Palliative physician B.J. Miller asks: Is there a better way to think about dying? And can death be beautiful?
Today
19. Marina Nitze: “If You Googled ‘Business Efficiency Consultant,’ I Was the Only Result.”
At 27— and without a college degree — she was named chief technology officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Today, Marina Nitze is trying to reform the foster care system. She tells Steve how she hacked the V.A.’s bureaucracy, opens up about her struggle with Type 1 diabe ... Show More
37m 38s
Apr 18
18. Robert Sapolsky: “I Don’t Think We Have Any Free Will Whatsoever.”
He’s one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, with a focus on the physiological effects of stress. (For years, he spent his summers in Kenya, alone except for the baboons he was observing.) Steve asks Robert why we value human life over animals, why he’s lost faith in the crim ... Show More
41m 34s
Jul 2024
A Matter of Life and Death
Dr Laurie HATES thinking about her own death. It's scary, creepy and morbid, right? Wrong. Thinking about our finite lives can makes us better, happier people. The shadow of death makes us behave more kindly towards others, and can motivate us both to enjoy the little joys of li ... Show More
32m 37s
Apr 2025
Why thinking about death helps you live a better life | Alua Arthur
As a death doula, or someone who supports dying people and their loved ones, Alua Arthur spends a lot of time thinking about the end of life. In a profound talk that examines our brief, perfectly human time on this planet, she asks us to look at our lives through the lens of our ... Show More
19m 58s
Sep 2024
Death and How to Live It: Death Doula, Alua Arthur
Alua Arthur joins Rainn Wilson on Soul Boom to explore the transformative power of embracing mortality. They delve into how contemplating death can bring clarity and meaning to life, the cultural taboos around discussing death, and the importance of preparing for the end of life. ... Show More
58m 56s
May 2025
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 2: Life and Death (Update)
<p>In medicine, failure can be catastrophic. It can also produce discoveries that save millions of lives. Tales from the front line, the lab, and the I.T. department. (Part two of a <a href="https://freakonomics.com/podcast-tag/how-to-succeed-at-failing/">four-part series</a>.)</ ... Show More
53m 19s