Think Bigger, Think Better: Science, Philosophy, Business, And Our Human Future

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. Now she combines her academic career in cognitive science with her prowess as a poker player and is in great demand by hedge funds and venture capitalists to consult and speak on decision making under uncertainty. On top of that, her passion for making a difference has helped raise millions for charitable causes. 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. Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/2IoSbyJ

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 and more information 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 me 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

What most populist movements share is an anti-establishment orientation, a claim to speak for the people against the elites, opposition to liberal economics and globalization, and often (but not always) a penchant for authoritarian governance. 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 and more information 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/2ErKRA0

On today’s show, we welcome Jana Mohr Lone of the Center for Philosophy for Children. The questions we tackle today are: “Do you have to be a grownup to study those questions? Can kids think about them? Should kids think about them?” Plug in and listen as we discuss how teaching kids philosophy could impact the entire world. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2ldlV8t

This week, we invited Educational Psychologist Dr. Linda Elder, to the show to talk about critical thinking. In this episode, we explore what critical thinking is, how can we apply it to any issue, how it helps those with opposing views to communicate with one another, and why Texas tried to ban critical thinking in schools. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2iI2mDm

Many clever political scientists and philosophers have put their minds together to studying democracy and writing about its problems. Today, I’m honored to welcome one of the best – Parag Khanna, a global strategist and bestselling author, as well as a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre on Asia and Globalization at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. In this episode, we discuss how the U.S. is showing up in the world today as an example of democracy, how other countries govern, and how we can redesign our democratic institution. Don’t miss this provocative glimpse into what Parag suggests is possible for America’s future. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2AUAmVw

In his latest book, The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America’s Highest Office, Jeremi examines the evolution of the office of the President of the United States and the men who have held that position. We discuss how the role has changed and why many of our most recent presidents seem to have failed so miserably. Join us for this exploration of the American presidency and how today’s situation fits in the arc of history. Get full show notes and more information here: http://bit.ly/2Alxdgs

What this show is all about and what you can expect in the upcoming episodes. Visit http://paulgibbons.net/podcasts for more information.