Big Think Podcast
1) Has political correctness gone too far? | Jim Gaffigan, Slavoj Zizek & more | Big Think
Political correctness is often seen as a debate between two extremes, but there are nuances in the middle of the spectrum. Is there such a thing as being too PC, and if so, where is that line? -------...Show More
2) Why are we really afraid of robots? | Ken MacLeod | Big Think
Robots (from the Czech word for laborer) began appearing in science fiction in the early 1900s as metaphors for real-world ideas and issues surrounding class struggles, labor, and intelligence. Author...Show More
3) Skepticism: Why critical thinking makes you smarter | Bill Nye, Derren Brown & more | Big Think
It's not always easy to tell the difference between objective truth and what we believe to be true. Separating facts from opinions, according to skeptic Michael Shermer, theoretical physicist Lawrence...Show More
4) How to think smarter about failure | Tim Ferriss, Ethan Hawke & more | Big Think
What does it mean to be a failure? Failing is typically seen as moving in the opposite direction of a specific goal, when in reality, most achievements in history were made possible by a series of non...Show More
How to think smarter about failure | Tim Ferriss, Ethan Hawke & more | Big Think
16:16 | Sep 25th, 2024
5) Are geniuses real? The neuroscience and myths of visionaries | Big Think
Revolutionary ideas and culture-shifting inventions are often credited to specific individuals, but how often do these "geniuses" actually operate in creative silos? Tim Sanders, former chief strateg...Show More
6) The great free will debate | Bill Nye, Michio Kaku, Robert Sapolsky, Steven Pinker & more
The great free will debate ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "What does it mean to have—or not have—free will? Were the actions of mass murderers pre-d...Show More
7) Retrain your brain for long-term thinking | Roman Krznaric | Big Think
Roman Krznaric, philosopher and author of the book "The Good Ancestor: A Radical Prescription for Long Term Thinking," says that there are two parts of the human brain that are driving our decisions a...Show More
8) How losing my sight gave me clarity | The Blind Woodsman
“I feel like I had to lose my sight to fully gain my vision.” John Furniss on how becoming blind led him to drug abuse, rehab, woodworking, and finally, to a fulfilling life. John Furniss, also known...Show More
9) America’s mass spiral of self-censorship | The Dilemma Ep. 1
Americans no longer feel safe to speak their minds. The levels of self-silencing in the country rival that of Mccarthyism in the late 1940s – or higher, says research scientist Todd Rose. Our social t...Show More
10) Is empathy always good? | Bill Nye, Alan Alda, Paul Bloom & more | Big Think
Empathy is a useful tool that allows humans (and other species) to connect and form mutually beneficial bonds, but knowing how and when to be empathic is just as important as having empathy. Filmmake...Show More
Is empathy always good? | Bill Nye, Alan Alda, Paul Bloom & more | Big Think
11:48 | Sep 20th, 2024