The author of "Sapiens" has a knack for finding the profound in the obvious. He tells Steve why money is fiction, traffic can be mind-blowing, and politicians have a right to say stupid things in private.
Today
38. Sendhil Mullainathan Explains How to Generate an Idea a Minute (Part 2)
Steve continues his conversation with his good friend, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and fellow University of Chicago economist. Sendhil breaks down the hypothesis of his book Scarcity, explains why machines aren’t competition for human intelligence, and tells Steve why it’ ... Show More
36m 54s
Aug 29
37. Sendhil Mullainathan Thinks Messing Around Is the Best Use of Your Time
He’s a professor of computation and behavioral science at the University of Chicago, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and author. Steve and Sendhil laugh their way through a conversation about the importance of play, the benefits of change, and why we remember so little about ... Show More
50m 31s
Aug 22
36. How Rahm Emanuel Would Run the World
In this interview, Steve talks with the former top adviser to presidents Clinton and Obama, about his record — and his reputation. And Rahm explains that while he believes in the power of the federal government, as former mayor of Chicago, he says that cities are where problems r ... Show More
41m 56s
Mar 2018
#119 — Hidden Motives
Sam Harris speaks with Robin Hanson about our hidden motives in everyday life. They discuss selfishness, hypocrisy, norms and meta-norms, cheating, deception, self-deception, education, the evolutionary logic of conversation, social status, signaling and counter-signaling, common ... Show More
59m 23s
Apr 2017
#005 Yuval Noah Harari - Is Humanity Finished?
This week I’m joined by Yuval Noah Harari, author of bestseller ‘Sapiens: A Brief History Of Humankind’. We discuss how homo sapiens came to dominate the world, how our society is built on fiction, the creation of a class of useless people, and the future for our species. Hosted ... Show More
1h 11m
Mar 2017
#68 — Reality and the Imagination
Sam Harris speaks with Yuval Noah Harari about meditation, the need for stories, the power of technology to erase the boundary between fact and fiction, wealth inequality, the problem of finding meaning in a world without work, religion as a virtual reality game, the difference b ... Show More
38m 30s
Aug 2025
How common knowledge shapes the world | Steven Pinker
Common knowledge is the secret engine of social life, letting us coordinate everything from meet-ups to markets to international diplomacy. In this fascinating talk, experimental cognitive scientist Steven Pinker explores its momentous impact, threading together stories of why au ... Show More
15m 20s
Mar 2018
(Yuval) Noah’s Arc - What Is The Future For Sapiens?
With his ever growing popularity I take a look back at my interview with Yuval Noah Harari, author of bestseller ‘Sapiens: A Brief History Of Humankind’. We discuss how homo sapiens came to dominate the world, how our society is built on fiction, the creation of a class of useles ... Show More
1h 11m
Oct 2024
Making Bureaucracies Sexier with Yuval Noah Harari
<p>Trevor and Christiana speak with Yuval Noah Harari, whose latest book, Nexus, asks, if humans are so smart, why do we do so many stupid things? The three of them interrogate truth vs. fact, the threats and promises of AI, and how these questions connect to global issues like t ... Show More
1h 23m
<p>In this special episode of <i>People I (Mostly) Admire</i>, Steve Levitt talks to the best-selling author of <i>Sapiens</i> and <i>Homo Deus</i> about finding the profound in the obvious.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.co ... Show More