Rev. Dr. Mark Belletini Endorses Book by Intentional Insights’ President, Dr. Gleb Tsipursky

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Aug. 25, 2015 - PRLog -- Can science really help people understand the purpose of life and teach them how to live a meaningful life? This is the claim made by Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, the author of Find Your Purpose Using Science, a book that was recently endorsed by Rev. Dr. Mark Belletini.

Rev. Dr. Mark Belletini holds a Doctorate of Divinity Degree, is a senior minister at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus, and wrote Nothing Gold Can Stay: The Colors of Grief. In his endorsement of the book, Rev. Belletini states:

“Dr. Gleb Tsipursky departs from the affirmation of the late Dr. Stephen Jay Gould, which suggests that the scientific method and religious approaches are differing magisteria, that is, they are asking distinct sets of questions, which, even when they overlap a bit, remain focused on different values. In Tsipursky’s view, justice issues, meaning, value and even purpose issues which are central to many religious people can be generated very clearly from evidence based studies which use the scientific method. For conservative evangelicals like Rick Warren, there can be no purpose without a biblical warrant. Dr. Tsipursky, without rancor, demonstrates successfully, to my mind, that this is simply not true, and that one can live not only an ethical and moral life without religion, but a responsible, compassionate and justice-seeking life. I found it insightful throughout.”

Dr. Tsipursky is a tenure-track professor at Ohio State University. As a historian of science, he researches the intersection of history, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience, focusing on meaning and purpose, decision-making, emotions, and agency. He is also a science popularizer, a best-selling author, and president of the nonprofit organization Intentional Insights (www.intentionalinsights.org).

His workbook combines an engaging narrative, stories from people’s lives, and research-informed exercises designed to help people cultivate a rich sense of meaning and purpose. The book is part of other content that he developed at Intentional Insights that focuses on whether science can really answer life’s big questions, such as why am I here, and what is the purpose of life for me? These questions, as Dr. Tsipursky describes in his work, have become answerable due to a recent wave of research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and medicine.

The findings reveal three science-informed strategies for finding purpose and living a meaningful life. The first set of strategies stems from the work of Victor Frankl, a Viennese psychiatrist who lived through the Holocaust concentration camps. In his research and work, both in the camps and afterward in private practice, he found that, in order for individuals to survive and thrive, it is crucial for each to self-reflect on their sense of purpose and meaning in life. The second set of strategies stems from studies showing that people have a greater sense of meaning and purpose in life when they are part of a community and have strong social bonds. The third comes from extensive research that demonstrates how opportunities to serve others, whether in civic, charitable, private, or professional settings, results in a stronger sense of purpose and meaning in life. This sense of purpose, in turn, leads to better mental and physical well-being.

The workbook describes these strategies in much greater depth, with a free book version available at http://intentionalinsights.org/book-find-your-purpose-using-science. It was published by Intentional Insights, a nonprofit devoted to inspiring people to refine and reach their goals. This nonprofit provides research-based content to help improve thinking, feeling, and behavior patterns. Intentional Insights also offers free online classes, videotaped workshops, blogs, and other content on meaning and purpose, as well as in a variety of other topics.

Read the book to learn more about scientific strategies that can help people find their sense of life purpose and lead a meaningful life.