Choose to be Curious

Curiosity, say Perry Zurn and Dani S. Bassett, is a practice of connection: it connects ideas into networks of knowledge, and it connects knowers themselves, both to the knowledge they seek and -- perhaps even more importantly -- to each other. Twins, professors, and true curiosity connoisseurs, Perry & Dani return to Choose to be Curious for this delightful multidisciplinary distillation of this thing we call curiosity, celebrating the release of their groundbreaking book, Curious Minds: The Power of Connection. Perry Zurn is a professor of philosophy at American University. He is the author of Curiosity and Power: The Politics of Inquiry and co-editor of Curiosity Studies: A New Ecology of Knowledge. https://www.perryzurn.com Dani S. Bassett is J. Peter Skirkanich Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. They are the author of more than 300 scientific articles in neuroscience, physics, network science, and complete systems science. https://complexsystemsupenn.com Our theme music is by Sean Balick. “Charcoal Lines" by Sketchbook, via Blue Dot Sessions. This episode first aired on WERA in September 2022; it has been refreshed for distribution, September 2023.

The podcast explores the role of curiosity in language evolution and its connection to love.

Tara Palacios, founder of BizLaunch, discusses curiosity as a business tool and the power of a good and curious pivot during the pandemic. They explore the role of curiosity and adaptability in entrepreneurship, small business programs with technical assistance and grants, and the escalator and Tinker Toys analogy for curiosity.

"Urban Sketching" is an international movement of people who draw on location -- indoors or out-- capturing what they see from direct observation. The drawings tell the story of our surroundings, the places we live and where we travel. Todd Cumpston is both a practitioner and a teacher.I couldn't wait to talk with him about this delightful curiosity practice. Such power in sitting still, paying close, appreciative attention to the world around us... Theme music is by Sean Balick. “Town Market” by Onesuch Village, via Blue Dot Sessions. This episode first aired August 2022 on WERA-LP. Refreshed June 2023.

Jennifer Sauter-Price, an advocate for reading, discusses the power of books to open minds and worlds in young children. They emphasize the importance of diverse and inclusive books using the mirror and window book strategy. The podcast examines the significance of reading to children from an early age and fostering curiosity through books. The speaker compares curiosity to hopscotching and pop music, encouraging listeners to share pop music analogies.

Author Liz Coley discusses her journey from hospital administration to becoming a writer. They explore thought experiments, sharing ignorance, and the challenges of being a mature playwright. The conversation includes analogies for curiosity, querying and analyzing one's work, and sponsorship acknowledgements.

Erik Neighbour, creator of the app/game 'Capital Clues', talks about the inspiration behind the game developed during the pandemic, creating bike-friendly routes and new modules, and the power of curiosity in entrepreneurship.

Textile artist Andi Cullins, known as the 'Grandma Moses of quilts', and the host explore the interplay between African and Western textiles, emphasizing the value of curiosity. They discuss how curiosity fosters creativity, childhood experiences that nurtured curiosity, battling cancer, retirement, and the fascination of non-traditional fabrics and techniques in quilting.

Reed Weiler explores the intersection of spirituality, religion, and social justice with American University chaplain Rev. Bryant Oskvig. They discuss the importance of curiosity in faith and spirituality and its role in addressing moral issues like climate change. The speaker compares curiosity to comfortable sneakers that motivate action, expressing gratitude to their guest host and producer. They reflect on their experience as a guest producer and share their interest in exploring the Methodist tradition.

Entrepreneur and former ad exec Michael Tennant founded Curiosity Lab to "spread curiosity, inclusivity, and empathy through storytelling experiences." One way to do that is with his "Actually Curious" playing cards, his attempt to gamify empathy and community. I think he's on to something... Theme music by Sean Balick; "Up, Up, Up and Over" by the Balloonists via Blue Dot Sessions. Photo used with permission from Actually Curious / Curiosity Lab.