20 May 2018
Is the Intellectual Dark Web right wing?
Robert Wright discusses the question with IDW member Bret Weinstein.
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Are emotions a social construct?
Stephen Asma and Rami Gabriel reflect on the modern instinct to sort human behavior into “cultural” and “biological” categories.
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How America fanned the flames of the Syrian civil war
Journalist Rania Khalek on the weird array of groups armed by the US and its allies.
Why human dignity isn’t enough
Philosopher Tamler Sommers, author of the new book Why Honor Matters, makes the case.
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“A racist screed”
Glenn Loury and John McWhorter critique Ta-Nehisi Coates’s recent essay on Kanye West.
Putting Darth Vader on the couch
Psychologist Kathryn Gordon cohosts Jedi Counsel, a podcast looking at pop culture characters through a psychological lens. Here she discusses the narcissism of Darth Vader.
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Food stamps done right
Economists Glenn Loury and Larry Kotlikoff discuss the political barriers to making entitlements programs like SNAP equitable and accessible.
Does the Western Enlightenment need Eastern enlightenment?
Steven Pinker discusses his bestselling new book Enlightenment Now with Robert Wright.
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What happened to the GOP’s elder statesmen?
In the wake of Rudy Giuliani’s recent performance as Trump’s lawyer, Bill Scher and Matt Lewis survey the field of Republican graybeards.
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What gender is your soul?
YouTube personality ContraPoints explains how her identity has evolved through the process of gender transition.
Play this clip on MeaningofLife.tvThe DMZ
The evangelical alliance with Trump
In the wake of the American embassy’s opening in Jerusalem, Bill Scher and Matt Lewis evaluate evangelical Christians’ relationship with the president.
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Is Trump’s “madman” approach working?
Bill Scher and Matt Lewis discuss Trump’s unpredictable personality in light of the return of American hostages from North Korea.
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Atheism, religion, and tribalism
Robert Wright and atheist author Chris Stedman discuss the group dynamics of believers and non-believers. Plus: Is the New Atheism a gateway to the alt-right?
Play this clip on MeaningofLife.tvThe Wright Show
Trump’s good 2020 odds
Musa al-Gharbi, who predicted that Trump would win in 2016, looks at the factors favoring reelection.
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Are we in the dark ages of understanding mental health?
