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Beauty At WorkAuthor: Brandon Vaidyanathan
Beauty at Work expands our understanding of beauty: what it is, how it works, and why it matters. Sociologist Brandon Vaidyanathan interviews scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, and leaders across diverse fields to reveal new insights into how beauty shapes our brains, behaviors, organizations, and societies--for good and for ill. Learn how to harness the power of beauty in your life and work, while avoiding its pitfalls. Language: en-us Genres: Science, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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The Transformative Power of Music | "Can Beauty Save the World?"
Tuesday, 31 March, 2026
In this panel during the international symposium "Can beauty save the world?" held at McGill University, Oct 24-25 2025, Jean-Sébastien Vallée (McGill), Katie Bank (Birmingham), Rebekah Wallace (Oxford), Ian Corbin (Harvard), and Jonathan Berger (Stanford) explored the transformative power of music. The panel was moderated by Stephen Bullivant (St. Mary's London). We began with a performance by an acapella quartet from the Schulich School of Music (McGill).Jean-Sébastien described the conductor’s task as creating a sonic space where sound becomes meaning—a community where difference becomes harmony. One of his singers, who had just lost her husband, came to perform because “singing with my choir is the only way I can breathe right now.” Katie and Rebekah described how early modern thinkers saw music as acting on the whole person, not as external stimulus but as an activity of the soul. Ian reflected on the relevance of music to our longing for wholeness, which passes through failure, undoing, despondence. Jonathan discussed his fascinating research on the sonic signatures of sacred spaces, and how the balance between clarity and blur in sound transforms acoustics into awe.The event was sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation.Learn more at www.canbeautysavetheworld.com and www.beautyatwork.net#beauty #music #transformation #philosophy #musicology #spiritualitySupport the show









