The founder of the Templeton Foundation was a staunch advocate for applying rigorous scientific methods as widely as possible. This proposal is for the support of an CFP Interdisciplinary Fellow who is not a natural scientist to spend an extended time embedded in the Center for Fundamental Physics (CFP). Despite the laudable efforts of the Foundation, theologians, philosophers, and others from disciplines other than physics, and even journalists, almost never have a serious and sustained professional interaction with physicists -- especially experimental physicists. The converse is also true. Physicists in the lab carry on without seriously reflecting upon the philosophical and theological context and implications of their work, and rarely regard such as useful.
The Center for Fundamental Physics (CFP) at Northwestern University was established to be the world leader in carrying out fundamental physics measurements with small-scale experiments devised to provide some answers to the big questions and mysteries of the universe. Despite being a hard core experimental center, its webpage announces that it “encourages interdisciplinary activities that reflect upon, illuminate and reveal the assumptions, implications and methods of fundamental physics.” This attitude opens a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary work and progress. The CFP also has the physics expertise, the space and the staff to host interdisciplinary fellows.
