logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2019
33m 1s

#151 — Will We Destroy the Future?

SAM HARRIS
About this episode

Sam Harris speaks with Nick Bostrom about the problem of existential risk. They discuss public goods, moral illusions, the asymmetry between happiness and suffering, utilitarianism, "the vulnerable world hypothesis," the history of nuclear deterrence, the possible need for "turnkey totalitarianism," whether we're living in a computer simulation, the Doomsday Argument, the implications of extraterrestrial life, and other topics.

If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.

Up next
Sep 9
#492 — The Second Plane, 25 Years Later
On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, Sam discusses the significance of the second plane, the writing of The End of Faith, the failure to take jihadist belief seriously, the costs of the war on terror, the abandonment of America's Afghan allies, the continuity between 9/11 a ... Show More
37m 36s
Sep 1
#491 — The Suicide of the Left
Sam Harris speaks with James Kirchick about the far left's growing influence over Democratic politics. They discuss Kirchick's article "The DSA Is a Parasite," the group's platform and foreign policy, entryism, the alliance between Islamists and the far left, Third Worldism, Zohr ... Show More
25m 32s
Aug 25
#490 — Lies, Bulls**t, and the Rule of Law
Sam Harris speaks with Preet Bharara about the collapse of good faith debate in American politics. They discuss the fragmentation of media, the treatment of Anthony Fauci, the rush to prosecute political opponents, Trump's self-dealing, why indictments strengthened Trump, lying v ... Show More
24 m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
#151 — Will We Destroy the Future?
Sam Harris speaks with Nick Bostrom about the problem of existential risk. They discuss public goods, moral illusions, the asymmetry between happiness and suffering, utilitarianism, “the vulnerable world hypothesis,” the history of nuclear deterrence, the possible need for “turnk ... Show More
1h 33m
Apr 2023
#107 — Is Life Actually Worth Living?
Sam Harris speaks with David Benatar about his philosophy of “anti-natalism.” They discuss the asymmetry between the good and bad things in life, the ethics of existential risk, the moral landscape, the limits and paradoxes of introspection, the “experience machine” thought exper ... Show More
49m 15s
Feb 2018
#045 What’s The Biggest Threat To Freedom? Islam Or Consumerism (with Sam Harris)
In a bumper 2 hour episode neuroscientist, author and fellow podcaster Sam Harris and I discuss the effects and rationality of religious belief, the illusion of freedom, Western intervention in the Middle East and where true power lies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for ... Show More
2h 3m
Dec 2019
How civilization could destroy itself -- and 4 ways we could prevent it | Nick Bostrom
Humanity is on its way to creating a "black ball": a technological breakthrough that could destroy us all, says philosopher Nick Bostrom. In this incisive, surprisingly light-hearted conversation with Head of TED Chris Anderson, Bostrom outlines the vulnerabilities we could face ... Show More
20m 49s
Sep 2023
Sam Harris (Wealth, Health & Debate)
<p class="p1">Russell chats to Sam Harris, a renowned neuroscientist, philosopher, best-selling author, and the host of 'Making Sense' podcast, as well as the creator of 'Waking Up'. In this episode, they tackle everything from the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, to the dangers of ... Show More
1h 30m
Sep 2023
#68 — Reality and the Imagination
Sam Harris speaks with Yuval Noah Harari about meditation, the need for stories, the power of technology to erase the boundary between fact and fiction, wealth inequality, the problem of finding meaning in a world without work, religion as a virtual reality game, the difference b ... Show More
38m 47s
Oct 2023
#68 — Reality and the Imagination
Sam Harris speaks with Yuval Noah Harari about meditation, the need for stories, the power of technology to erase the boundary between fact and fiction, wealth inequality, the problem of finding meaning in a world without work, religion as a virtual reality game, the difference b ... Show More
1h 12m