This is on being's unheard cuts. I'm Krista Tippett. You're listening to my

unedited conversation with Dr. Stuart Brown. He is the founder of the National

Institute for Play. I spoke with him on July 31, 2007, from the studios of American Public Media

in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was in the studios of Public Radio Station, K-A-Z-U, in Monterey,

California. Download the MP3 of our produced show with Stuart Brown at on being.org.

I see people busily working behind the glass, so I'm hesitant to begin.

You know what, I think if you've looked at our website or just heard a little bit, I think the

show we've just been on there not too long, but we do a wide variety of subjects. You know,

I like to say this is not a show about religion, but about life, and then asking certain kinds of

questions of different aspects of life and getting at some of these, some of the really

essential questions behind the religious endeavor. What does it mean to be human? And how can we

illuminate that with all of our disciplines and faculties? So I think this is a great subject,

and frankly right here at the end of July on this hot day in Minnesota, I can't, I think it's

a perfect subject. Yeah, I do too bad you're in the studio, not a show.

I know, and in in Minotonco or the Mrs. Upie, you're all shot.

I'll be out swimming after we finish here. Okay, I just got a thumbs up.

And where I'd like to start with you is where I start with every interview, whatever the subject is.

I'd like to just hear a little bit about the spiritual background of your life.

And let's say let's say your background spiritually as well as your background of

a person as a person who plays. Well, you know, I'm reasonably old and I'm sorry,

I've only got 90 minutes. I did, I did see somewhere you made a reference to Midwestern Presbyterians.

I believe speaking of your parents and they're not famous for their playfulness.

...