logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
52m 41s

596. Farewell to a Generational Talent

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode

Daniel Kahneman left his mark on academia (and the real world) in countless ways. A group of his friends and colleagues recently gathered in Chicago to reflect on this legacy — and we were there, with microphones.

 

  • SOURCES:
    • Maya Bar-Hillel, professor emeritus of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
    • Shane Frederick, professor of marketing at the Yale School of Management.
    • Thomas Gilovich, professor of psychology at Cornell University.
    • Matt Killingsworth, senior fellow at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
    • Barbara Mellers, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
    • Eldar Shafir, director of the Kahneman-Treisman Center for Behavioral Science & Public Policy at Princeton University.
    • Richard Thaler, professor of behavioral science and economics at the University of Chicago.

 

 

Up next
Oct 3
648. The Merger You Never Knew You Wanted
The N.F.L. is a powerful cartel with imperial desires. College football is about to undergo a financial reckoning. So maybe they should team up? (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES:DeMaurice Smith, former executive director of the National Football League Players Association ... Show More
1h 6m
Sep 26
Is the U.S. Really Less Corrupt Than China? (Update)
In this episode we first published in 2021, the political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang argues that different forms of government create different styles of corruption — and that the U.S. and China have more in common than we’d like to admit. SOURCES:Yuen Yuen Ang, professor of politic ... Show More
57m 34s
Sep 19
647. China Is Run by Engineers. America Is Run by Lawyers.
In his new book “Breakneck,” Dan Wang argues that the U.S. has a lot to learn from China. He also says that “no two peoples are more alike.” We have questions. SOURCES:Dan Wang, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, author of Breakneck: China's Quest t ... Show More
1h 1m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
221. Why Are We So Pessimistic?
Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father of positive psychology a lifelong pessimist? SOURCES:Albert Bandura, professor of psychology at Stanford University.David Brooks, author and opinion columnist. Andrew Grove, forme ... Show More
39m 8s
Sep 2024
Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics? (Replay)
Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? Stephen Dubner chats with Angela Duckworth in this classic episode from July 2020. SOURCES:Pearl S. Buck, 20th-century American novelist.Jack Gallant, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of Califo ... Show More
31m 2s
Aug 2024
207. How Clearly Do You See Yourself?
Do you see yourself the same way others see you? What’s the difference between self-perception and self-awareness? And why do Mike and Angela both hate fishing? SOURCES:Luis von Ahn, co-founder and C.E.O. of Duolingo; former chair of the board at Character Lab.Paul DePodesta, chi ... Show More
36m 23s
Dec 2024
Turning Work into Play (Update)
How psychologist Dan Gilbert went from high school dropout to Harvard professor, found the secret of joy, and inspired Steve Levitt's divorce. SOURCE:Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University. RESOURCES:"What the Data Says (and Doesn’t Say) About Crime in the ... Show More
50m 24s
Nov 2024
219. How Do You Identify a Narcissist?
What’s the difference between narcissism and high self-esteem? Does social media fuel arrogance or self-consciousness? And do people get less toxic with age?  SOURCES:Brené Brown, research professor at the University of Houston and visiting professor in management at the Universi ... Show More
40m 48s
Nov 2024
220. Is Your Attention Span Shrinking?
Does a surplus of information create a shortage of attention? Are today’s young people really unable to focus? And do goldfish need better PR?  SOURCES:Neil Bradbury, professor of physiology at Rosalind Franklin University.Nicholas Carr, writer and journalist.Johann Hari, writer ... Show More
37m 11s
Jul 2024
205. Where Do Values Come From?
Do you get your principles from your parents — or in spite of them? Is there anything wrong with valuing conformity? And why doesn’t McDonald’s sell salads?  SOURCES:Erika James, dean of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.Olivia Rodrigo, singer-songw ... Show More
41m 47s
Sep 2024
209. Why Do We Settle?
Why does the U.S. use Fahrenheit when Celsius is better? Would you quit your job if a coin flip told you to? And how do you get an entire country to drive on the other side of the road? SOURCES:Christian Crandall, professor of psychology at the University of Kansas.Stephen Dubner ... Show More
35m 2s
Dec 2024
223. What About All the Questions We Haven’t Answered?
How can you learn to love uncertainty? Is it better to cultivate acceptance or strive for change? And, after 223 episodes, what is the meaning of life?  SOURCES:Jessica Alquist, professor of psychology at Texas Tech University.Roy Baumeister, professor of psychology at The Univer ... Show More
44m 6s
Feb 2025
A Legacy of Social Psychology w/ Dr. Elliot Aronson & Dr. Joshua Aronson
In this special episode, Scott is joined by two legendary figures in social psychology: Dr. Elliot Aronson and his son, Dr. Joshua Aronson. At 93, Elliot Aronson remains a towering influence in psychology, known for pioneering the Jigsaw Classroom—a groundbreaking cooperative lea ... Show More
1h 18m