Xavier Le Pichon, one of the world’s leading geophysicists, helped create the field of plate tectonics. A devout Catholic and spiritual thinker, he raised his family in intentional communities centered around people with mental disabilities. He shares his rare perspective on the meaning of humanity — a perspective equally informed by his scientific and personal encounters with fragility as a fundament of vital, evolving systems. Le Pichon has come to think of caring attention to weakness as an essential quality that allowed humanity to evolve. Krista Tippett spoke with him on June 4, 2009 from the studios of APM in Saint Paul, Minnesota; Xavier Le Pichon was in a studio in southern France. This interview is included in our show “Fragility and the Evolution of Our Humanity.” See more at www.onbeing.org/program/fragility-and-evolution-our-humanity/101