Dr. Jonas Salk
Copyright; The Estate of Yosef Karsh
Nelson Mandela
Copyright; Matthew Wilman
Edgar Morin
Copyright; Terence Ward
The Jonas Salk Prize, as set out by Dr. Jonas Salk during his lifetime, brings together two ideas that were fundamentlal to his life of service - that the path to a more hopeful future begins through the initiatives of individuals and that it is in our mutual self-interest to become more altruistic. In Dr. Salk’s view, the “the humanization of humankind” could only come about by actively caring about each other and our shared planet.
Through the Jonas Salk Prize, given as much for a way of thinking as for significant accomplishment, it has been hoped that a legacy would be created, recognizing individuals who exemplify “wisdom in action" in Dr. Salk’s words.
In February, 2009, former South African President Nelson Mandela stepped out of retirement to graciously accept the inaugural Jonas Salk Prize and a legacy was born.
Together these two individuals set forth a legacy of freedom: Dr. Jonas Salk symbolizing freedom form disease, for what can be more crippling to the body than polio - and President Nelson Mandela - freedom from oppression, for what can be more crippling to the spirit than injustice in all forms. To Dr. Salk, health was always more than the absence of disease, just as peace is more than the absence of war.
In accepting the Jonas Salk Prize as its second laureate in April 2024, Edgar Morin, French philosopher and sociologist, joins and amplifies this legacy of freedom; specifically by championing a freedom of mind throughout his writings and thought on the human condition.
Conceptualizing our human essence as a “trinity” – which recognizes the simultaneous nature of our human selves as individuals, as members of societies, and as members of a species – Morin embraces our true human nature and the paradox of complex thought. Morin’s philosophy encourages us to become ever more conscious of what it means to be human on a shared planet inhabited by other living beings, as deserving as of it’s bounty and protection as are we.
Together these three inspiring individuals – Salk, Mandela, and Morin - encourage us all to replace anger and resentment with compassion and empathy for ourselves, each other and our planet.