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 Evil: A Critical Primer, and a gem of a person, Dr. Kenneth MacKendrick of the University of Manitoba. He’s been teaching courses on the notion of evil for 25 years and it’s a much deeper rab ... Show More
Oct 9
Horror Neurobiology (WATCHING SCARY STUFF) with Austin Lim
Thrills. Chills. Hiding behind your hands. It’s officially SPOOKTOBER month with a huge, fascinating (and I promise, mellow) episode on why humans watch horror, and what’s happening in your brain. Not only do we have the author of “Horror on the Brain: the Neuroscience Behind Sci ... Show More
2h 17m
Aug 2017
#91 — The Biology of Good and Evil
Sam Harris speaks with Robert Sapolsky about his work with baboons, the opposition between reason and emotion, doubt, the evolution of the brain, the civilizing role of the frontal cortex, the illusion of free will, justice and vengeance, brain-machine interface, religion, drugs, ... Show More
43m 12s
Jan 2025
516. Michael Malice: A Clinical Analysis
Jordan Peterson sits down with author, podcaster, and notorious troll, Michael Malice. They discuss the motivations behind deep and totalitarian evil, how the margins of society operate within the anarchist framework, and the effect of counterproductive moralizing on psychologica ... Show More
1h 45m
Apr 2021
#245 — Can We Talk About Scary Ideas?
Sam Harris speaks with Peter Singer, Francesca Minerva, and Jeff McMahan about the newly launched Journal of Controversial Ideas. They discuss the ethics of discussing dangerous ideas, the possibility of having a market in vaccines, the taboo around the topic of race and IQ, the ... Show More
42m 48s
<p>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?</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://jonathanhaidt.com/">Jonathan Haidt</a>, professor o ... Show More
