logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
39m 15s

213. What Is Evil?

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode
What makes normal people do terrible things? Are there really bad apples — or just bad barrels? And how should you deal with a nefarious next-door neighbor? 
Up next
Aug 23
89. How Valuable Is Enthusiasm?
What’s the difference between willpower and eagerness? Is there a lifehack that can make you zestier? And could it help Stephen improve his golf game? This episode originally aired on March 6th, 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information a ... Show More
28m 34s
Aug 16
88. Is Self-Improvement Too Selfish?
Is it more important to help society or to help yourself? Does the self-improvement movement do any good for the world? And which podcast episode does Stephen cling to as proof that he’s doing something valuable? This episode originally aired on February 27th, 2022. Hosted by Sim ... Show More
34m 17s
Aug 9
87. What’s So Great About Retirement?
How do you know when it’s the right time to retire? What does a “good” retirement look like? And will Stephen and Angela ever really hang up their hats? This episode originally aired on February 20nd, 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informa ... Show More
30m 54s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2025
Critical Ponerology (WHAT IS “EVIL”?) with Kenneth MacKendrick
<p>What is evil? Who is evil? Does evil exist? Who decides? Can we scream over turkey at grandma’s house? Let’s chat Critical Ponerology with scholar, professor, author of <i>Evil: A Critical Primer,</i> and a gem of a person, Dr. Kenneth MacKendrick of the University of Manitoba ... Show More
1h 3m
Dec 2024
How Monsters are Made
<p>What makes ordinary people do evil things? It was a question that long fascinated the psychologist Philip Zimbardo, who died in October. Zimbardo was best known for the controversial Stanford prison experiment, in which he created a simulated prison in the basement of a univer ... Show More
46m 43s
Apr 2025
Is It a Theater Piece or a Psychological Experiment? (Update)
tail spinning
37m 13s
May 2001
Evil
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the concept of evil. When Nietzsche killed off God he had it in for evil as well: In Beyond Good and Evil, he constructed an argument against what he called the “herd morality” of Christianity, and he complained "everything that elevates an individ ... Show More
28m 23s
Aug 2022
The Silence of Evil
<p>What can the Stanford Prison Experiment teach us about the dangers of censorship in the the modern world?</p> 
44m 10s
Jun 2025
What Do Medieval Nuns and Bo Jackson Have in Common? (Update)
tail spinning
36m 13s
Dec 2016
Tragedy vs. Evil
In a lecture recorded by TVO, Professor Jordan Peterson discusses the nature of evil, distinguishing it from tragedy, and presenting his ideas on how both the former and the latter might be most effectively dealt with. Support this Podcast with Patreon Dr Peterson's Online Self-D ... Show More
46m 54s
Jun 2007
Stephen Law on The Problem of Evil
What is evil? Is it consistent with the existence of a benevolent God? In this interview Stephen Law gives an original take on this traditional philosophical problem.<br/> 
14m 23s
Jun 2022
242. What Is Human Nature and How Do You Motivate Yourself
Have you ever wondered if we (or the entire human race) would enter into total anarchy and violence in the absence of self-judgment, worry over other people’s feelings, or agreement on ethics or morality? More importantly, have you ever wondered *why* you think that would be the ... Show More
22m 17s
Dec 2023
569. Do You Need Closure?
tail spinning
39m 34s