Podcast appearances and mentions of Steven Pinker

I detta avsnitt av Avkodat möter vi Christer Sturmark. Vi börjar i varm IT nostalgi från nittiotalets internetdrömmar och tidiga e-handel. Sedan rör vi oss mot de mänskliga och filosofiska frågorna om AI. Vad gör tekniken med kunskap, ansvar och värdighet? Var går gränsen mellan smarta verktyg och något som liknar medvetande? Christer har lämnat IT och leder i dag bokförlaget Fri Tanke. Vi pratar om förlagets idé och några av författarna som ges ut där, till exempel Steven Pinker, Daniel Dennett, Nick Bostrom, Peter Gärdenfors, Åsa Wikforss, David Chalmers, Bill Browder och Lawrence M Krauss. Ett samtal om dåtid, nutid och framtid där tekniken möter humanismen. Medverkande: Christer Sturmark, Johan Nordberg, Robert Folkesson

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What's the crisis of liberal democracy? Dylan, Wes and Seth are joined by St. John's College President J. Walter Sterling to discuss Abraham Lincoln's "On the Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions" (1838) plus the beginnings of Steven Pinker's Enlightenment Now (2018), Patrick Deneen's Why Liberalism Failed (2018), and Francis Fukuyama's "Liberalism and Its Discontents" (the 2020 essay). Get more at partiallyexaminedlife.com. Visit partiallyexaminedlife.com/support to get ad-free episodes and tons of bonus discussion. Sponsor: Visit functionhealth.com/PEL to get the data you need to take action for your health.  Enrollment is now open for Mark's online political philosophy course. See partiallyexaminedlife.com/class.

Climate change sucks, not least when it causes violence - which it does more than you'd think. In a hundred ways it can add stress and trauma to brains already under huge pressure, and when that's all finally a bit much - well, the worse demons of our nature can, and do, come out. Grim. But are we doomed? Does it have to be like that? Can environmental peacebuilding turn climate violence into an engine of cooperation? Or is human nature a more powerful force when the chips are down, which they increasingly are? Joining me this episode is environmental journalist Peter Schwartzstein. We discuss his remarkable book of reportage from the world's climate and confrontational hotspots - The Heat and the Fury: On the Frontlines of Climate Violence - and what lies behind his termite theory of climate violence. Let me know your thoughts on the show - hello@yourbrainonclimate.com. Please rate, review and subscribe, and share the show on socials. Please consider chucking this humble indie podcaster a few quid at www.patreon.com/yourbrainonclimate. Owl noises = references: 15:33. Peter's piece for Columbia Journalism Review about how climate change is scuppering climate journalism. 16:43. A review of Why We Sleep, by Matthew Walker. 21:09. Alessandro Massazza joined me last year, discussing climate change & mental heat. 39:15. Steven Pinker's Better Angels of our Nature. The show is hosted and produced by me, Dave Powell. You can follow the show on instagram @yourbrainonclimate, and I occasionally put up a Substack. YBOC theme music and iterations thereof, by me.  Show logo by Arthur Stovell at https://mondial-studio.com/. Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

In this week's conversation, recorded live in D.C. at the “Liberalism for the 21st Century” conference, Yascha Mounk, Francis Fukuyama, Steven Pinker, and Sabina Ćudić discuss Trump's firings and what this means for the civil service, how to build a positive case for liberalism, and the impact of the rise of AI. Steven Pinker is Johnstone Professor of Psychology at Harvard, an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, a Humanist of the Year, and one of Time's “100 Most Influential People in the World Today.” His latest book is When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life. Francis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University. His latest book is Liberalism and Its Discontents. He is also the author of the “Frankly Fukuyama” column, carried forward from American Purpose, at Persuasion. Sabina Ćudić is a member of the National Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she is the president of the Naša stranka political party club. Ćudić also serves as vice president of the Foreign Relations Committee, and is a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, where she is a vice president of the European liberals. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and John Taylor Williams. Connect with us! Spotify | Apple | Google X: @Yascha_Mounk & @JoinPersuasion YouTube: Yascha Mounk, Persuasion LinkedIn: Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Common knowledge is the secret engine of social life, letting us coordinate everything from meet-ups to markets to international diplomacy. In this fascinating talk, experimental cognitive scientist Steven Pinker explores its momentous impact, threading together stories of why autocrats fear blank signs, why central bankers mumble and why saying the quiet part out loud can wreck a friendship. With wit and wisdom, he invites us to better understand the ways we get into each other's heads — and what it means when shared norms wobble.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch.Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyouTEDSports: ted.com/sportsTEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-viennaTEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was watching that short documentary that PKGD released about mezcalero Carlos Mendez Blas, “Capitan Palomo.” And I was struck by the revelations in that film and how I think there's something in Carlos' world view that could solve the problems around immigration.Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with special guest Chef Oto Michel of Estrella Negra with wisdom from Carlos Mendez Blas of Mezcal Palomo.Episode NotesIf you haven't yet watched “Capitan Palomo,” do that here.This episode cover is from the Loteria illustrated by Jose Guadalupe Posada.Shout outs this episode to PKGD, the National Association to Protect Children, Erika Valenciana's “Brewer," Steven Pinker's The Better Angels of Our Nature, The HERO Child-Rescue Corps, Blue Oyster Cult's “In Thee,” Lalocura, and Milt Rosenberg!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We look at the new book by Simon Horton. See more about The End of Conflict: How AI Will End War and Help Us Get On Better here. The End of Conflict:, How AI Will End War and Help Us Get On Better, reviewed We enjoyed reading this book. Initially we felt the title was counter intuitive, and it seems like the author also had thoughts, and doubts about this premise. Without giving away a plot spoiler it does that, by the end of the book, the author is not completely convinced himself either whether we can be completely confident about AI either. However, before we get to this slightly disconcerting ending the author does take us on a thoughtful, and provoking discussion of some potential positive benefits that could come from AI. Horton discusses how AI could help with conflict resolution, including for couples. While you can imagine the initial skepticism he does a good job of explaining how and why it might work, and could, quite quickly become adopted and used subsequently. As with all things, if you can get to trying it once, and this has positive results, people are quite likely to then return again and again, with even better outcomes. Horton is aware that things could all go pear shaped too when it comes to AI and the future of humanity too. While he explores and explains in a convincing way the paths that could lead to better outcomes, he also accepts that this is not a sure thing, and that we do live in risky times. This is probably a fair way to treat the options in front of us. A well written book, worth reading and following Horton's exploration of these challenging times. See more about the book here The end of conflict? Sounds impossible, like the lion lying down with the lamb. But what if it were achievable? World-renowned Negotiation expert Simon Horton has spent 25 years working with the British Army, hostage negotiators and some of the biggest companies in the world. He has also spent 20 years studying artificial intelligence and he reveals how the rapidly growing field of Peace Tech really could end war, heal our polarised societies, and improve our closest relationships. Humans know how to resolve conflict in theory but, in practice, our egos and emotions get in the way. AI has no such limitations. With its ability to manage vast datasets and develop creative solutions to seemingly intractable problems, AI could transform how we handle disagreements at every level. There's a catch, of course. Can we trust the AI? Can we trust the tech companies? Including interviews with Professor Steven Pinker, Bruce Schneier and many similar experts in their field, "The End of Conflict" builds a plausible roadmap to the optimistic future of the title and shows what we must do to ensure everyone benefits fairly from these powerful new technologies. More about the author Simon Horton is the founder of Negotiation Mastery, a centre of excellence in the world of negotiation. His mother was Irish Catholic and his father English Protestant. He grew up in the 1970s and every time there was a bomb in Northern Ireland, the civil war was fought at his dining table. Even at the age of 10, he knew there was a better way. He has been teaching negotiation and conflict resolution for 20 years, across 25 different countries. Clients have included Goldman Sachs, HM British Army, the Saudi Space Agency and many similar world class organisations. He has taught at Oxford University and Imperial College and has appeared on national television in multiple countries and is regularly interviewed on the topic in national press and magazines. Prior to teaching negotiation, he led a successful career as a consultant to the financial services sector, designing derivatives trading systems and similar platforms. He was first involved with AI in 1988 and his interest grew with Moore's Law. By 2005, and the publication of Ray Kurzweil's "The Singularity Is Near", he had become obsessed. He has performed as a stand-up comedian and a trapeze artist and h...

Send us a textAs many bemoan the chaos of this decade, Dr. Steven Pinker reminds us that this is, by a significant margin, the safest and most productive age of the human species. The calamities we face are minor irritants in comparison to those surmounted by our fore fathers; we have difficulty overcoming a few degrees of warmth, let alone a host of real and impactful calamities that used to kill millions. As individuals, we possess the human instincts and physiology to live in nature, with nothing but what it provides, and thrive. However, eons ahead and with all the technological advances, as a species we express little in drive or personal constitution, continuously seek external assistance and bewilderingly, cannot thrive with the accoutrements of the 21st century. We see it in the literature on disasters and emergency management, this existential threat from nature, requiring behemoth levels of governmental intervention in individual lives to stave off the apocalypse. Where we've lost the narrative is at the individual level, the human animal, designed by nature to thrive in the environment. Our species is different, from the sociological viewpoint, we are the only animal that knows it is here and that life is finite. What we have done with that is the subject of a generational research body of knowledge, from behavioural economics, to psychology, sociology, anthropology - all of which are the feeding social sciences that established the paradigm of disaster and emergency management. Resilience is often the word used, but arguable one of the most abused terms in the discipline. No less that dozens of factually or theoretically different constructions of this terms exist in the published literature. This is not a new problem, this is a reasonably common standard in social sciences, where terms are bent to help frame an idea the researcher wishes to advance, or to correlate to their findings. Amusing to some, somewhat a challenge to those of us who lecture in the field - whose definition is correct and if there is a correct one, why are we not calling out the others?In natural sciences, they are far more rigid in the use of terminology, hence my inclination to lean towards their definition of resilience, “the ability of an elastic material (such as rubber or animal tissue) to absorb energy (such as from a blow) and release that energy as it springs back to its original shape”. (physics 101). Some of the social science definitions trace, at least reasonably, to this concept. If we accept that frame, how does this relate to the natural human animal?I've written at length about what is within the power of us to actually do, using the stoic philosophical lens that argues everything falls into one of two buckets - things we can control and that which we cannot. Now, depending on societal positions or locations, there is some ability to influence what we cannot control, but that is often limited to single events or policies. In reality, all that you or I can do is change what we can control. In simple terms, that is what we say and do. Full stop. That's it, we can change what we say - to ourselves, in-person or online. Further, we have agency and can conduct physical actions - voter, fight, run, work, build, etc. So if all that we can do is what is within our control, how do we leverage that to achieve resilience, which by definition will enable us to absorb energy (exogenous shock from events we cannot control), to spring back to our original shape? Often the events are rapid onset or no-notice, we are flung into a chaotic situation without the time to prepare - akin to going to war with the arSupport the showwww.insidemycanoehead.ca

This is a live recording from our recent show – The Future of Humanity – held on 3 June 2025 at London's Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between psychologist Steven Pinker and biologist Richard Dawkins – both previous guests on The Panpsycast – exploring the evolution of human beings and the challenges we face in the future. Richard leads the discussion, questioning Steve about his extensive catalogue of books and his contributions to psychology, sociology, and evolutionary theory. They focus a lot on the past but, eventually, get on to the future. It's a brilliant exchange, covering a wide range of topics and packed with some of Pinker's most important insights. The first part of this podcast special is their free-flowing conversation; the second is a Q&A with the audience, hosted by Jack. Thank you to everyone who came along and made the show possible. Without further ado, here's the audio from our live show – we hope you enjoy the conversation. Links Steven Pinker, Website Richard Dawkins, Website

Can we use AI to improve how we handle conflict? Or even to end the worst conflicts that are happening all around us? That's the subject of the new book of our guest in this episode, Simon Horton. The book has the bold title “The End of Conflict: How AI will end war and help us get on better”.Simon has a rich background, including being a stand-up comedian and a trapeze artist – which are, perhaps, two useful skills for dealing with acute conflict. He has taught negotiation and conflict resolution for 20 years, across 25 different countries, where his clients have included the British Army, the Saudi Space Agency, and Goldman Sachs. His previous books include “Change their minds” and “The leader's guide to negotiation”.Selected follow-ups:Simon HortonThe End of Conflict - book websiteThe Better Angels of our Nature - book by Steven PinkerCrime in England and Wales: year ending March 2024 - UK Office of National StatisticsHow Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley forged an unlikely friendship - Belfast TelegraphReview of Steven Pinker's Enlightenment Now by Scott AaronsonA Detailed Critique of One Section of Steven Pinker's Chapter “Existential Threats” by Philosophy TorresEnd Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegration - book by Peter TurchinWhy do chimps kill each other? - ScienceUsing Artificial Intelligence in Peacemaking: The Libya Experience - Colin Irwin, University of LiverpoolRetrospective on the Oslo Accord - New York TimesRemeshPolis - Democracy TechnologiesWaves: Tech-Powered Democracy - DemosMusic: Spike Protein, by Koi Discovery, available under CC0 1.0 Public Domain DeclarationReal Talk About MarketingAn Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Digital Disruption with Geoff Nielson Discover how technology is reshaping our lives and livelihoods.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Welcome to Episode 144 (Part I of II), where Richard Dawkins interviews Steven Pinker on the past and future of humanity. This is a live recording from our recent show – The Future of Humanity – held on 3 June 2025 at London's Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between psychologist Steven Pinker and biologist Richard Dawkins – both previous guests on The Panpsycast – exploring the evolution of human beings and the challenges we face in the future. Richard leads the discussion, questioning Steve about his extensive catalogue of books and his contributions to psychology, sociology, and evolutionary theory. They focus a lot on the past but, eventually, get on to the future. It's a brilliant exchange, covering a wide range of topics and packed with some of Pinker's most important insights. The first part of this podcast special is their free-flowing conversation; the second is a Q&A with the audience, hosted by Jack. Thank you to everyone who came along and made the show possible. Without further ado, here's the audio from our live show – we hope you enjoy the conversation. Links Steven Pinker, Website Richard Dawkins, Website

We venture into the darker corners of the gurusphere and marvel at some very, very brave individuals, their valiant efforts to play devil's advocate, and some world-class discourse surfing skills. Join us, won't you?Supplementary Material 31: Aquatic Nightmares, Strategic Obliviousness, & Race Realists00:00 Introduction & Ol Squeaky Cameo02:57 Matt's Aquarium Trauma & Stress Dreams09:45 RFK Jr's war on science continues11:17 Robert Malone & other 'Covid Contrarians' rewarded under Trump14:35 The LA Protests, Riots, and Anti-Immigrant Narratives20:12 Flint Dibble calls out Joe Rogan25:24 Joe Rogan is a polemical ideologue and anti-vaccine advocate27:34 Cassandra Kavanagh?32:37 If Books Could Kill on Lab Leak35:10 Popular Perceptions of the Covid Pandemic vs Reality38:38 Debating COVID-19 Measures38:59 Clarifying the Role of Sam's Manager42:56 Discussing Trump, Musk, and DOGE's Political Impact47:12 The Meaning Crisis and the Comfort of Religion50:35 The Effects of Social Media53:15 Matt and Chris Friendly Shadowboxing56:19 The horror of directly stating your opinions58:14 Sam Harris' Preparation for Conversations01:05:02 Strategic Obliviousness01:12:26 A little bit of TRT Discourse01:16:17 Lex's Insufferable Tweet:  Celebrating Humanity and Responding to Critics01:18:46 The Bravery of the All In Podcast Besties01:20:33 Elon Musk and Donald Trump: A Complex Relationship01:23:42 Mike from PA and Dunking Safely Online01:26:10 Scientific Racism and Controversial Podcasts01:34:02 Paul Bloom and Subjective Redlines01:41:10 The Neo-Nazi Smoke in the Race Realism World01:48:36 Daniël Lakens on Bryan Johnson on Mortality Salience01:50:16 Matt's Foodie Corner01:52:21 OutroThe full episode is available for Patreon subscribers (1hr 54 mins).Join us at: https://www.patreon.com/DecodingTheGurusSourcesBBC- RFK Jr appoints new US vaccine advisers after sacking committeeFlint Dibble's New Video: Joe Rogan's Cult of Fake ArchaeologyLex Fridman's Insufferable TweetSam Harris EPISODE 419 "More From Sam": Elon vs. Trump, Religion, Jordan Peterson, & Rapid Fire QuestionsThe All In Besties being cowardsThe Guardian: Harvard author Steven Pinker appears on podcast linked to scientific racismSteven Pinker on AporiaHope Not Hate's investigation into Aporia and related race science networksIf Books Could Kill: The Lab Leak Goes Mainstream

This feed is now Foresight Institute Radio—your place for standout talks on frontier technology: from AI and neurotech to nanotech, longevity, and space. You'll hear highlights from Foresight's global conferences and seminars featuring top scientists and builders.For long-form interviews, follow our sister show: The Existential Hope Podcast, with guests like David Baker, Steven Pinker, and David Deutsch.Want the slides? Subscribe on YouTube and follow us on X @ForesightInst.

I'm here at Harvard in the office of Steven Pinker. He's written nine books and spent his life studying language, cognition, and writing. In this interview, we started with the practical: the rules of writing. But what makes him unique is that he's been thinking about AI since the 1980s. So if you're interested in doing great non-fiction writing in the age of LLMs, this interview is for you. Hey! I'm David Perell and I'm a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel X: https://x.com/david_perell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watch or listen to the full thing at AporiaMagazine.com

The Trump administration’s fight with Harvard isn’t letting up. The White House has moved to strip more than $2 billion in federal grants, block international student enrollment and suspend student visa appointments. Some at Harvard are speaking out, including professor and cognitive scientist Steven Pinker. He joined Geoff Bennett to discuss his op-ed titled “Harvard Derangement Syndrome.” PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Harvard psychologist discusses recent gains for free speech at Harvard, growing political and ideological threats to academic freedom, and the importance of shared knowledge in sustaining truth and progress.

CNN Michael Smerconish delivers his commentary on three key issues the Trump administration wants to take on: Harvard University, Abrego Garcia, and scaling back the IRS. CNN Senior Analyst Elie Honig weighs in on the Supreme Court temporarily pausing deportations under Alien Enemies Act. Then Texas Tech University law professor Bryan Camp addresses how audit rates and tax revenues will drop if the Trump administration makes the largest workforce reduction in history at the IRS. Finally, Harvard professor Steven Pinker reacts to new reporting about the Trump administration mistakenly sending a list of demands to Harvard University. Professor Pinker also welcomes greater viewpoint diversity at Harvard but rejects the idea that the federal government should micromanage a private university.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Renowned Harvard cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker studies the big questions facing human nature: Why do we fight? What helps us get along? How do we understand the world around us? His research has uncovered an insight we might not expect – that humanity is doing better than we might think. Despite host of major challenges that still exist, from geopolitical unrest to climate change, data shows that humans today live longer, face fewer wars, and live more comfortable lives than in preceding generations. He explains why a better understanding of progress and its uneven nature can help us better appreciate the unique moment of time in which we live, avoid decision-making blindspots and strengthen leaders' confidence to solve the big complex problems we still face. This interview was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos Switzerland in January 2025.  About this episode: Steven Pinker: Future of Jobs report: Video podcast version of this interview: Transcript: Related Podcasts: Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait  How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP's Chief Economist

Outside of the academics and activists whose ideology came to dominate the West in the second decade of the twenty-first century, arguably no group influenced public discourse as much as the Intellectual Dark Web. Challenging the intellectual and cultural orthodoxies that engulfed universities, the media, and big tech, this group—a loose collective of politically diverse intellectuals, commentators, and scholars critical of political correctness, identity politics, and cancel culture—relied on alternative platforms like podcasts, digital magazines, and YouTube to promote free speech, universal rights, and individual liberty. While the term is most commonly identified with Sam Harris, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Bret and Eric Weinstein, and Joe Rogan, the group's concerns and philosophy extended more broadly to include a wide range of individuals who helped mainstream critiques of “woke” culture and a robust defense of free speech, including Steven Pinker, Michael Shermer, Jonathan Haidt, Dave Rubin, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Stephen Fry. The Intellectual Dark Web's coherence began to unravel in the early 2020s due to internal differences (such as over the response to COVID-19 and climate change), and its full legacy and historical impact are yet to be determined. Jamie Roberts is a lecturer in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney. His new book is The Intellectual Dark Web: A History (and Possible Future).

Harry sits down with Steven Pinker, who wears many intellectual hats, all well: linguist, psychologist, political philosopher, historian, and social critic, for starters. After some brief discussion of his childhood and background, they dive into Pinker's best-selling “The Better Angels of Our Nature,” (Bill Gates's favorite book at the time), “Enlightenment Now,” and Rationality” (Bill Gates's new favorite book). In those works, Pinker lay out an argument that by and large, in fits and starts, society is advancing incrementally in health, safety, knowledge, and other key benchmarks of Enlightenment values. The two also touch on Pinker's strong if idiosyncratic views about writing (he rejects much of modern pedantry about correct usage); his original Promethean work in linguistics; and his views about certain human cognitive biases. A wide-ranging and provocative discussion with one of the great public intellectuals of our time.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Existential Hope Podcast, cognitive psychologist and bestselling author Steven Pinker explores why, despite massive gains in human progress, many people remain pessimistic about the future—and why that matters for shaping what comes next.Steven argues that while progress isn't automatic, it is real. By tracking long-term trends in violence, poverty, democracy, and innovation, we can see how human effort—driven by reason, science, and cooperation—has repeatedly pushed civilization forward. Yet, media narratives and cognitive biases often make us blind to these achievements, reinforcing a sense of stagnation or decline.In this conversation, we explore:The hidden progress shaping our world today—from rising literacy rates to declining poverty, and why these trends rarely make the news.Why pessimism can be self-defeating—and how a more accurate understanding of history can help us build a better future.The role of AI, biotech, and clean energy—and why they might unlock transformative improvements, if used wisely.How to communicate ideas that inspire hope—including Steven's advice on cutting through jargon and tribalism to make ideas stick.If you've ever wondered whether humanity is on the right track—or how to ensure we stay on it—this episode is for you. Listen now to hear how we can move from existential dread to existential hope.

In this episode of The Poetry of Reality, Richard Dawkins engages in an insightful conversation with Steven Pinker about evolution, his motivation for writing The Blind Watchmaker, and a breakdown of his latest book, The Genetic Book of the Dead Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, popular science author, and public intellectual. He is an advocate of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind. This was filmed in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of Richard Dawkins' tour.

In this episode, Rabbi David Wolpe joins us for a thought-provoking conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing the Jewish people today. In the wake of October 7th, intra-faith dialogue is as critical as interfaith dialogue. The Jewish community must find ways to foster understanding, break down barriers, and build unity among diverse perspectives. Rabbi Wolpe reflects on the enduring influence of Maimonides, whose teachings continue to resonate across Jewish movements and explores how his philosophy shapes modern Jewish thought. We discuss the evolution of New Atheism, from Christopher Hitchens to Alex O'Connor, and what this shift means for conversations about faith within the Jewish context. The conversation also delves into culturally religious figures like Dennis Prager and Jordan Peterson, examining whether a meaningful religious message can be upheld without traditional observance. Rabbi Wolpe addresses the hardest questions raised by atheists—about evil, belief, and God's hiddenness—and shares his vision for making faith relevant and compelling in a skeptical world. This episode challenges us to think deeply about faith, unity, and the future of Judaism. Don't miss this essential conversation.---• Bio: Named The Most Influential Rabbi in America by Newsweek and one of the 50 Most Influential Jews in the World  by The Jerusalem Post, and twice named one of the 500 Most Influential People in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal, David Wolpe is the Max Webb Emeritus Rabbi of Sinai Temple. He serves as the ADL's inaugural rabbinic fellow and a scholar in residence at the Maimonides Fund. Rabbi Wolpe has taught at Harvard, the Jewish Theological Seminary, the American Jewish University, Hunter College, and UCLA. Rabbi Wolpe has published widely, including in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Time, Newsweek and The Atlantic. He has been featured on The Today Show, Face the Nation, ABC This Morning, and CBS This Morning as well as series on PBS, A&E, History Channel, and Discovery Channel, and has engaged in widely watched public debates with Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker and many others about religion and its place in the world. Rabbi Wolpe is the author of eight books, including the national bestseller Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times (Riverhead). His latest is titled David, the Divided Heart (Yale U Press). It was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Awards, and has been optioned for a movie by Warner Bros.---• Welcome to JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED: A PODCAST FOR THE PERPLEXED | Co-hosted by Benjy & Benzi | Thank you to...Super Patron: Jordan Karmily, Platinum Patron: Craig Gordon, Gold Patrons: Dovidchai Abramchayev, Lazer Cohen, Travis Krueger, Vasili Volkoff, Rod Ilian, Silver Patrons: Ellen Fleischer, Daniel Maksumov, Rabbi Pinny Rosenthal, Fred & Antonio, Jeffrey Wasserman, and Jacob Winston! Please SUBSCRIBE to this YouTube Channel and hit the BELL so you can get alerted whenever new clips get posted, thank you for your support!

On this installment of “A Bit of Blue Sky,” host Bill Burke describes five books he recommends that will help listeners be more optimistic (and hopefully, fulfill their New Year's resolution to do so)!    Blue Sky Bookshelf: Link    Chapters:   00:00 Welcome to A Bit of Blue Sky Host Bill Burke introduces the podcast and its mission to inspire optimism through engaging discussions. He sets the stage for a conversation about books that can help listeners maintain their New Year's resolutions.  01:29 Factfulness: A New Perspective Bill discusses ‘Factfulness' by Hans Rosling, a book that challenges common misconceptions about the world and highlights the progress we've made. He emphasizes the importance of understanding facts to foster a more optimistic outlook.  03:56 The Enlightenment and Its Impact Next, Bill explores ‘Enlightenment Now' by Steven Pinker, which reflects on the values established during the European Enlightenment. He highlights how these values have contributed to a more peaceful and prosperous world.  05:31 Humankind: A Case for Optimism Bill introduces ‘Humankind' by Rutger Bregman, a book that argues for the inherent goodness of humanity. Through compelling examples, Bregman refutes the notion that humans are naturally violent and emphasizes cooperation.  06:49 The Rational Optimist: A Thoughtful Approach In this chapter, Bill revisits ‘The Rational Optimist' by Matt Ridley, discussing how free trade and cooperation have historically led to human progress. He advocates for a rational approach to optimism based on facts.  07:12 The Power of Kind Words Bill shares insights from ‘The Power of A Few Kind Words' by Tracy Gates, a book inspired by the author's father that encourages expressing appreciation through handwritten letters. This practice aims to uplift both the sender and the recipient. 

Disclaimer: This podcast does not provide medical advice. The content of this podcast is provided for informational or educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health issue without consulting your doctor. Always seek medical advice before making any lifestyle changes. Dr. Douglas J. Lisle, Ph.D.is the co-author of The Pleasure Trap available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1570671974?tag=onamzchefajsh-20&linkCode=ssc&creativeASIN=1570671974&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1GNPDCAG4A86S Dr. Doug Lisle is an evolutionary psychologist and co-author of The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health and Happiness. He and his colleagues (Jennifer Howk and Richard Seidel) have developed a revolutionary method for approaching life challenges and improving self-confidence and self-esteem. They describe their approach as Esteem Dynamics — an approach with clinical insights derived from evolutionary psychology. Central figures having major influence on the development of Esteem Dynamics include Richard Dawkins, John Tooby and Leda Cosmides, David Buss, Robert Trivers, Steven Pinker, and Geoffrey Miller. All of these individuals are considered world-leading theorists in evolutionary theory and human psychology. Somewhat surprisingly, insights from these trailblazers has yet to reach mainstream clinical psychology, and thus major advances stemming from some of the world's greatest thinkers have yet to be systematically applied to problems of helping people improve their lives. Esteem Dynamics is the first such effort, and weds Dr. Lisle's 30-years of clinical experience to the deep insights into human nature only recently available via evolutionary psychology. Dr. Lisle received his undergraduate education from the University of California, San Diego. He completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia, and was then appointed Lecturer in Psychology at Stanford University. His research and clinical interests include health and wellness, self-esteem, relationship satisfaction, the treatment of anxiety and depression, the genetics of individual differences, and optimizing achievement motivation. In addition to his work with Esteem Dynamics, Dr. Lisle lectures widely on health and wellness. Dr Lisle is available at selected days and times for a one-to-one, personal phone consultation: https://drdouglisle.as.me/schedule.php

Vegans have a marketing problem: they're perceived to be annoying, self-righteous, judgmental, and inflexible. Author Matthew Halteman's book Hungry Beautiful Animals is designed to fix that perception and make veganism more appealing and less threatening. Visit his website about Hungry Beautiful Animals. Matthew Halteman and I discuss his book Hungry Beautiful Animals. Here's the timeline of our discussion in case you want to skip to a section. 00:00 Intro 04:30 Marketing Problem? 07:00 Practical Tips 10:00 Kindergarten Values 12:00 Abstract food 16:30 Aspirations 20:40 Fish Watch the Video Book review In his excellent book "The Better Angels of Our Nature," Steven Pinker observed that humanity has become less barbarous with each passing century. Consider the improvements to: - Women's rights - Gay rights - Racism - Slavery - Death penalty - Wars - Prisons Pinker was asked, "What will people in the 22nd century think of us? What are we doing that will seem barbarous and immoral to future humans?" Pinker said (I'm paraphrasing), "The way almost everyone financially supports the barbarous and inhumane treatment of animals by buying and eating animals." True. Today's vegans are like the anti-slavery people 200 years ago: annoying, and everyone wished they would just go away. How can vegans be more inviting? It seems like an all-or-nothing club.  This book says, "Relax. You're welcome to join the tribe." Hungry Beautiful Animals is a vibrant and engaging exploration of veganism.  The book stands out for its joyful and inclusive approach, aiming to transform the often polarizing topic of veganism into an inviting conversation.  Halteman's writing can be too verbose, but it is filled with humor and anecdotes that resonate regardless of one's dietary choices. ### Key Themes - Joy and Kindness: Halteman emphasizes that adopting a vegan lifestyle can be a source of joy rather than a burden. He encourages readers to view veganism as a journey filled with possibilities rather than a strict set of rules that can lead to feelings of shame or guilt.    - Personal Stories: The book is rich with anecdotes that illustrate the interconnectedness of all living beings. For instance, Halteman reflects on moments his dog (Gus), who inspired him to write this book. - Community Focus: Halteman invites readers from all backgrounds to join in a collective movement towards kindness and compassion for animals, promoting the idea that everyone is welcome in this exploration of veganism, even if you're not hardcore, full-time. - Practical Guidance: Beyond philosophical discussions, the book provides practical suggestions for leading a more animal-friendly life, including tips on creating pollinator-friendly habitats in one's yard. The book offers profound insights and the ability to provoke thought without condemnation.  It is an engaging read that challenges preconceived notions about veganism while fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Overall, Hungry Beautiful Animals is a book about veganism and an invitation to live more compassionately and joyfully with all beings. VERDICT: 9 out of 10 stars!

Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, linguist, and influential author, and professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. Pinker's research spans psycholinguistics, visual cognition, and the science of human behaviour. He is a proponent of rationality, evidence-based thinking, and the application of evolutionary psychology to understand human nature. Pinker is frequently cited as one of the most influential thinkers of his time.Peter & Kasia engage with Steven for a profound discussion revolving around the themes of global peace and progress in modern times. The conversation references Pinker's books, 'The Better Angels of Our Nature' (2011) and 'Enlightenment Now' (2018), which argue that humanity currently lives in the most peaceful era in history. Further topics include the role of nuclear weapons in maintaining global peace, and the moral and ethical implications of technological advancements like AI.Learn more about Steven Pinker and read his books!Keep up to date with Peter!Website: www.petersinger.infoSubstack: https://boldreasoningwithpetersinger.substack.com/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@peter_singerKeep up to date with Kasia!https://www.facebook.com/katarzyna.delazariradek Executive Producer: Rachel Barrett Audio Producer: Stuart BucklandThanks to our volunteer researchers Hendrik Dahlmeier and Mihika ChechiIf you are enjoying this podcast, consider supporting us over at PATREON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebroadcast: this episode was originally released in November 2022.Is war in long-term decline? Steven Pinker's The Better Angels of Our Nature brought this previously obscure academic question to the centre of public debate, and pointed to rates of death in war to argue energetically that war is on the way out.But that idea divides war scholars and statisticians, and so Better Angels has prompted a spirited debate, with datasets and statistical analyses exchanged back and forth year after year. The lack of consensus has left a somewhat bewildered public (including host Rob Wiblin) unsure quite what to believe.Today's guest, professor in political science Bear Braumoeller, is one of the scholars who believes we lack convincing evidence that warlikeness is in long-term decline. He collected the analysis that led him to that conclusion in his 2019 book, Only the Dead: The Persistence of War in the Modern Age.Links to learn more, highlights, and full transcript.The question is of great practical importance. The US and PRC are entering a period of renewed great power competition, with Taiwan as a potential trigger for war, and Russia is once more invading and attempting to annex the territory of its neighbours.If war has been going out of fashion since the start of the Enlightenment, we might console ourselves that however nerve-wracking these present circumstances may feel, modern culture will throw up powerful barriers to another world war. But if we're as war-prone as we ever have been, one need only inspect the record of the 20th century to recoil in horror at what might await us in the 21st.Bear argues that the second reaction is the appropriate one. The world has gone up in flames many times through history, with roughly 0.5% of the population dying in the Napoleonic Wars, 1% in World War I, 3% in World War II, and perhaps 10% during the Mongol conquests. And with no reason to think similar catastrophes are any less likely today, complacency could lead us to sleepwalk into disaster.He gets to this conclusion primarily by analysing the datasets of the decades-old Correlates of War project, which aspires to track all interstate conflicts and battlefield deaths since 1815. In Only the Dead, he chops up and inspects this data dozens of different ways, to test if there are any shifts over time which seem larger than what could be explained by chance variation alone.In a nutshell, Bear simply finds no general trend in either direction from 1815 through today. It seems like, as philosopher George Santayana lamented in 1922, "only the dead have seen the end of war."In today's conversation, Bear and Rob discuss all of the above in more detail than even a usual 80,000 Hours podcast episode, as well as:Why haven't modern ideas about the immorality of violence led to the decline of war, when it's such a natural thing to expect?What would Bear's critics say in response to all this?What do the optimists get right?How does one do proper statistical tests for events that are clumped together, like war deaths?Why are deaths in war so concentrated in a handful of the most extreme events?Did the ideas of the Enlightenment promote nonviolence, on balance?Were early states more or less violent than groups of hunter-gatherers?If Bear is right, what can be done?How did the 'Concert of Europe' or 'Bismarckian system' maintain peace in the 19th century?Which wars are remarkable but largely unknown?Chapters:Cold open (00:00:00)Rob's intro (00:01:01)The interview begins (00:05:37)Only the Dead (00:08:33)The Enlightenment (00:18:50)Democratic peace theory (00:28:26)Is religion a key driver of war? (00:31:32)International orders (00:35:14)The Concert of Europe (00:44:21)The Bismarckian system (00:55:49)The current international order (01:00:22)The Better Angels of Our Nature (01:19:36)War datasets (01:34:09)Seeing patterns in data where none exist (01:47:38)Change-point analysis (01:51:39)Rates of violent death throughout history (01:56:39)War initiation (02:05:02)Escalation (02:20:03)Getting massively different results from the same data (02:30:45)How worried we should be (02:36:13)Most likely ways Only the Dead is wrong (02:38:31)Astonishing smaller wars (02:42:45)Rob's outro (02:47:13)Producer: Keiran HarrisAudio mastering: Ryan KesslerTranscriptions: Katy Moore

Happy New Year 2025! To celebrate, here is an encore of what proved to be the most popular episode of 2024. This rerun combines episodes 30 and 31 into one epic journey towards the frontiers of human understanding. My guest is Donald Hoffman. Our topics are consciousness, cosmos, and the meaning of life. Enjoy! Original show notes Laws of physics govern the world. They explain the movements of planets, oceans, and cells in our bodies. But can they ever explain the feelings and meanings of our mental lives? This problem, called the hard problem of consciousness, runs very deep. No satisfactory explanation exists. But many think that there must, in principle, be an explanation. A minority of thinkers disagree. According to these thinkers, we will never be able to explain mind in terms of matter. We will, instead, explain matter in terms of mind. I explored this position in some detail in episode 17. But hold on, you might say. Is this not contradicted by the success of natural sciences? How could a mind-first philosophy ever explain the success of particle physics? Or more generally, wouldn't any scientist laugh at the idea that mind is more fundamental than matter? No — not all of them laugh. Some take it very seriously. Donald Hoffman is one such scientist. Originally working with computer vision at MIT's famous Artificial Intelligence Lab, Hoffman started asking a simple question: What does it mean to "see" the world? His answer begins from a simple idea: perception simplifies the world – a lot. But what is the real world like? What is “there” before our perception simplifies the world? Nothing familiar, Hoffman claims. No matter. No objects. Not even a three-dimensional space. And no time. There is just consciousness. This is a wild idea. But it is a surprisingly precise idea. It is so precise, in fact, that Hoffman's team can derive basic findings in particle physics from their theory.  A fascinating conversation was guaranteed. I hope you enjoy it. If you do, consider becoming a supporter of On Humans on ⁠⁠Patreon.com/OnHumans⁠⁠.  MENTIONS Names: David Gross, Nima Arkani-Hamed, Edward Whitten, Nathan Seiberg, Andrew Strominger, Edwin Abbott, Nick Bostrom, Giulio Tononi, Keith Frankish, Daniel Dennett, Steven Pinker, Roger Penrose, Sean Carroll,  Swapan Chattopadhyay Terms (Physics and Maths): quantum fields, string theory, gluon, scattering amplitude, amplituhedron, decorated permutations, bosons, leptons, quarks, Planck scale, twistor theory, M-theory, multiverse, recurrent communicating classes, Cantor's hierarchy (relating to different sizes of infinity... If this sounds weird, stay tuned for full episode on infinity. It will come out in a month or two.) Terms (Philosophy and Psychology): Kant's phenomena and noumena, integrated information theory, global workspace theory, orchestrated objective reduction theory, attention schema theory Books: Case Against Reality by Hoffman, Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker Articles etc.: For links to articles, courses, and more, see ⁠https://onhumans.substack.com/p/links-for-episode-30⁠

GET MY FREE INSTANT POT COOKBOOK: https://www.chefaj.com/instant-pot-download MY BEST SELLING WEIGHT LOSS BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1570674086?tag=onamzchefajsh-20&linkCode=ssc&creativeASIN=1570674086&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1GNPDCAG4A86S Disclaimer: This podcast does not provide medical advice. The content of this podcast is provided for informational or educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health issue without consulting your doctor. Always seek medical advice before making any lifestyle changes. Dr. Douglas J. Lisle, Ph.D.is the co-author of The Pleasure Trap available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1570671974?tag=onamzchefajsh-20&linkCode=ssc&creativeASIN=1570671974&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1GNPDCAG4A86S Dr. Doug Lisle is an evolutionary psychologist and co-author of The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health and Happiness. He and his colleagues (Jennifer Howk and Richard Seidel) have developed a revolutionary method for approaching life challenges and improving self-confidence and self-esteem. They describe their approach as Esteem Dynamics — an approach with clinical insights derived from evolutionary psychology. Central figures having major influence on the development of Esteem Dynamics include Richard Dawkins, John Tooby and Leda Cosmides, David Buss, Robert Trivers, Steven Pinker, and Geoffrey Miller. All of these individuals are considered world-leading theorists in evolutionary theory and human psychology. Somewhat surprisingly, insights from these trailblazers has yet to reach mainstream clinical psychology, and thus major advances stemming from some of the world's greatest thinkers have yet to be systematically applied to problems of helping people improve their lives. Esteem Dynamics is the first such effort, and weds Dr. Lisle's 30-years of clinical experience to the deep insights into human nature only recently available via evolutionary psychology. Dr. Lisle received his undergraduate education from the University of California, San Diego. He completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia, and was then appointed Lecturer in Psychology at Stanford University. His research and clinical interests include health and wellness, self-esteem, relationship satisfaction, the treatment of anxiety and depression, the genetics of individual differences, and optimizing achievement motivation. In addition to his work with Esteem Dynamics, Dr. Lisle lectures widely on health and wellness. Dr Lisle is available at selected days and times for a one-to-one, personal phone consultation: https://drdouglisle.as.me/schedule.php

This week we discuss the chapter “Why are Flowers Beautiful?” from the book Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch. Through our discussion we consider: Does relativism make any sense? Is preferring Mozart to a child banging on a piano really just an arbitrary preference? If progress in art is real, will human minds ever stop increasing the level of beauty in the world? Are humans more objectively beautiful than other species? (And are women more beautiful than men?) Is music “cheesecake for the ears,” as Steven Pinker puts it? And is cheesecake itself even “cheesecake for the mouth”? Is progress in science also intertwined with aesthetic progress? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/four-strands/support

Jordan Peterson sits down with theorist and researcher Mark Changizi. They discuss the biological reasons for mass hysteria on the societal level, why we evolved to have color vision, and how we understand and interpret the patterns of the natural world. Mark Changizi is a theorist aiming to grasp the ultimate foundations underlying why we think, feel, and see as we do. He attended the University of Virginia for a degree in physics and mathematics, and to the University of Maryland for a PhD in math. In 2002, he won a prestigious Sloan-Swartz Fellowship in Theoretical Neurobiology at Caltech, and in 2007, he became an assistant professor in the Department of Cognitive Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In 2010, he took the post of Director of Human Cognition at a new research institute called 2ai Labs and also co-founded VINO Optics, which builds proprietary vein-enhancing glasses for medical personnel. He consults out of his Human Factory Lab. He curated an exhibition and co-authored a (fourth) book — “On the Origin of Art” (2016) by Steven Pinker, Geoffrey Miller, Brian Boyd, and Mark Changizi — at MONA museum in Tasmania in 2016, illustrating his “nature-harnessing” theory on the origins of art and language. This episode was filmed on November 22, 2024  | Links | For Mark Changizi: On X https://x.com/MarkChangizi/highlights On YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/markchangizi Website https://www.changizi.com/?_sm_nck=1 

Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father of positive psychology a lifelong pessimist? SOURCES:Albert Bandura, professor of psychology at Stanford University.David Brooks, author and opinion columnist. Andrew Grove, former C.E.O. and chairman of Intel Corporation.Kalev Leetaru, founder of the GDELT Project.Steven Maier, professor of behavioral neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder.Michelle Obama, attorney, author, and former first lady of the United States.Steven Pinker, professor of psychology at Harvard University.Amanda Ripley, journalist and author.Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University.Edward Zigler, professor emeritus of psychology at Yale University. RESOURCES:"Chicken Littles Are Ruining America," by David Brooks (The Atlantic, 2024).Generations, by Jean Twenge (2023).Enlightenment Now, by Steven Pinker (2018)."The Short History of Global Living Conditions and Why It Matters That We Know It," by Max Roser (Our World in Data, 2016)."Learned Helplessness at Fifty: Insights from Neuroscience," by Steven F. Maier and Martin E. P. Seligman (Psychological Review, 2016)."Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Stressor Controllability in Adolescent Rats," by Kenneth H. Kubala, John P. Christianson, Steven F. Maier, et al. (Behavioural Brain Research, 2012).The Better Angels of Our Nature, by Steven Pinker (2011)."Forecasting Large-Scale Human Behavior Using Global News Media Tone in Time and Space," by Kalev Leetaru (First Monday, 2011)."Motivational Aspects of Changes in IQ Test Performance of Culturally Deprived Nursery School Children," by Edward Zigler and Earl C. Butterfield (Child Development, 1968)."Failure to Escape Traumatic Shock," by Martin E. P. Seligman and Steven F. Maier (Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1967).Upworthy. EXTRAS:"Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?" by Freakonomics Radio (2021).

This Week's Guests: Author - John Tierney Comedian - Boris Khaykin Episode 339 "Rethink Production presents "Live From America Podcast" - a weekly show that combines political commentary with humor. Hosted by the comedy cellar owner Noam Dworman and producer Hatem Gabr, the show features expert guests discussing news, culture, and politics with a blend of knowledge and laughter. John Tierney is a journalist and bestselling author. He is a contributing editor to City Journal, a former columnist at the New York Times, and has written for dozens of magazines and newspapers. His reporting has taken him to all seven continents, and his books have been translated into more than 20 languages. During more than two decades at the New York Times, he was a science columnist, an Op-Ed columnist and a staff writer for the Times Magazine. He wrote about New York in a column, “The Big City,” which ran in the Times Magazine and in the Metro section. Together with the social psychologist Roy Baumeister, he wrote a New York Times best-seller titled, Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength. The psychologist Steven Pinker, writing in the New York Times Book Review, called it “an immensely rewarding book, filled with ingenious research, wise advice and insightful reflections on the human condition.” His latest book, also co-authored with Roy Baumeister, is The Power of Bad: How the Negativity Effect Rules Us and How We Can Rule It. It has been praised by P.J. O'Rourke as “the best bad news ever,” and described by Martin Seligman, the eminent psychologist, as “the most important book at the borderland of psychology and politics that I have ever read.” Tierney is the author of a humor book, The Best-Case Scenario Handbook, which explains, among other things, how to deal with a broken ATM spewing cash and how to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. He is also the co-author, with Christopher Buckley, of a novel parodying self-help books, which is titled God Is My Broker: A Monk Tycoon Reveals the 7 ½ Laws of Spiritual and Financial Growth. Follow Live From America YouTube @livefromamericapodcast twitter.com/AmericasPodcast www.LiveFromAmericaPodcast.com LiveFromAmericapodcast@gmail.com Follow Hatem Twitter.com/HatemNYC Instagram.com/hatemnyc/ Follow Noam Twitter.com/noam_dworman #ThepowerofBad #John Tierney #Willpower

Hello to you listening all around the world!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Wednesdays on Whidbey and your host, Diane Wyzga.It feels like a year-long week since the circus of epic proportions rolled into town. Maybe like me you feel anxious, apprehensive, alarmed, afraid, even angry. But here's the thing. We don't have to buy a ticket to the circus. We don't have to give away our power to circumstances.The 2024 election isn't our problem, any more. Our choices going forward can forge new narratives out of old fears, habits, attitudes, and behaviors. Rather than getting caught up in the specifics of the outcome, let's talk about how to hold space for peace and understanding, stay centered, and remember the incredible influence we each have to create change — beginning from within.Here's a bit of courage for your (seemingly impossible) mission should you choose to accept it:✓ "Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the  world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself." [Rumi]✓ “The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us.” [Dorothy Day]✓ “We can all do the right thing, act for the good of all, even when the walls feel like they are closing in on us.” [Jon Stewart]  ✓ “Take care of yourself and help each other. How? Each One Lift One!” [Diane Wyzga]ResourcesA Conversation between Jon Stewart & Professor Heather Cox RichardsonMetaphysical and Spiritual Perspectives About the US Presidential Election from Mike DooleyWhy Progress Is Possible with Steven PinkerRely on your brains, your courage, your strength. Make it different, don't complain, and get moving with Maria ShriverYou're always invited: “Come for the stories - stay for the magic!” Speaking of magic, would you subscribe and spread the word with a generous 5-star review and comment - it helps us all - and join us next time!Meanwhile, stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website to:✓ Check out Services I Offer ✓ Arrange your no-obligation conversation about your communication challenges, get in touch with me today✓ Stay current with Diane as “Wyzga on Words” on Substack, and on LinkedInStories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer's Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron MusicAll content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved. 

Our societies, our norms, our values are all shaped by stories from the past. Devdutt Pattanaik joins Amit Varma in episode 404 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss his life, our society and why we should take mythology seriously. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN.) Also check out 1. Devdutt Pattanaik on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, YouTube, Amazon and his own website. 2. Myth = Mithya: Decoding Hindu Mythology -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 3. The Girl Who Chose -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 4. The Boys Who Fought -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 5. Ramayana Versus Mahabharata -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 6. My Gita -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 7. Bahubali: 63 Insights into Jainism -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 8. Sati Savitri -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 9. Business Sutra -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 10. Ahimsa: 100 Reflections on the Harappan Civilization -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 11. Olympus -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 12. Eden -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 13. East vs West -- The Myths That Mystify -- Devdutt Pattanaik's 2009 TED Talk. 14. Today My Mother Came Home -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 15. The Incredible Curiosities of Mukulika Banerjee — Episode 276 of The Seen and the Unseen. 16. The Life and Times of Mrinal Pande — Episode 263 of The Seen and the Unseen. 17. Sara Rai Inhales Literature — Episode 255 of The Seen and the Unseen. 18. The Life and Times of Shanta Gokhale — Episode 311 of The Seen and the Unseen. 19. Yuganta -- Irawati Karve. 20. Women in Indian History — Episode 144 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ira Mukhoty). 21. The Jewel in the Crown -- BBC TV series. 22. Heat and Dust -- James Ivory. 23. The Sexual Outlaw -- John Rechy. 24. Bombay Dost and Gay Bombay. 25. The Double ‘Thank You' Moment — John Stossel. 26. The Kama Sutra. 27. Liberty -- Isaiah Berlin. 28. Thought and Choice in Chess -- Adriaan de Groot. 29. The Seven Basic Plots -- Christopher Booker. 30. The Seven Basic Plots -- Episode 69 of Everything is Everything. 31. The Hero with a Thousand Faces -- Joseph Campbell. 32. The Big Questions -- Steven Landsburg. 33. 300 Ramayanas — AK Ramanujan. 33. The egg came before the chicken. 34. The Evolution of Cooperation — Robert Axelrod. 35. The Trees -- Philip Larkin. 36. Who We Are and How We Got Here — David Reich. 37. Early Indians — Tony Joseph. 38. Tony Joseph's episode on The Seen and the Unseen. 39. A Life in Indian Politics — Episode 149 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Jayaprakash Narayan). 40. The BJP Before Modi — Episode 202 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Vinay Sitapati). 41. Jugalbandi -- Vinay Sitapati. 42. Perfect Days -- Wim Wenders. 43. The Loneliness of the Indian Woman — Episode 259 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shrayana Bhattacharya). 44. The Loneliness of the Indian Man — Episode 303 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Nikhil Taneja). 45. Mary Wollstonecraft and bell hooks. 46. If India Was Five Days Old -- Devdutt Pattanaik. 47. The Road to Freedom — Arthur C Brooks. 48. The Master and His Emissary -- Iain McGilchrist. 49. This Be The Verse — Philip Larkin. 50. Human -- Michael Gazzaniga. 51. The Elephant in the Brain — Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson. 52. The Blank Slate -- Steven Pinker. 53. Amitava Kumar Finds the Breath of Life — Episode 265 of The Seen and the Unseen. 54. Wanderers, Kings, Merchants — Peggy Mohan. 55. Understanding India Through Its Languages — Episode 232 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Peggy Mohan). 56. The Reformers -- Episode 28 of Everything is Everything. 57. The Golden Bough -- James Frazer. 58. Myth And Reality: Studies In The Formation Of Indian Culture -- DD Kosambi. 59. Srimad Bhagavatam -- Kamala Subramaniam. 60. Boris Vallejo on Instagram, Wikipedia and his own website. 61. The Last Temptation Of Christ -- Nikos Kazantzakis. 62. The Last Temptation Of Christ -- Martin Scorcese. 63. Jeff Bezos on The Lex Fridman Podcast.  64. The Poem of the Killing of Meghnad -- Michael Madhusudan Dutt. 65. Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil — Hannah Arendt. 66. The Crown -- Created by Peter Morgan. 67. Profit = Philanthropy — Amit Varma. 68. Imaginary Number — Vijay Seshadri. 69. The Buddha's Footprint -- Johan Elverskog. 70. A Prehistory of Hinduism -- Manu Devadevan. 71. The ‘Early Medieval' Origins of India -- Manu Devadevan. 72. Unmasking Buddhism -- Bernard Faure. 73. The Red Thread -- Bernard Faure. 74. The Power of Denial -- Bernard Faure. 75. The Thousand and One Lives of the Buddha -- Bernard Faure. 76. A Modern Look At Ancient Chinese Theory Of Language -- Chad Hansen. 77. Hermann Kulke, Umakant Mishra and Ganesh Devy on Amazon. 78. The Hours -- Michael Cunningham. 79. The Hours -- Stephen Daldry. 79. Ancestral Dravidian languages in Indus Civilization -- Bahata Ansumali Mukhopadhyay. 80. Myth -- Laurence Coupe. This episode is sponsored by Rang De, a platform that enables individuals to invest in farmers, rural entrepreneurs and artisans. Amit Varma and Ajay Shah have launched a new course called Life Lessons, which aims to be a launchpad towards learning essential life skills all of you need. For more details, and to sign up, click here. Amit and Ajay also bring out a weekly YouTube show, Everything is Everything. Have you watched it yet? You must! And have you read Amit's newsletter? Subscribe right away to The India Uncut Newsletter! It's free! Also check out Amit's online course, The Art of Clear Writing. Episode art: ‘Story' by Simahina.

Things aren't what they used to be: they're actually better. Yet even though many measures show how much progress we've made, many people feel like things are worse than ever. How do we change this perspective? In this episode, host Samantha Laine Perfas speaks with positive psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar, global governance expert Jane Nelson, and evidence-based optimist Steven Pinker about choosing optimism.

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This week on Q&A, Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey and Harvard University psychology professor Steven Pinker discuss their books. John Mackey, author of "The Whole Story," talks about the rise of Whole Foods, the organic foods grocery store chain, and his political and intellectual development. Professor Steven Pinker talks about the role that rationality plays in a functioning society and the growth of irrationality in the United States. These interviews were recorded in Las Vegas at FreedomFest, an annual libertarian conference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Q&A, Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey and Harvard University psychology professor Steven Pinker discuss their books. John Mackey, author of "The Whole Story," talks about the rise of Whole Foods, the organic foods grocery store chain, and his political and intellectual development. Professor Steven Pinker talks about the role that rationality plays in a functioning society and the growth of irrationality in the United States. These interviews were recorded in Las Vegas at FreedomFest, an annual libertarian conference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

《馬力歐陪你喝一杯》節目第八年製作，喝一杯經典「人物故事訪談」持續進行中，本週來點特調！ ▲本集內容 本次單口，馬力歐挑戰了磚頭書《再啟蒙的年代》。 馬力歐提到，另一個和搭檔主持人 JuJu 主持說書節目《閱讀提案》因為興趣關係，所以安排這本磚頭書在喝一杯單口登場！ 這本書作者是Steven Pinker，以「理性、科學、人文主義」為主軸。馬力歐說，這本書頁數高達672頁，希望透過這個閱讀過程，擴張思維邊界。同時他也彙整個人的閱讀體驗，建議大家可如何閱讀這本書。 節目中，探討了啟蒙運動的歷史背景，以及如何保持啟蒙運動的核心觀念，以應對當前社會的各種挑戰，並強調個人福祉在追求進步過程中的重要性。希望聽眾與馬力歐一同探討關於社會進步的主題。 ▲本集使用的音樂：Impressions (Acoustic) by Robert Alan DunnCreative Commons CC BY SA 3.0Robert-dunn-15 – Impressions-acousticSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the rise of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives and Artificial Intelligence, in this episode Steven Pinker, Matt Ridley, and Michael Shermer challenge conventional narratives and explore how we can continue to move forward. They discuss the state of democracy, autocracy, and the lessons learned from historical crises, while offering insights into how innovation, rationality, and education can lead us through challenging times. This session was presented at FreedomFest 2024. To see more speeches and sessions from FreedomFest, visit freedomfest.com/civl.

My guests for this episode include science ‘influencer' Mr. @Evopsychgoogle, evolutionary biologist Kevin Bird @thebirdmaniac on Twitter and anthropologist Cathryn Townsend @cathryntownsend On this part of the panel we discuss the panelists' recent article in Stat News (linked below), on how this type of junk science continues to be legitimized to this day, despite glaring errors in the data. We discuss self-described ‘scientific racist' Richard Lynn as well as E.O. Wilson, Steven Pinker, Sam Harris, Charles Murray and their contributions to race ‘science'. We also talk more broadly about how the Intellectual Dark Web has played a major role in reviving it in recent years. Links: The Panelists' article that we discussed in the beginning of the episode: Journals that published Richard Lynn's racist ‘research' articles should retract them https://www.statnews.com/2024/06/20/richard-lynn-racist-research-articles-journals-retractions/ My previous episodes with Mr. @evopsychgoogle: Pt 1 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4jSFhcmT6xNJ4JOwbEkscE?si=JnGZZ36GTNSVYKr0dYz4Fg Pt 2 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5gvuP3xLyqKSpJgTjf43A3?si=AenT06jVTuGNc-pd6W4BtA My Miniseries on Sam Harris ‘Woking Up' https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1caIpbHnvDjKu0Ph4DA0Nb?si=DxI59yjtRjuDV7rQSv9cEw&pi=u-kmAFEyuTRNiJ If you'd like to support the show pls subscribe to the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@politeconversationspodcast —— Other Related articles: Quinn Slobodian article about the Pioneer Fund and The Bell Curve: https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-white-man-unburdened-slobodian-schrader The Tainted Sources of The Bell Curve: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1994/12/01/the-tainted-sources-of-the-bell-curve/ Free book by William Tucker on The Bell Curve: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-41614-9 Primary research articles debunking Lynn: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S104160801000035X?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608009001071?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886909003675?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289609001470?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289609000634?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886909002475?via%3Dihub https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/tzr8c https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/26vfb https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608024000141?via%3Dihub

-Listen to the audio album of Kellen's new 30-minute comedy special "Negative Comments"! Available by joining The Book Pile's Patreon at:https://www.patreon.com/TheBookPileSUMMARY: The world is probably a better place than it ever has been to live in. Don't believe that? Are you calling Steven Pinker's 700 page book a liar?-If you want to read Enlightenment Now and support the podcast in a fun way, click here to buy the book! Free on Audible to first-time subscribers!https://amzn.to/3YGrYFU-Dave's book / game The Starlings is here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMBBLGXN?ref=myi_title_dp-Kellen Erskine has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC's America's Got Talent, and the Amazon Original Series Inside Jokes. He has garnered over 200 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com-David Vance's videos have garnered over 1 billion views. He has written viral ads for companies like Squatty Potty, Chatbooks, and Lumē, and sketches for the comedy show Studio C. His work has received two Webby Awards, and appeared on Conan. He currently works as a writer on the sitcom Freelancers.

Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, popular science author and Harvard College Professor. One of the world's leading authorities on language and the mind, he is an advocate of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind. Pinker has written many books for general audiences including The Blank Slate (2002), Enlightenment Now (2018) and his most recent, Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters - is available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WK3JNLT/ Check out more of Steven's work: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000AQ3GGO/ SPONSOR: Qualia Senolytic. Go to Qualialife.com/TRIG for up to 50% off and use code TRIG at checkout for an additional 15% off.  Join our Premium Membership for early access, extended and ad-free content: https://triggernometry.supercast.com OR Support TRIGGERnometry Here: Bitcoin: bc1qm6vvhduc6s3rvy8u76sllmrfpynfv94qw8p8d5 Music by: Music by: Xentric | info@xentricapc.com | https://www.xentricapc.com/ YouTube: @xentricapc  Buy Merch Here: https://www.triggerpod.co.uk/shop/ Advertise on TRIGGERnometry: marketing@triggerpod.co.uk Join the Mailing List: https://www.triggerpod.co.uk/#mailinglist Find TRIGGERnometry on Social Media:  https://twitter.com/triggerpod https://www.facebook.com/triggerpod/ https://www.instagram.com/triggerpod/ About TRIGGERnometry:  Stand-up comedians Konstantin Kisin (@konstantinkisin) and Francis Foster (@francisjfoster) make sense of politics, economics, free speech, AI, drug policy and WW3 with the help of presidential advisors, renowned economists, award-winning journalists, controversial writers, leading scientists and notorious comedians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

List of the six books in question: 1) Steven Pinker (2018). Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress. 2) Eric J. Johnson (2021). The Elements of Choice: Why the Way We Decide Matters. 3) Pascal Bruckner (2010). The Tyranny of Guilt: An Essay on Western Masochism. 4) Bernard Lewis (1995). The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years. 5) David Robson (2019). The Intelligence Trap: Why Smart People Make Dumb Mistakes. 6) Savannah Gibson (2019). The Spirit of Inquiry: How One Extraordinary Society Shaped Modern Science. _______________________________________ If you appreciate my work and would like to support it: https://subscribestar.com/the-saad-truth https://patreon.com/GadSaad https://paypal.me/GadSaad To subscribe to my exclusive content on Twitter, please visit my bio at https://twitter.com/GadSaad _______________________________________ This clip was posted on July 18, 2024 on my YouTube channel as THE SAAD TRUTH_1709: https://youtu.be/JbgI6JlpCXQ _______________________________________ Please visit my website gadsaad.com, and sign up for alerts. If you appreciate my content, click on the "Support My Work" button. I count on my fans to support my efforts. You can donate via Patreon, PayPal, and/or SubscribeStar. _______________________________________ Dr. Gad Saad is a professor, evolutionary behavioral scientist, and author who pioneered the use of evolutionary psychology in marketing and consumer behavior. In addition to his scientific work, Dr. Saad is a leading public intellectual who often writes and speaks about idea pathogens that are destroying logic, science, reason, and common sense.  _______________________________________

Steven Pinker is a world-renowned cognitive psychologist, and is widely regarded as one of the most important public intellectuals of our time. His work delves into the complexities of cognition, language, and social behavior, and his research offers a window into the fundamental workings of the human mind.  Pinker, who is the author of nine books including Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism and Progress and Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, approaches his work with a kind of data-driven optimism about the world that has set him apart from the chorus of doomer voices we hear so much from in our public discourse.    Today, we talk to Pinker about why smart people believe stupid things, the psychology of conspiracy theories, free speech and academic freedom, why democracy and enlightenment values are contrary to human nature, the moral panic around AI, and much more. The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through Bookshop.org links. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices