logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2021
1h 7m

#247 — Constructing Minds

SAM HARRIS
About this episode

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 as prescriptions for action, culture as an operating system, and other topics.

If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.

Up next
Mar 11
#463 — Privatizing the Apocalypse
Sam Harris speaks with Rob Reid about biosecurity, pandemic risk, and the alarming fragility of our defenses against biological catastrophe. They discuss the controversial USAID program DEEP VZN, the dangers of gain-of-function research, open science norms that could arm bad acto ... Show More
21m 57s
Mar 6
#462 — More From Sam: The Iran War, American Amorality, Addressing Hopelessness, Tucker, and More
In this latest episode of the More From Sam series, Sam and Jaron talk about current events. They discuss whether the U.S. was right to take military action against Iran, the new era of American amorality, antisemitism on the left and right, Tucker Carlson's provocative interview ... Show More
19m 46s
Feb 25
#461 — Dictators Always Tell You What They'll Do
Sam Harris speaks with Garry Kasparov about the erosion of American democracy and the global authoritarian threat. They discuss Trump's systematic corruption, the GOP's moral collapse, the 2026 midterms as a decisive moment for democracy, Trump's entanglement with Russia and Puti ... Show More
29m 9s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2023
BS 207 Luiz Pessoa "The Cognitive-Emotional Brain"
This month's episode is an encore presentation of an interview with neuroscientist Luiz Pessoa discussing his fascinating book "The Cognitive-Emotional Brain: From Interactions to Integration." We explored the surprising role of the amygdala in decision making and learned that co ... Show More
1h 5m
Sep 2018
BS 149 "Happy Brain" with Dr. Dean Burnett
Brain Science 149 is an episode for listeners of all backgrounds. It is an interview with Dr. Dean Burnett, author of Happy Brain: Where Happiness Comes From, and Why. We look beyond the hype about dopamine and consider how our social nature impacts our happiness. Complete show n ... Show More
1h 5m
Apr 2021
Your Brain Is Not What You Think It Is, with Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD
What if the way you think about your brain and how and why it functions is just plain wrong? Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University and author of the book “7 ½ Lessons About the Brain,” discusses myths about the brain and her theory that i ... Show More
38m 39s
Aug 2022
BS 199: Batja Mesquita on Cultural Origins of Emotion
tail spinning
1h 2m
Oct 2022
BS 201 Brain Development with Bill Harris
tail spinning
1h 8m
May 2023
#209 — A Good Life
Sam Harris speaks with Scott Barry Kaufman about human well-being. They discuss intelligence and creativity, wisdom and transcendence, the history of humanistic psychology, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the connection between well-being and ethics, self-esteem, psychedelics and me ... Show More
45m 20s
Jul 2021
Patricia Churchland, “Philosophy of Brain” (Open Agenda, 2021)
Philosophy of Brain is based on an in-depth filmed conversation between Howard Burton and neurophilosopher Patricia Churchland, UC San Diego. Patricia Churchland has done extensive research in the fields of philosophy of neuroscience, philosophy of the mind and neuroethics. Durin ... Show More
1h 37m