Keep Asking Questions | Interview with Marcelo Gleiser
In a world that feels chaotic—where wars rage, algorithms dictate reality and existential threats loom—we are left grasping for answers. How much can we truly know? And in an age of uncertainty, does the pursuit of understanding even matter?
Marcelo Gleiser’s The Island of Knowledge: The Limits of Science and the Search for Meaning offers a profound response. A physicist and philosopher, Gleiser argues that the more we learn, the more we confront the vastness of our ignorance. Science does not lead us to absolute truth but to ever-expanding frontiers of mystery.
Gleiser’s central metaphor is striking: Human understanding is an island, and with every expansion of its shores, the coastline of the unknown grows longer. We build telescopes to see deeper into space—only to discover dark matter, a force we cannot see or explain. We develop quantum theories—then realize they clash irreconcilably with gravity. The deeper we dig, the less certain we become. Gleiser reframes it as a call to intellectual humility and relentless curiosity. Science is not about reaching an end but about the journey—one that reveals as much about ourselves as it does about the cosmos. So, in an era of deepfakes, AI-generated realities, and collapsing trust in institutions, Gleiser’s work is a necessary antidote to both blind faith in technology and nihilistic surrender.
In a recent essay, Gleiser warns against the dangers of believing reality is a simulation—a trend that has only grown since 2023. If we accept that we’re powerless puppets in a predetermined game, why fight for justice, truth, or survival? Gleiser pushes back: This is not a simulation, but a very real crisis of human morality.
As wars, climate collapse, and AI ethics dominate headlines, Gleiser’s insistence that science must serve humanity—not just progress—feels prophetic. Knowledge without wisdom is dangerous; discovery without ethics is catastrophic!
Gleiser’s closing words in his 2023 essay resonate today: "Humanity is overdue for a deep reset of its moral standards before it self-combusts." More of this in our interview with the author below.
So, if like me, you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the state of the world—wondering if understanding it is even possible—The Island of Knowledge is a guiding light. It doesn’t promise answers, but something better: a way to navigate the unknown without losing hope. We must keep asking questions—not because we’ll find final answers, but because the act of seeking is what makes us human.
Q: You emphasize the need to reframe the mythos of humankind to transcend tribal divisions. What specific elements should a unifying narrative include, and how can we effectively communicate this vision in a world dominated by ideological polarization?
In my view, the current polarization is the product of our antiquated and still dominant view that disconnects us from nature and from each other. This view, that originated at least as soon as agrarian civilizations emerged some 12,000 years ago, projects an image of humans as superiors to every other living creature, as owners of the planet. We even believe that we “own” a piece of land, even if it’s been around for hundreds of millions of years before we existed and will remain around long after we are gone. This view has been reinforced by the emergence of science and technology, where we believe in the separation of object and subject: the world is out there, separate from us, and it can be used without limits to sustain our needs as an ever-growing civilization. We have now reached a historical crossroads where this ideology of infinite growth and progress is unsustainable. The planet is ill and cannot support healthy lives.
What we need is a new story of who we are, not based on separation from nature but on integration with nature. This is not new, given that indigenous cultures across the planet have been celebrating this ethics of belonging for millennia. But now it's time for this new myth of belonging, of codependence, of gratitude and respect for the planet, to become our universal story. Science can be useful here, as our new cosmological narrative from the big bang to the formation of stars and planets and life is one where it’s clear that we are part of the universe, from the atoms we are made of to the emergence of cognition that allows us to ponder our place in the universe in this very rare planet. This new story must be an integral part of the curricula of every school at every level, of conversations during family gatherings and religious ceremonies, of our identity as planetary citizens. Beyond our tribal divisions, we are all member of the human tribe and share a common future, intricately connected with the planet and its living creatures. It doesn’t matter who you believe in or who you vote for, we are all in this together as one.
Q: You suggest that our personal, collective, and planetary responsibilities are interconnected. How can we cultivate a culture where individuals and policymakers align their decisions with this holistic approach?
We must be exposed to this new narrative of humanity and planet and life as one. But not just rationally. You have to feel this with your heart too. The transformative power of this new vision will only be realized if people actually go out into the world and experience Nature as it is. We can train guides to promote this vision, to facility encounters with the awesome beauty of the world, its regenerative power, its spiritual energy to reawaken a passion for preserving our natural resources. We must create opportunities and venues to move people, to allow them to understand the sacred nature of our world. Nothing religious here, but sacred in a secular sense, a profound connection with a sense of the sublime by experiencing the simple and awesome beauty of the planet. This is the core of what I call a biocentric view of life, based on an ethics of belonging, that leads to a resacralization of the world.
Q: You advocate for an emotionally transformative path that integrates humility and spirituality into our understanding of existence. How can science and spirituality collaborate to reshape our ethical and moral compass in a way that drives meaningful societal change?
We must rescue words like spirituality and religion from the control of organized religious groups. Religion, from the Latim, can be interpreted as re-ligare, to re-connect. We reconnect with nature; we experience the spiritual dimension of being in the world, of awesome powers well beyond our control. This must inspire humility (look at what the pandemic did to our civilization) and gratitude (look at what natural disaster can do to us). This exposure and sharing of our common unified cosmic history cannot make sense without a new ethics of belonging. As more of us share these values and commitments to the natural world, the message will spread and become the dominant ethos of humanity. It is, given our current situation, our biggest hope to move forward and survive our predicaments.
Q: You’ve spoken about the paradox of having vast knowledge yet failing to act on it. What are the psychological or systemic barriers that prevent us from taking necessary action, and how do we as individuals overcome them to ensure knowledge leads to transformation?
The only way forward is to believe in what you do. This is what faith is about: not certainty but purposeful belief. Purpose is important here, because often choices require sacrifice. There are, as you say, huge systemic barriers, especially those controlled by financial interests. However, people have power; consumers have power. If you stop buying products from a company because it doesn’t align with an ethos of belonging, sooner or later this company will bend to the pressure. We see this with the fast-growing B-corp global certification movement, where companies that have a proper environmental ethics are identified. Consumers that can will choose to buy from these companies. Soon, with more demand, production output will increase and prices will drop. The more affordable these products the more people will buy them. And the winners are the planet, ourselves and our children, and the creatures we share this space with. Those who can set the example so this slow conversion can take place. I just hope it won’t take too long.
Interview by leila antakly
Next read by the author: The Dawn of a Mindful Universe: A Manifesto for Humanity’s Future.
“ We must work to build communities of shared values and goals, in particular, connected by the new story of who we are, beyond tribal walls. We must seek civil discourse at all costs, even if so many leaders across the world cannot be role models for it. We must believe in the human capacity to work together and create joint goals for our common future.”
