logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2019
54m 10s

The Imp of the Perverse

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

In 1845, Edgar Allan Poe wrote a tale about a man overcome by the compulsion to confess to the heinous crime he sought to keep secret. The conundrum pops up in other Poe tales as well, but the so called “Imp of the Perverse” also invades the human mind with alarming regularity. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe attempt to understand just why, considering Freud, neuroscience, Ironic Process Theory and more. 

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
From the Vault: Cynicism, Part 2
In this classic episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore the topic of modern psychological cynicism, as well as its roots in the philosophy of the ancient Cynics. (part 2 of 4) (originally published 4/17/2025)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
56m 39s
Apr 17
Weirdhouse Cinema: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
In this episode of Weirdhouse Cinema, Rob and Joe batten down the hatches for 1974’s “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla,” in which Earth’s mightiest monster teams up with an ancient mythological guardian to battle Godzilla’s own cyborg doppelganger and vanguard of an alien ape invasion ... Show More
1h 41m
Apr 16
Court of the Golden Fishes, Part 2
In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the royal histories and curious biologies of such resplendent fish as the common gold fish and koi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
47m 22s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
Is there an explanation for the Universe, or is it random?
Daniel and Katie explore the anthropic principle and whether it can provide some understanding of why the Universe is the way it is. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
58m 12s
Dec 2021
The building blocks of the universe
Most of the matter in the universe is dark matter, an invisible, untouchable, mysterious substance. Scientists don’t know what exactly dark matter is, despite decades of searching. But recently, they got a new clue in the form of an extremely tiny dancer. This episode is a remix ... Show More
53m 54s
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
Jun 2022
Sensing the World Anew Through Other Species
<p>Ed Yong’s new book, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/22/books/review-immense-world-animal-senses-ed-yong.html" target="_blank">“An Immense World,”</a> urges readers to break outside their “sensory bubble” to consider the unique ways that dogs, dolphins, mice and other ... Show More
45m 53s
Dec 2020
SYSK Selects: How Chaos Theory Changed the Universe
<p>Since the age of Descartes, science has put all of its eggs in the basket of determinism, the idea that with accurate enough measurements any aspect of the universe could be predicted. But the universe, it turns out, is not so tidy. Explore the final frontier with Josh and Chu ... Show More
55m 31s
Mar 2021
What is the Space Roar?
tail spinning
46m 41s
Jun 2023
Who Are The Visitors & Why Are They Here - Guest : Whitley Strieber
Author Whitley Strieber has endured a lifetime of bizarre encounters with a non-human intelligence. In his 1987 blockbuster "Communion", Strieber described a series of terrifying intrusions by seemingly alien creatures he called The Visitors. The book sold millions of copies, was ... Show More
1h 46m
May 2012
002 - The Illusion of Knowledge
<p>In this episode of the You Are Not So Smart Podcast we discuss the illusion of knowledge with Christopher Chabris, co-author of &quot;The Invisible Gorilla.&quot; After that, we eat a triple-ginger molasses cookie while discussing non-believed false memories.<p><a href="http:/ ... Show More
47m 4s
Jun 2022
Revealing the Hidden Brain, with Shankar Vedantam
How much insight do people have into why they behave the way they do? Science journalist Shankar Vedantam, host of the Hidden Brain podcast and author of “Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain,” talks about why he is fascinated by the paradoxes of hu ... Show More
40m 38s
Sep 2023
How We Live With Contradictions
<p>Think about the last time you did something you knew was wrong. How did you explain your actions to yourself? All of us tell stories about why we do the things we do. We justify our failures, and come up with plausible explanations for our actions. This week, <a href="https:// ... Show More
53m 53s