Awe

[Carmen Elsa Irarragorri Wyland]

Psychologist Nicholas Humphrey has proposed that our ability to awe was biologically selected for by evolution because it imbues our lives with sense of cosmic significance that has resulted in a species that works harder not just to survive but to flourish and thrive.

Join Jason Silva every week as he freestyles his way into the complex systems of society, technology and human existence and discusses the truth and beauty of science in a form of existential jazz. New episodes every Tuesday.

Thumbnails artwork and wardrobe: http://www.imaginaryfoundation.com

Select footage: POND5 and Shutterstock and Discovery archives. 

Watch More Shots of Awe on TestTube http://testtube.com/shotsofawe

“Filmmaker, futurist, epiphany addict” Jason Silva has produced a series of videos that combine natural imagery with philosophy.

Silva contacted us after reading our article on a study by Melanie Rudd of Stanford Graduate School of Business on the positive effects on awe . He said his videos were meant to “capture and disseminate AWE itself.” We agreed and published his video on patterns to as a demonstration of the theory.

Still the video was only indirectly related to awe. Now Silva has done one better by devoting an entire video to awe. He writes:

As amazing as that study is, it still leaves us with the question, If AWE is good for us, how exactly can we define it? Well this is exactly what my video WILL BE: a visceral representation and explainer of what the study really means….