logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2023
10m 51s

The surprising psychology behind your ur...

TED
About this episode

We all experience it: that desire to do something wrong just for the sake of it. Whether it's walking on manicured grass or sticking your finger in a friend's ice cream, psychologist Paul Bloom invites us to see the clever, creative and beautiful side of these minor impulses to do bad. He dives into the psychology behind this all-too-human condition -- and proposes that it helps make our world a little more unpredictable and fun.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
The wiggly wonder of music | Jacob Collier
Grammy-winning musician Jacob Collier has a name for the feeling that moves through a great piece of music: the wiggle. Watch him break down the idea into its three parts — melody, rhythm and harmony — with nothing but his own voice, a grand piano and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wo ... Show More
12m 39s
Sep 14
How AI unleashed (not replaced) my creativity | Kelly A. Boesch
After working for years in film, fashion and graphic design, visual artist Kelly A. Boesch found a new collaborator to work with: AI. She walks through how she uses the technology to create dreamlike images and music that remain hauntingly human, exploring the two questions every ... Show More
8m 50s
Sep 13
How to turn setbacks into success | Amy Shoenthal
Success rarely happens in a straight line, with setbacks all but guaranteed along the way. What's the best way to recover? Leadership coach Amy Shoenthal lays out the four phases of the "setback cycle" and explains how to transform difficult moments into opportunities for reinven ... Show More
20m 2s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2021
Paul Bloom on Psychological Hedonism,
Do we seek pleasure and avoid pain? The moral psychologist Paul Bloom believes psychological hedonism gives an inaccurate picture of what motivates us. In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast he discusses pain and pleasure with Nigel Warburton. 
20m 23s
Nov 2021
Why Pain & Suffering Are Necessary For A Good Life - Paul Bloom - #402
Paul Bloom is Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University and an author. People do strange things to feel pleasure. Eating spicy food, having rough sex, watching scary movies. On top of that, they make huge sacrifices ... Show More
1h 17m
Aug 2024
The Call of the Void: Don’t Pick Up!
Many of us have experienced the odd sensation that we shouldn’t trust ourselves not to simply jump from a high place for no reason. Some even feel an urge. Philosophers and psychologists have tried to make sense of this senseless urge for centuries now. See omnystudio.com/listene ... Show More
41m 53s
Jun 2025
Ouch! That Feels Great
<p>We generally think of pain as something to be avoided. But psychologist <a href="https://www.psych.utoronto.ca/people/directories/all-faculty/paul-bloom">Paul Bloom</a> says that as much as we're wired to avoid suffering, we also seek it out. This week, we begin a two-part min ... Show More
51m 15s
Mar 2014
Episode 42: Reason, Responsibility, and Roombas (With Paul Bloom)
<p>Can a fully determined creature deliberate? How big a role does conscious reasoning play in moral judgment and everyday life? Are we responsible for our thoughts and actions? Paul Bloom rejoins us against his better judgment to discuss his book "Just Babies" and his recent art ... Show More
1h 7m
Nov 2021
The Sweet Spot: why pain can be a pleasure
We go to movies that make us cry, scream or gag we poke at sores, eat spicy foods and run marathons. Some of us even seek out discomfort and humiliation for sexual gratification. Most of these activities are painful yet many of us find pleasure within them and Professor Paul Bloo ... Show More
55 m
Jan 2018
Freedom and Hostile Design
Some acts of expression are awesome, while others suck, and one philosopher has a new theory about the difference. Using this theory as a guide, we look at some of the suckiest things that ever sucked in urban design, and the street artists and compassionate vandals who are tryin ... Show More
28m 6s
Mar 2023
How Does The Human Mind Work? - Paul Bloom - #608
Paul Bloom is Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University and an author. The human mind is a mystery. If it wasn't for the fact that we experience it, the universe would give us absolutely no indication that consciousn ... Show More
1h 28m
Dec 2019
Bog Savage Dynamite Skunk
Mental Health episode. I discuss how to tackle core beliefs, which we learn in childhood and carry into adulthood. They can negatively influence how we view ourselves, other people and the world. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:g ... Show More
1h 12m