Today we welcome John Kaag, the Chair and Professor of philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He received his Masters in Philosophy from Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Oregon. His writing has been published in The Paris Review, The New York Times, and Harper’s Magazine. He is the author of Hiki ... Show More
Dec 4
End of an Era — Reflections on 11 Years of The Psychology Podcast w/ Annie Murphy Paul
After 11 years, 478 episodes, and countless conversations exploring the depths of human potential, this episode marks the final chapter of The Psychology Podcast in its current form. In this deeply meaningful farewell episode for Scott, he sits down with acclaimed science writer ... Show More
46m 52s
Nov 2025
How Mindsets Shape Reality w/ Dr. Alia Crum
This week, Scott sits down with his longtime friend and colleague, Dr. Alia Crum—one of the world’s leading researchers on the science of mindsets. Dr. Crum’s groundbreaking work investigates how our subjective beliefs and interpretations can produce real, measurable changes in b ... Show More
1 h
Nov 2025
The Gentle Power of Sisu w/ Dr. Elisabet Lahti
This week, Scott welcomes Dr. Elisabet Lahti—educator, applied psychology researcher, and founder of the Sisu Lab. Dr. Lahti is the world’s leading expert on sisu, a Finnish concept that embodies extraordinary courage, resilience, and determination in the face of adversity. Toget ... Show More
48m 45s
Aug 2021
Dr. John Kaag on How to Find Zest in Life
Dr. John Kaag is Professor and Chair of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts. He has written extensively on academic philosophy but his work has also appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Paris Review, and Harper’s Magazine.
In this episode, John and Eri ... Show More
58m 37s
May 2022
Massimo Pigliucci on How to Live a Happy Life
Massimo Pigliucci is a Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York, former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast, and former editor in chief for the online magazine Scientia Salon. His research interests include the philosophy of science, the relationship between ... Show More
1h 2m
Apr 2023
#107 — Is Life Actually Worth Living?
Sam Harris speaks with David Benatar about his philosophy of “anti-natalism.” They discuss the asymmetry between the good and bad things in life, the ethics of existential risk, the moral landscape, the limits and paradoxes of introspection, the “experience machine” thought exper ... Show More
49m 15s
Sep 2017
2: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Life: Letters from a Stoic by Seneca
"You want your life to be where, if it was your last year, you'd happy with how your life turned out." Letters from a Stoic is one of Neil's and Nat's favorite works of philosophy, and has taken the world by storm in a massive resurgence over the last 10 years. Unlike most philos ... Show More
1h 12m