logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2022
42m 11s

#424 - Steven Pinker - The Problem With ...

Chris Williamson
About this episode

Steven Pinker is a Cognitive Psychologist at Harvard University, a psycholinguist and a Best Selling Author.

It would be nice to always make the right decision. To escape the prison of human emotions and biases and operate from a purely rational place. Steven's new book breaks down rationality into it's components in an attempt to understand just what we're all missing from our mental makeup.

Expect to learn why betting websites are the most accurate forecasters of the future, why learning lists of cognitive biases won't always make you more effective, whether smart people are more or less rational on average, whether politics makes you dumber, how to balance rationality with a desire to be intuitive and present and much more...

Sponsors:

Join the Modern Wisdom Community to connect with me & other listeners - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/

Get 10% discount on your first month from BetterHelp at https://betterhelp.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)

Get a Free Sample Pack of all LMNT Flavours at https://www.drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)

Extra Stuff:

Buy Rationality - https://amzn.to/3qtQ84X 

Follow Steven on Twitter - https://twitter.com/sapinker 

Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/

To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom

-

Get in touch.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast

Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/ 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Today
#1005 - Warren Smith - J.K. Rowling & The Cost of Speaking Freely
Warren Smith is a filmmaker, educator, and host of the “Secret Scholar Society” YouTube channel. If freedom of speech can be shouted down, does it really exist? When every debate turns into partisan noise, what does honest discourse even look like? If we can’t talk about our prob ... Show More
1h 15m
Oct 9
#1004 - Sam Corcos - Inside DOGE, The IRS & How to Scam the US Government
Sam Corcos is an entrepreneur, CEO of Levels, and a special advisor to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). What’s really happening inside the U.S. government? For the first time, a DOGE insider exposes the chaos, corruption, and dysfunction plaguing Washington. How di ... Show More
2h 56m
Oct 6
#1003 - Konstantin Kisin - The Forces Behind Britain's Downfall
Konstantin Kisin is a podcaster, a speaker and an author. Is the UK facing its breaking point? Once the world’s greatest empire, the UK now finds itself engulfed in political chaos and cultural upheaval. From leadership crises to deep divisions, what’s really happening on the fro ... Show More
2h 17m
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
Dr. Amen: A Revolution in Brain Health
TW: suicide  The Lautners are joined by psychiatrist and 18-time best-selling author, Dr. Amen, who’s on a mission to end the concept of mental illness and talk about brain health. They discuss the Launters’ brain scans from The Amen Clinic, how mental hygiene is equally as impor ... Show More
59m 32s
Feb 2024
Somatic Tools for Self-Regulation with Elizabeth Ferreira
One of the most important skills we can learn is how to regulate ourselves, riding the emotional waves without either ignoring or being overwhelmed by them. Associate therapist Elizabeth Ferreira joins Forrest to explore how we can feel our feelings while staying calm, collected, ... Show More
1h 4m
Feb 2024
Little Happier: Are You an Obliger Who Needs Accountability? Here’s a Surprising Solution.
In ancient Greece, early in his career, the statesman Demosthenes came up with an ingenious yet simple form of accountability to make sure he kept practicing his oratory.Get in touch: podcast@gretchenrubin.comFollow on social media:@GretchenRubin on YouTube@GretchenRubin on TikTo ... Show More
3m 44s
Feb 2024
The Science of Generosity: Why It Makes You Happier and How To Do It Effectively (It Doesn’t Need To Involve Money) | Chris Anderson
New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers. --- How to cultivate a generosity mindset— and make a good thing less boring. Chris Anderson is the curator of TED. He is the author of New York Times bestseller ... Show More
1h 13m
Jan 2024
Things Are Going My Way: How to Enjoy More of Your Life
How To Like Your Life Podcast Episode 1 - Things Are Going My Way: How to Enjoy More of Your LifeIn the first episode of How To Like Your Life, Emilie delves into the powerful practice of taking in the good - retraining your brain to naturally enjoy positive moments in your life ... Show More
24 m
Sep 2022
651: Negative Reviews, Narcissist Conspiracy, & Cats Rule
We discuss the negative review we got from a male listener, and share why he wasn't entirely wrong, but we're still mad. Sarah is literally falling apart after her slip-n-slide disaster, and she might have to avoid the powder this winter. We learn why narcissists are prone to con ... Show More
59m 40s
Feb 2024
#586: Taking Risks and Trying New Things
Do you want to next-level your life, and you know some things you can do, but you're putting them off? Maybe it's joining the gym, or perhaps it's taking the first steps to switch your career. If you're an entrepreneur, this might be as simple as trying new ideas with more boldne ... Show More
33m 28s
Feb 2024
On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin, Part 5
In our annual celebration of Darwin Day, let’s enjoy a relaxing read from this foundational text of science. This time, we finally get to natural selection, what it is, what it isn’t, and why birds are so very, very pretty.   Help us stay ad-free and 100% listener-supported! Patr ... Show More
55m 58s
Sep 28
Pour les amateurs de vin (For wine lovers)
Le Beaujolais Nouveau est un vin rouge jeune, produit dans la région Beaujolais, célébré mondialement chaque troisième jeudi de novembre pour sa fraîcheur et sa simplicité.Traduction:Beaujolais Nouveau is a young red wine from the Beaujolais region, celebrated worldwide every thi ... Show More
3m 45s
Apr 2023
A travel history to beat all travel histories
The next time you take a careful travel history, think what it would be like to ask comedy writer Mike Reiss — he and his wife have been to more than a hundred countries, many of them far from the usual tourist routes. Paul Sax, MD, FIDSA, sits down with Reiss to discuss the good ... Show More
24m 51s