logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2022
53m 55s

84. Yuval Noah Harari Thinks Life Is Mea...

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode
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. 
Up next
Yesterday
31. Peter Leeson on Why Trial-by-Fire Wasn’t Barbaric and Why Pirates Were Democratic
He’s an economist who studies even weirder things than Steve. They discuss whether economics is the best of the social sciences, and why it’s a good idea to get a tattoo of a demand curve on your bicep. This episode originally aired on June 11th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an Ad ... Show More
45m 40s
Jul 11
30. Dambisa Moyo Says Foreign Aid Can’t Solve Problems, but Maybe Corporations Can
The African-born economist has written four bestselling books, including Dead Aid, which Bill Gates described as “promoting evil.” In her new book about corporate boards, Dambisa uses her experience with global corporations to explore how they can better meet society’s demands. A ... Show More
43m 33s
Jul 4
29. Bruce Friedrich Thinks There’s a Better Way to Eat Meat
Levitt rarely interviews advocates, but the founder of the Good Food Institute is different. Once an outspoken — and sometimes outlandish — animal-rights activist, Bruce has come to believe that market-driven innovation and scientific advancement are the best ways to reduce globa ... Show More
45m 9s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2022
528. Yuval Noah Harari Thinks Life is Meaningless and Amazing
tail spinning
51m 59s
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
Nov 2020
438. How to Succeed by Being Authentic (Hint: Carefully)
<p>John Mackey, the C.E.O. of Whole Foods, has learned the perils of speaking his mind. But he still says what he thinks about everything from “conscious leadership” to the behavioral roots of the obesity epidemic. He also argues for a style of capitalism and politics that at thi ... Show More
47m 31s
Nov 2022
Steven Pinker
Claudia Hammond meets cognitive scientist and author Steven Pinker. He describes the times we are living in as a pandemic of poppycock and has advice on how to be more rational. 
28m 3s
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
Mar 2022
Faking Sincerity, BLOODY BRILLIANT!
Good morning and welcome to the ride! Steve has a metaphor about trash and it's genius. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
3m 48s
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