Why Berggruen Philosophy And Culture Center Aims For The Big Questions

There’s no shortage of thinkers, academics, artists and activists working on some of the world's biggest issues -- poverty, war, economic and political instability, to name a few. But to Nicolas Berggruen, much of that intellectual work either fails to escape cultural, geographic, linguistic or professional silos or -- when it does -- doesn’t get the support it needs to take root.

Philosophy and contemplating the big questions were key parts of education in ancient societies, such as the Greeks. But today, the philanthropist and investor said, that work is often left to specialists, who speak to each other but perhaps not to the public.