THINK BIGGER, THINK BETTER

What is the meaning of life? Is it being happy, as many contemporary authors and self-help gurus will tell you? With all due respect to those who’ve made a career out of that message, there is more to it – and the big idea is called human flourishing. Businesses need to make money, but is business just a money-engine, or can it engender human flourishing? How can businesses challenge that energy? Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/2PGhlwd

The final frontier: Will we settle other planets, moons, or farther still? Is Elon Musk’s vision of colonizing Mars (starting with short trips in 2020) realizable, or Silicon Valley hubris? Why, when we have so many Terran problems to solve, should we devote resources to space? To discuss space and the work of The Planetary Society, we have their Senior Editor Emily Lakadawalla on the show.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/2MzQWTD

Our episode today covers depression, which affects one in six Americans. 20% of women and 10% of men will have an episode during their lifetimes. An important question is whether this may grossly understate the case; whether, because of stigma, depression is vastly under-diagnosed. Join me and Steve Hollon as we talk depression, diagnosis, medical treatment pros and cons, and what you can do to help yourself and those around you. Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/2w22W6d

Cultural Tourism the Millennial Way: South America by School Bus

This podcast probes a culture of fake news, post-truth, Trump, and many of the other phenomena from the last few years that corrupt our “information space.” As information age citizens, we depend on good information (facts) to make decisions as voters and consumers. I’m discussing some of the more mind-bogglingly convoluted conspiracy theories and how the internet has allowed some of this claptrap to flourish. Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/2H1TemK

My guest this week is Annie Duke. For two decades, Annie was one of the top poker players in the world. In 2004, she bested a field of 234 players to win her first World Series of Poker bracelet. Join us on this episode to hear Annie elaborate on her book Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts. The book, surprisingly, features very little poker but is all about risk, analysis, results, decision-making, politics, and leadership. Full show note: https://bit.ly/2Io

My guest this week is an expert in the field of the psychology of child prodigies. In her latest book, Off the Charts: The Hidden Lives and Lessons of American Child Prodigies, Ann investigates the story of gifted children including Bobby Fischer, Shirley Temple, Barbara Follett, and Henry Cowell, all of whom had achieved phenomenally by the time they reached puberty. In this wide-ranging interview, we cover much of her book has to offer. Get full show notes here: https://bit.ly/2FQpf0I

Quackery is all around us – the promotion of fraudulent or ignorant medical practices, often preying on the gullible. We have Stephen Barret, M.D. on the show to give us his thoughts on these dark pseudosciences. Tune in and see what can be learned from this enlightening conversation with a real Quack antagonist and watchdog. Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/2K4F8UJ

Business schools do not teach evidence-based approaches to decision-making, and in many areas, the evidence is insanely poor. My guest Rob Briner, and I veer from the basic to the quite technical – if you aren’t a manager or business person, listen for the deeper themes for decision making in public policy and democracies.  Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/2q86obA

Join Scott and I for an in-depth discussion on today's topics: psychological myths, neuroscience, and mental illness. Learn how many of the things you believe might be mythology and, if they're false, how many of them might be harmful. Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/2IGlv4p

Join Massimo and I as we cover modern Stoicism, atheism, placebo effects, pseudoscience, and scientism. Learn why people believing in astrology or creationism should worry the rest of us, why we should care, and what some of the worst excesses of scientism are today. This is a deep-dive into many belief systems affecting our society that you don’t want to miss! Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2Ide8Bd

In contemporary psychology, who we are, and how we grow, learn, and change are mental phenomena.  On today’s episode of THINK BIGGER, THINK BETTER, we look at a radical new view – the body and its role in change.  You won’t find this topic discussed in textbooks; the ideas my guest Mark Walsh shares today are found in very few places – workshops, personal development courses - and even then in very few of those. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2CcUmGh

Join Dr. Swamy and I as we go deeper into this discussion on today's populist movements, the contrasting approaches of left-wing and right-wing populism, and the substance behind the movements we see in the U.S., Europe, and the rest of the world. Get full show notes here: http://bit.ly/2F0QBSM

Today, Paul explains to us what Fake News really is, how it affects our democracy, and what we as citizens can do about it. This is a very timely discussion for all of us to acknowledge how our media has changed and whether or not it can be reformed. If you've been confused about how to spot Fake News and how seriously you should take its spread, listen in to today's discussion! Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2Bojaq1

Welcome, everyone, to this edition of THINK BIGGER, THINK BETTER. In this episode, we talk to Bob Samuels – a true polymath, psychologist, philosopher, and social scientist from the University of California, Santa Barbara where he teaches Public Discourse, Psychology, and Rhetoric.  We discuss the importance of reason and how to teach it, as well as the difference between science, pseudoscience, and “scientism” ... and much more! Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2ErKR