logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2021
36m 29s

#268 — The Limits of Self-Knowledge

SAM HARRIS
About this episode

Sam Harris speaks with Stephen Fleming about the neuroscience of self-awareness. They discuss the nature and limits of metacognition, the relationship between self-knowledge and intelligence, error monitoring, theory of mind, mirror neurons, deception and self-deception, false confidence, probabilistic reasoning, where metacognition fails, cognitive decline, calibrating one's confidence, and other topics.

If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.

 

Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That's why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life's most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.

Up next
Sep 17
#493 — Two Reasons to Meditate
Meditation can help us live better. It can also help us understand what is true about our own minds. These motivations might seem fundamentally different, but Sam explains why they're two aspects of the same project. If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you c ... Show More
12m 42s
Sep 9
#492 — The Second Plane, 25 Years Later
On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, Sam discusses the significance of the second plane, the writing of The End of Faith, the failure to take jihadist belief seriously, the costs of the war on terror, the abandonment of America's Afghan allies, the continuity between 9/11 a ... Show More
37m 36s
Sep 1
#491 — The Suicide of the Left
Sam Harris speaks with James Kirchick about the far left's growing influence over Democratic politics. They discuss Kirchick's article "The DSA Is a Parasite," the group's platform and foreign policy, entryism, the alliance between Islamists and the far left, Third Worldism, Zohr ... Show More
25m 32s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2024
Sam Harris On Consciousness, Meditation, Misinformation, AI, & What Ails The Modern World
Sam Harris is a renowned neuroscientist, philosopher, bestselling author, and host of the wildly popular Making Sense podcast. This conversation explores the crisis of misinformation and the erosion of critical thinking in society. Sam shares his journey of understanding consciou ... Show More
2h 45m
Apr 2023
#113 — Consciousness and the Self
Sam Harris speaks with Anil Seth about the scientific study of consciousness, where consciousness emerges in nature, levels of consciousness, perception as a “controlled hallucination,” emotion, the experience of “pure consciousness,” consciousness as “integrated information,” me ... Show More
1h 44m
Feb 2022
224. Questioning Sam Harris
As an alternative for those who would rather listen ad-free, sign up for a premium subscription to receive the following: *All JBP Podcast episodes ad-free *Monthly Ask-Me-Anything episodes (and the ability to ask questions) *Presale access to events *Premium, detailed show notes ... Show More
1h 50m
Jan 2023
Using Meditation to Focus, View Consciousness & Expand Your Mind | Dr. Sam Harris
My guest is Sam Harris, Ph.D. Sam earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Stanford University and his doctorate (Ph.D.) in neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is the author of multiple best-selling books and is a world-renowned public-fa ... Show More
4h 17m