logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2019
48m 58s

Facts Aren't Enough

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
About this episode
Sometimes when we believe something, we resist data that can change our minds. This week, we look at how we rely on the people we trust to shape what we believe, and why emotions can be more powerful than facts. This episode features new reporting and favorite conversations with neuroscientist Tali Sharot and philosopher of science Cailin O'Connor. 
Up next
Jan 26
You 2.0: Trusting Your Doubt
We conclude our month-long You 2.0 series with a look at the hidden power of doubt — not as weakness or indecision, but as a tool that helps us make better choices and navigate an uncertain world. Researcher Bobby Parmar explores how doubt can sharpen judgment, and makes a case f ... Show More
1h 37m
Jan 19
You 2.0: The Practice of Patience
Patience can sometimes feel like a lost art, particularly in a culture that prizes competition and the idea of "failing fast." But psychologist Sarah Schnitker says patience is a vital skill for success in both our personal and professional lives. We talk with Sarah about the dif ... Show More
1h 40m
Jan 12
You 2.0: How to Get Out of a Rut
There are times in life when the challenges we face feel insurmountable. Authors succumb to writer’s block. Athletes and artists hit a plateau. People of a certain age fall into a midlife crisis. These are all different ways of saying: I’m stuck. This week, in a favorite conversa ... Show More
1h 38m
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2020
Why don’t we care about facts?
We have a great capacity to ignore facts and only believe what we want to believe – particularly if those facts clash with our convictions. Why is that and is it getting worse? It’s an area that is being intensely studied by psychologists, political scientists and neuroscientists ... Show More
23m 50s
Nov 2023
Best of Series: Surprising Truths about the Human Brain with Lisa Feldman Barrett
In this episode, I talk to renowned neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett about emotions and the brain. She reveals what the true function of the brain is⎯and it’s not for thinking. We also discuss the impact of past experiences on our cognition and what we can do to overcome o ... Show More
1h 29m
Oct 2015
Episode Three
<p>This is Episode Three of PsychCrunch, the new podcast from the British Psychological Society's Research Digest. In this episode we explore whether psychology can help you to win an argument.</p> <p>After our presenter Christian Jarrett tries his luck with an argument about Mi ... Show More
12m 56s
Oct 2023
164 - The Nature of Anti-Science
tail spinning
56m 34s
Apr 2011
Neuromyths: What You Think You Know About Your Brain
<p>We all know the myth that we use only 10% of our brains, but how we know it's a myth in the first place? In this episode, Robert and Julie interview neurosurgeon Dr. T. Glenn Pait and learn how neuroscience is changing the way we think about our brains.</p><p> </p> Learn more ... Show More
23m 45s
Dec 2020
Science From Curiosity And A Little Paper
Manu Prakash is the co-inventor of the Foldscope, a low-cost microscope aimed at making scientific tools more accessible. We chat with him about why he wants to change how we think about science, and what it'll take to make science something everyone is able to enjoy. (Encore epi ... Show More
14m 4s
Aug 2019
78. Dr. Donald Hoffman — The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth From Our Eyes
<p>In his new book, <em><a href= "https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393254690/?tag=skepticcom20-20">The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth From Our Eyes</a></em>, the U.C. Irvine cognitive scientist Dr. Donald Hoffman challenges the leading scientific theories that claim ... Show More
1h 44m
May 2016
The Science of Coincidence
<p>What are we to make of coincidence? From the numerological cats cradles we weave around famous events to the curious ways human lives converge through time, coincidence seems to fly in the face of reason and even suggest the supernatural. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your ... Show More
50 m
Jan 2024
Why Big Numbers Break Our Brains
In celebration of our 1000th episode, we're wrapping our heads around big numbers. Educational neuroscientist Elizabeth Toomarian talks about why humans' evolutionarily-old brains are so bad at comprehending large quantities–like the national debt and the size of the universe–and ... Show More
11m 34s