ir John Templeton frequently uses “agape love” to illustrate his philanthropic vision for the human sciences: everyone recognizes, he humbly suggests, that unselfish love exists, but why has no one ever scientifically studied the reality of this benevolent love?

While the Foundation is clearly aware that capitalizing such research will necessitate a long-term and sustained investment, it is equally optimistic that catalyzing a “science of love” will one day (decades? centuries?) result in humanity discovering how to harness and transmit the human potential to “love thy neighbor.” One such program is the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, which is expanding our understanding of the importance of unselfish love in society.

In addition to supporting scientific studies on the theme of unlimited love, the Foundation’s current philanthropic portfolio within the Human Sciences includes research on the nature and benefits of thrift, forgiveness, purpose, honesty, gratitude, humility, perseverance, generosity, worship and prayer. The constellation of these principles and virtues capture Sir John’s expansive vision for supporting research in three main areas: character, competition and creativity.

The importance of character, what Sir John has called the “ideal patterns of human behavior”, is often overlooked by scholars but not by parents. Throughout history these “ideal patterns” have also been called character traits. Children learn these traits directly at home, school and religious instruction, and indirectly by watching their parents and elders in their communities. Woven together, these character traits comprise the “toolbox” needed for a person to excel and flourish.

Since its inception, the Foundation has been a significant funder of character education programs —both in the United States and throughout the world. Our philanthropic vision is to support cost-effective programs that transmit and reinforce such enduring qualities as honesty, compassion for those less fortunate and a strong work ethic. Cicero once wrote “Within the character of the citizen lies the welfare of the nation.” We agree.

The Foundation supports a wide range of programs and research initiatives to study the benefits of competition, specifically how free enterprise and other principles of capitalism can, and do, benefit the poor. In this spirit the Foundation asks: Why should half of the world’s population live in circumstances of relative squalor when it has been demonstrated that principles of the market and free enterprise can lead to sustained economic development?

Finally, in the area of creativity, the Foundation supports research on the neuroscience of creativity and intelligence, as well as a first-ever bibliography on the benefits of accelerated programs for highly gifted young people. Our gifted education area is focused on a set of initiatives to discover and communicate the nature, development and benefits of scientific genius and creativity.

www.templeton.org/funding_areas/human_sciences/