Biology, Individuality, and Humanity: Neuroscience and the Philosophy of Mind

Academic specialization increasingly leads to isolation among scholars and the disciplines they study, resulting in misunderstanding and the erosion of common intellectual goals of the university. Isolation is also a barrier to research progress on interdisciplinary questions situated between traditional areas of study. The Franke Program in Science and the Humanities is founded on the twin convictions that the fundamental questions that engage humanists must be informed by basic insights of science and that meaningful scientific inquiry depends on humanistic knowledge. We sponsor lectures, colloquia, conferences, undergraduate courses, faculty seminars, and performances bringing together scholars, students, and the broader Yale community in new, synergistic alliances. The program provides new opportunities for discovering common ground and productive avenues for understanding.