the delusion of viewing the universe from an outsider's perspective. They argue that by ignoring human experience, science risks becoming blind to its own limitations. From quantum physics to climate change, they reveal how blending subjective experience with objective inquiry can reshape our understanding—and perhaps save us from the growing crises of science denialism and environmental collapse.
So here’s the question: If science is as much a human story as it is a search for truth, how do we awaken from the illusion of objectivity? And can embracing experience unlock the wisdom we need to navigate the challenges of this century?
A heartfelt thank you to the authors—Adam Frank, Marcelo Gleiser, and Evan Thompson—and to The MIT Press for making this remarkable work available to the world. Let’s explore this hidden intersection of fact and feeling—because sometimes, to see clearly, we need to look within.
Reference
Frank, A., Gleiser, M., & Thompson, E. (2024). The blind spot: why science cannot ignore human experience. MIT Press. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262553032/the-blind-spot/
