phil3010

PHIL 3010 – PHIL3010_W06
Dr. Kevin Sharpe

“The Road Behind and the Road Ahead”
Page 1

RECORDING BEGINS

[00:00:00] – MUSIC

[00:00:02] – A
VOICEOVER : This final interview is entitled “The Road Behind and the
Road Ahead.” This week Dr. Sharpe talks about his own evolving
research, and what facing terminal cancer and a shortened life ahs
done in terms of his own thinking on science, religion, love and
happiness: topics he’s explored for the duration of his career. He
emphasizes the importance of constantly searching for good questions,
and the solutions to those questions.

[00:00:34] – B
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER : In this final pod, podcast we’re going to
talk to Dr. Sharpe a little bit about his own future. He’s shared
with us that he has terminal cancer and he’s facing for himself his
own future, or not a very long future necessarily. And in coming to
terms with that, how has your experience of studying science and
religion over your whole career impacted how you’re experiencing your
cancer?

[00:01:04] – C
DR. KEVIN SHARPE : What a deep question! (CHUCKLES)

[00:01:05] – D
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER : Sorry!

[00:01:08] – E
DR. KEVIN SHARPE : I feel very completed with my, complete with my
search. And it has been a journey and a search right from the very
beginning. I remember the first times when I was preaching about
(Tead Ashada) when I was a student and how that’s, (Tead’s) search
seemed to be my search as well. At the moment, coming back to this
meaning stuff, I feel like I might have hear a way of tying up the
ends of my search, and – not so much in the suggestion of a meaning
system but in the existence and the importance of meaning systems for
human beings. [00:01:53] – And how that functions in relation to
beliefs and religion and goodness knows what else in our society. But
being able to tie that stuff up together, for me, gives me a sense
of, of meaning, of purpose, in these supposed last days of my life, I
don’t – however many days they might be. But it’s actually very
fulfilling to get there. And the same with the other half of my work,

PHIL 3010 – PHIL3010_W06
Dr. Kevin Sharpe

“The Road Behind and the Road Ahead”
Page 2

which has been in archaeology. We’re at a point that we can make some
very important steps forward, and we have been making them. And
(they) are very fulfilling and provide with a lot of meaning.
Provided I can do it. (CHUCKLES) Yeah.

[00:02:51] – F
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER : At the outset of this course the, the
subject of not only science and spirit but love and happiness. What
role have they played in your life?

[00:03:01] – G
DR. KEVIN SHARPE : (CHUCKLES) Oh, gosh. [00:03:06] – Love has
played a tremendous role. And my love for my wife and my wife’s love
for me at the moment is just – beyond the moon. (CHUCKLES) But for
all my life I’ve, I’ve searched for love, and, and, and to be loved
has been just as important for me as to love. And in some ways they
are the core of, of how I would like to go about living. Happiness.
Happiness is tied into so many other things. [00:03:50] – And, and
love is very much involved in one’s sense of happiness. And I think
the fundamental motivation in human beings is the search for
increased happiness. So it’s fundamental. Love is a way in which we,
one of the many ways in which we can increase our happiness.

[00:04:15] – H
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER : Has it increased your happiness?

[00:04:17] – I
DR. KEVIN SHARPE : Yes it has, it certainly has.

[00:04:19] – J
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER : To the students who are taking this
course, who are starting out possibly on their own careers or their
own quests, what do you suggest to them?

[00:04:29] – K
DR. KEVIN SHARPE : Hmm. [00:04:34] – I think, well, you know, I
have, I am the sort of person who am I, who I am, I’m not other,
another person. So if I’m, when I answer that I’m saying it from
myself, what is important for me in my life. And it may not be the
same for other people. [00:04:57] – I think the search, the constant
search for good questions and solutions to those questions is
paramount for my life and hopefully for many many other scholars and
students as well.

PHIL 3010 – PHIL3010_W06
Dr. Kevin Sharpe

“The Road Behind and the Road Ahead”
Page 3

[00:05:15] – L
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER : Any last words?

[00:05:16] – M
DR. KEVIN SHARPE : Thank you very much for imbibing in this book.
(CHUCKLES)

[00:05:21] – N
DR. LESLIE VAN GELDER : Thank you.

[00:05:22] – O
DR. KEVIN SHARPE : Thank you.

[00:05:24] – MUSIC

[00:05:28] – RECORDING ENDS