Kate Stockly is a PhD candidate in Science, Philosophy, and Religion at Boston University’s Graduate Division of Religious Studies. her work is characterized by multidisciplinary investigation into human religiosity that aspires to harmonize the sciences and humanities. Kate recently published the book, Spirit Tech, which explores technologies of ‘spiritual enhancement.’

In this interview, Seth talks to Kate about her interdisciplinary training for her PhD in religion and science at Boston University, specifically about the application of scientific methods to the study of religion. In her book, Spirit Tech, Kate describes the ways in which new technologies are being developed to facilitate both connection between people and new kinds of spiritual experiences. The key questions for this episode are: what drives people to seek out novel experiences? What role might technology play in these experiences in the future?