logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
42m 15s

Ep72 "How do you put yourself in other p...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

You know that moment in the horror movie where the monster is coming closer, but the movie star doesn't see it? Why does that drive you crazy, and what does that teach us about brains? What is theory of mind, and why is it so important for everyone from poker players to conmen to stage magicians to novelists? Join us this week to dive into a fundamental skill of human brains -- and the question of whether current AI has any ability to simulate other people's minds.

Up next
Today
Ep131 "What do brains tell us about politics?" Part 2: Rehumanization
<p>How do societies work their way out of polarization? And what does the answer have to do with broken trucks, the Apollo program, the movie 'Watchmen', Iroquois Native Americans, a new idea for social media algorithms, moral taste buds, and how we can take advantage of the comm ... Show More
49m 2s
Nov 17
Ep130 "What do brains tell us about politics?" Part 1: Polarization
<p>What do propaganda posters have in common across nation and time, and how is that related to the medial prefrontal cortex? What is behind repeating cycles of societal polarization? What does any of this have to do with the American Civil War, hippies vs soldiers, border ruffia ... Show More
45m 43s
Nov 10
Ep129 "Is utopia possible or do human brains preclude it?" with Paul Bloom
Would a utopia be possible? Or does our innate tribalism and jealousy make perfect societies difficult to achieve? Do we secretly love hierarchies? Why are primate brains such excellent detectors of unfairness? Why do things become more desirable when we’re told we can’t have the ... Show More
43m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2025
what does AI believe? (the hidden soul inside the machine)
<p>When we talk about artificial intelligence, the focus is usually on headlines: Will it take our jobs? Can it be trusted? Is it dangerous? But what if we’ve been asking the wrong questions?&nbsp;</p><br><p><a href="https://venturebeat.com/ai/anthropic-just-analyzed-700000-claud ... Show More
59m 34s
Sep 2024
The Solution to Overthinking & Why You’re Smarter Than AI - SYSK Choice
What if you could reduce your risk of heart disease by 30% without a lot of effort? After all, it is the number 1 killer in the U.S. This episode begins with this simple little tactic – and by the way, it’s all in your attitude. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-positive-mind ... Show More
48m 45s
Aug 14
What Algorithms Really Know About You & The Awesome Power of Doing Nothing
What if starting your meal with a mediocre appetizer could actually make the main course taste better? In this surprising opening segment, we dive into the psychology of taste and explore clever, science-backed tricks to make your food taste better — using your brain, not just yo ... Show More
47m 2s
Dec 2018
Spoiler Alert!
<p>Why do we always fall for surprise endings? It turns out that our capacity to be easily fooled in books and movies is made possible by a handful of predictable mental shortcuts. We talk this week with Vera Tobin, one of the world's first cognitive scientists to study plot twis ... Show More
28m 24s
Feb 2023
Focus - When Our Senses Intermingle
How can some people taste sounds? What’s happening in the brain of those who feel other’s sensations as their own? And why might we have evolved some of these extraordinary abilities in the first place? In this focus episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham a ... Show More
32m 25s
Nov 2024
Is AI Going To Destroy The Planet?
AI is everywhere, but how much water is it consuming? IT IS WORTH IT:?! How much energy is it consuming? THEY'RE TURNING BACK ON THREE MILE ISLAND?! IS THAT A GOOD THING? Today we have an AI freak out. We are going to explain the new research and stats around how much AI data cen ... Show More
44m 11s
Feb 2025
How to Master Small Talk & Why We Do Things Without Knowing Why- SYSK Choice
Is there a reason we have eyebrows? Pretty much every part of the human body has a reason for being there and eyebrows actually have three reasons. I begin this episode by explaining what they are. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58424/why-do-we-have-eyebrows Every relations ... Show More
47m 5s
Oct 31
Jane G. Goldberg, "Wired for Why: How We Think, Feel, and Make Meaning" (2025)
WIRED FOR WHY: How We Think, Feel and Make Meaning. (Self-Published 2025) spans eighteen chapters exploring everything from how we manage to stay alive against all odds, to why language separates us from other species, to whether death might be a metaphor. It's a journey through ... Show More
1h 3m
Mar 2025
Can AI match the human brain? | Surya Ganguli
<p>AI is evolving into a mysterious new form of intelligence — powerful yet flawed, capable of remarkable feats but still far from human-like reasoning and efficiency. To truly understand it and unlock its potential, we need a new science of intelligence that combines neuroscienc ... Show More
16m 57s
Oct 1
Part Two: Access Your Divine Intelligence! Dr. Bernardo Kastrup Provides a Mind-Expanding Explanation of Consciousness that Leads You to Higher Meaning
Is Everything You Know About Reality…Wrong? What Is Consciousness & How Does It Shape Our Reality?? In this mind-expanding episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Dr. Bernardo Kastrup (Executive Director of the Essentia Foundation, CEO of AI company Euclyd B.V., and the leading voic ... Show More
1h 3m