How much insight do people have into why they behave the way they do? Science journalist Shankar Vedantam, host of the Hidden Brain podcast and author of “Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain,” talks about why he is fascinated by the paradoxes of human behavior, what it takes to bring the popular podcast to life, and why it’s i ... Show More
Aug 20
Why numeracy counts in everyday life, with Ellen Peters, PhD
From deciding whether to buy a house to weighing the risks and benefits of taking a new medication, many important life decisions hinge on understanding numbers, statistics and probability. Ellen Peters, PhD, author of “Innumeracy in the Wild: Misunderstanding and Misusing Number ... Show More
35m 22s
Aug 13
Encore - How science can help you change your behavior for the better, with Katy Milkman, PhD
What can you learn from the science of behavior change that can help you make the changes you want to see in your life? Katy Milkman, PhD, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and author of the book How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where Y ... Show More
43m 42s
Aug 6
Encore -- Why we choose to suffer, with Paul Bloom, PhD
Why do people like to watch scary movies or listen to sad songs? Why do we run marathons and raise children, even though both of those pursuits come with struggle and pain? Paul Bloom, PhD, discusses why suffering is linked to meaning in life, the connection between pleasure and ... Show More
23m 18s
Jul 2021
#255 — The Future of Intelligence
Sam Harris speaks with Jeff Hawkins about the nature of intelligence. They discuss how the neocortex creates models of the world, the role of prediction in sensory-motor experience, cortical columns, reference frames, thought as movement in conceptual space, the future of artific ... Show More
58m 1s
Apr 2023
#317 — What Do We Know About Our Minds?
Sam Harris speaks with Paul Bloom about the state of psychological science. They discuss fiction as a window onto the mind, recent developments in AI, the tension between misinformation and free speech, bullshitting vs lying, truth vs belonging, reliance on scientific authority, ... Show More
1h 7m
Apr 2021
#247 — Constructing Minds
Sam Harris speaks with Lisa Feldman Barrett about the origins and function of the human brain. They discuss how brains evolved, the myth of the “triune brain,” the brain’s network organization, the predictive nature of perception and action, the construction of emotion, concepts ... Show More
1h 7m
Nov 2020
The Parasitic Mind with Gad Saad
Gad Saad, Ph.D., is one of the best-known intellectuals fighting what he calls the tyranny of political correctness, often writing and speaking about idea pathogens that are destroying logic, science, reason, and common sense. A pioneer in the application of evolutionary psycholo ... Show More
42m 20s
Apr 2024
The New Science Of Memory, How to Remember What Matters & Why We're Designed To Forget with Dr Charan Ranganath #444
We often think about our memories as a record of the past – but what if they’re only a selective and evolving version of it? Today’s guest is a world-leading memory expert who has a surprising message: we’re not supposed to remember everything. In fact, our brains are designed to ... Show More
2h 18m