Festival of science, wisdom and faith

There are those who say that science supersedes religion, rendering faith redundant. But reverence for the natural world, finding the answers to help humanity flourish and sustain the earth community, in all its diversity, are spiritual pursuits too and many scientists attest urgent questions cannot be answered by science alone.

As we look forward to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this November, join Greyfriars Kirk, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and other guests, for a weekend of events that celebrate what happens when experts and those interested in a variety of fields seek knowledge and truth together.

Friday 22 October, 9:00-21:30

Three short sessions explore some of the people and events over the last 400 years that helped change humanity’s understanding of the world, and continue to have an impact today:

Witches of Scotland: “17th century Scotland: What it was like to be of that time, that place”
Professor Stuart Monro FRSE: “James Hutton: Enlightenment thinker with a legacy for the present day”
Dr Rebekah Widdowfield: “RSE Post Covid-19 Futures Commission: Debate and dialogue, academia and all of us”

Saturday 23 October, 16:00-18:30

Do scientific knowledge or faith make us wiser? How do we determine what questions to ask and explore? Three talks explore how we can anticipate challenges and seek a sustainable world for all:

Professor Wilson Poon FRSE: “Educating 21st century scientific citizens in wisdom”
Professor Liz Grant FRSE: “Fundamental to flourishment: The science and practise of compassion”
Alastair McIntosh: “Climate science and healing of the nations”