Big Think

Big Think

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Big Think episodes

  • America is rife with political traps. What’s your escape route? | The Dilemma Ep. 3
    Can we let go of the need to win arguments without losing a part of who we are?
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    Up next, ► America’s mass spiral of self-censorship https://youtu.be/yfLOtaL0KEc
    As Founder of Interfaith America Eboo Patel explains, there’s something romantic about a fist-in the-air approach, so much so that we often become caught up in the roles we play and the persona we adopt for ourselves. This can cause us to be perceived in ways we never intended; we can become misinterpreted, and even more disconnected to our true selves and intentions.
    How easy is it to ride our anger and our outrage, to chase the adrenaline of ego, the desire to be correct? Of course, it feels good to win, to “catch” your opponent, but why does it matter? Is succeeding in a debate truly more impactful than fueling a comprehensive discussion?
    When we move beyond the need to be right and let go of the desire to dominate, we can make room for something far more powerful: genuine curiosity. Letting go of the allure of competitive discourse - where there are winners and losers - allows us to create more meaningful conversations where both sides can learn and grow.
    This is The Dilemma with Irshad Manji, a series from Big Think created in partnership with Moral Courage College.
    Watch more from The Dilemma ► https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4oa3rSzD8aw-lYqQ2CGd8b
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    About Irshad Manji:
    Irshad Manji is an award-winning educator, author, and advocate for moral courage and diversity of thought. As the founder of Moral Courage College, she equips people to engage in honest conversations across lines of difference.
    17 min
  • America’s culture war thrives on anger. Here’s how to escape it. | The Dilemma Ep. 2
    Are you willing to engage with someone whose beliefs seem completely opposed to your own? Here’s why it might be worth the effort.
    In 2016, Genesis Be protested against Confederate Heritage Month, and was left surprised after an unlikely conversation with a Confederate flag advocate. Their discussion didn’t sway their stances, but it did reveal unexpected respect for one another.
    Before approaching someone else’s views, reflect on your own. Ask yourself why you believe what you do. Confront your fears and identify how they impact your behavior. Doing so will help you dissect and truly understand the beliefs of others, even if they don’t align with your own. Instead of letting anger drive our actions, we can focus on understanding what truly motivates us—and those we disagree with.
    This mutual vulnerability allows us to recognize the humanity behind our “opponents,” and find common ground where we once thought there was none.
    This is The Dilemma with Irshad Manji, a series from Big Think created in partnership with Moral Courage College.
    Watch more from The Dilemma ► https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4oa3rSzD8aw-lYqQ2CGd8b
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    About Irshad Manji:
    Irshad Manji is an award-winning educator, author, and advocate for moral courage and diversity of thought. As the founder of Moral Courage College, she equips people to engage in honest conversations across lines of difference.
    17 min
  • This blind woodworker's story will change how you see life
    “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.
    Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1
    Watch the full Perception Box series ► https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4iomWS7CzqCdOCwj0lFnLr&si=yCY6Ee7m6bpj7E-y
    John Furniss, also known as the Blind Woodsman, opens up about his journey from a difficult past to finding peace and purpose. After losing his sight as a teenager, John struggled for years to accept his new reality, battling inner turmoil and substance abuse along the way. It wasn't until he discovered woodworking through a vocational rehab program that he found a way to channel his creativity and start healing.
    Woodworking became more than just a skill for John; it allowed him to bring the designs he imagined in his mind to life. This craft also led him to meet his wife, Annie, who has been a constant source of love and support. Through his work and his relationship, John found a sense of belonging and a new way of seeing the world. He reflects on how losing his sight actually helped him gain a clearer vision of who he is and what he’s meant to do, ultimately finding peace in embracing his true self.
    John’s new memoir, ‘The Blind Woodsman’, is available through his publisher: https://foxchapelpublishing.com/products/the-blind-woodsman?variant=49478375112985
    Read more from this interview ► LINK?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    Explore the Perception Box series hub ► https://bigthink.com/perception-box/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    We created this video in partnership with Unlikely Collaborators.
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    About John Furniss:
    John Furniss, known professionally as The Blind Woodsman, is a skilled woodworker, author, and disability advocate recognized for his meticulous hand-turned creations. After losing his sight at 16, John faced significant challenges adapting to life with total blindness. In his 20s, he found his passion for woodworking through a class designed for the blind, which led to the development of his unique craft.
    Today, John’s work has been featured on platforms such as Good Morning America and The Kelly Clarkson Show. He and his wife, Anni, who is also an artist, use their social media platforms to share their work and raise awareness about disability and mental health. John’s expertise in woodworking and his contributions to the art community have established him as a respected figure in his field.
    7 min
  • 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 trust is non-existent, so much so that many are opting out of sharing their opinions altogether, making way for those at the extremes to be the dominant voices.
    But just because the most vocal want something, doesn’t mean that the rest of the country shares this ideology. In fact, our brains mistake this extremist noise for consensus, reinforcing the lie that this is what we must believe.
    Here’s why this social silence must be changed. Why it's healthy to invite in other points of view – even if they differ from yours.
    This is The Dilemma with Irshad Manji, a series from Big Think created in partnership with Moral Courage College.
    Watch more from The Dilemma ► https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uULy4b0kV4oa3rSzD8aw-lYqQ2CGd8b
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Go Deeper with Big Think:
    ►Become a Big Think Member
    Get exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. https://members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ►Get Big Think+ for Business
    Guide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. https://bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    About Irshad Manji:
    Irshad Manji is an award-winning educator, author, and advocate for moral courage and diversity of thought. As the founder of Moral Courage College, she equips people to engage in honest conversations across lines of difference.
    17 min
  • How zero gave us mathematical and philosophical power | Talithia Williams
    This interview is an episode from ‪@The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the ‪@JohnTempletonFoundation.
    Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► https://bit.ly/thewell-youtube
    The abstract numeral that changed everything, according to mathematician Talithia Williams.
    Before the introduction of zero, mathematics was a tangible subject, where numbers held weight and substance. With zero came the concept of a mathematical “nothing;” it turned our solid understanding of values into something theoretical.
    This development, the addition of zero, led scientists to begin exploring more conceptual ideas, like dark matter and black holes. Without zero, we wouldn’t have discovered equations like E=mc², which fundamentally rely on the concept of nothingness and balance to describe the relationship between energy and mass.
    Including zero and other abstract numerals like negative numbers, gave us the framework to think about the absence of things. This “nothing number” gave us access to a new layer of understanding, potentially even leading us to new solutions for problems that were unapproachable beforehand.
    Read the full video transcript: https://bigthink.com/the-well/how-zero-fundamentally-changed-our-understanding-of-the-universe
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    About Dr. Talithia Williams:
    Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College. She develops statistical models focused on environmental issues, including a cataract model for the World Health Organization to predict surgical rates in Africa.
    Known for making complex numerical concepts accessible, Williams inspires others through her dedication to STEM education. Williams has worked with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the National Security Agency (NSA).
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    About The Well
    Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.
    Together, let's learn from them.
    Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► https://bit.ly/thewellemailsignup
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    ► Facebook: https://bit.ly/thewellFB
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    4 min
  • How to see math like art, so you can appreciate it fully | Talithia Williams
    This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the ‪@JohnTempletonFoundation.
    Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► https://bit.ly/thewell-youtube
    Watch Talithia Williams’ next interview ► Zero: The key to understanding everything? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8RifPByK6k
    If you’ve taken a math class, it’s likely you’ve asked yourself “What am I really going to use this for?” Mathematician Talithia Williams has the answer.
    The key to understanding math outside of the classroom, Dr. Williams explains, is appreciating how beautiful it really is. Much like taking an art appreciation class, if one were to take a course that highlights the real-world applications of mathematics without the pressure of daunting calculations, complex equations, or graded tests.
    According to Dr. Williams, taking a course like this would reveal the aesthetic qualities of numbers and their values, and could transform our perception of math from being a subject to pass to a tool for understanding the world.
    Read the full video transcript: https://bigthink.com/the-well/how-to-appreciate-math-like-an-artform
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    About Dr. Talithia Williams:
    Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College. She develops statistical models focused on environmental issues, including a cataract model for the World Health Organization to predict surgical rates in Africa.
    Known for making complex numerical concepts accessible, Williams inspires others through her dedication to STEM education. Williams has worked with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the National Security Agency (NSA).
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    About The Well
    Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.
    Together, let's learn from them.
    Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► https://bit.ly/thewellemailsignup
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Join The Well on your favorite platforms:
    ► Facebook: https://bit.ly/thewellFB
    ► Instagram: https://bit.ly/thewellIG
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Go Deeper with Big Think:
    ►Become a Big Think Member
    Get exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. https://members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ►Get Big Think+ for Business
    Guide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. https://bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
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    2 min
  • Why altruism is selfish | Neuroscientist Abigail Marsh
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    About the video: “If we didn't find helping other people pleasurable, we wouldn’t be altruistic.”
    Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1
    Up next, She studied extreme psychopaths. Here’s what it taught her about human nature ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyow7KAHDks
    One of the reasons that many people argue that there is no such thing as “true altruism,” that people are never purely motivated to help other people for their own sake, is because, paradoxically, altruism is a source of enormous joy for those who help others.
    Those who have made significant sacrifices for the benefit of others, such as donating a kidney, will attest to this. They’ll often say that it was one of the best decisions they made and would make it over and over if possible because of how happy it made them to help out the recipient. With this in mind, it’s easy to assume that nothing is ever truly altruistic because of the pleasure doing good can evoke.
    Neuroscientist Abigail Marsh says that this perspective can be a bit puritanical. Marsh says that actually, the best part of altruism is the sense of joy it brings, because these feelings encourage people to engage with it more often. Here’s why that principal actually underscores altruism, instead of contradicting it.
    Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/great-question/abigail-marsh-altruism/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
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    Go Deeper with Big Think:
    ►Become a Big Think Member
    Get exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. https://members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ►Get Big Think+ for Business
    Guide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. https://bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    About Abigail Marsh:
    Abigail Marsh is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University. She received her PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard University in 2004.
    6 min
  • How math brings incredible meaning to everything in our universe | Talithia Williams
    This interview is an episode from ‪@The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the ‪@JohnTempletonFoundation.
    Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► https://bit.ly/thewell-youtube
    Watch Talithia Williams’ next interview ► Win back your agency from algorithms with data literacy https://youtu.be/Ay80VZo38Ak?feature=shared
    What does math have to do with theology? According to Dr. Talithia Williams, a math professor and science communicator, quite a lot.
    In just under three minutes, Williams explains how mathematics connects the natural world with deeper ideas of order and purpose. Math, she says, helps us make sense of everything from the migration of fish to the patterns we see in nature, uncovering the structure of our universe.
    Dr. Williams believes math is more than just numbers—it’s a universal language that offers insights into our existence. This intersection of math, nature, and culture reveals something deep and profound about our lives and the purpose behind them.
    Read the full video transcript: https://bigthink.com/the-well/how-math-brings-order-to-our-universe
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    About Dr. Talithia Williams:
    Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College. She develops statistical models focused on environmental issues, including a cataract model for the World Health Organization to predict surgical rates in Africa.
    Known for making complex numerical concepts accessible, Williams inspires others through her dedication to STEM education. Williams has worked with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the National Security Agency (NSA).
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    About The Well
    Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.
    Together, let's learn from them.
    Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► https://bit.ly/thewellemailsignup
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Join The Well on your favorite platforms:
    ► Facebook: https://bit.ly/thewellFB
    ► Instagram: https://bit.ly/thewellIG
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Go Deeper with Big Think:
    ►Become a Big Think Member
    Get exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. https://members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ►Get Big Think+ for Business
    Guide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. https://bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3 min
  • Improve your critical thinking skills in just 6 minutes | Alex Edmans for Big Think+
    “People will claim that something is rigorous because it's by an authority figure, or it's written in a book. But anyone can write a book.”
    Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg?sub_confirmation=1
    Up next, Generative AI is not the panacea we’ve been promised ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2zCWJBnfuE
    We often think the solution to misinformation is fact checking. But just checking facts is not enough. Even if a fact is 100% accurate, it could still be misleading – it could be a large-scale correlation when there’s no causation.
    The solution to misinformation is not obtaining a PhD in statistics, London Business School professor Alex Edmans and author of “May Contain Lies” argues. We often already possess the discerning skills to distinguish truth within ourselves.
    Misinformation is so prevalent today because we suffer from confirmation bias, or the idea that we have a certain view of the world which causes us to latch onto any piece of evidence that supports our viewpoint. When we inject skepticism into our thought process, we can overcome these biases.
    Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/alex-edmans-hero/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
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    Go Deeper with Big Think:
    ►Become a Big Think Member
    Get exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. https://members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ►Get Big Think+ for Business
    Guide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. https://bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    About Alex Edmans:
    Alex Edmans is Professor of Finance at London Business School. Alex graduated from Oxford University and then worked for Morgan Stanley in investment banking (London) and fixed income sales and trading (New York). After a PhD in Finance from MIT Sloan as a Fulbright Scholar, he joined Wharton in 2007 and was tenured in 2013 shortly before moving to LBS.
    Alex’s research interests are in corporate finance, responsible business and behavioural finance. He is a Director of the American Finance Association; Vice President of the Western Finance Association; Fellow, Director, and Chair of the Ethics Committee of the Financial Management Association; Fellow of the British Academy; and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. From 2017-2022 he was Managing Editor of the Review of Finance, the leading academic finance journal in Europe.
    Alex has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, testified in the UK Parliament, presented to the World Bank Board of Directors as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series, and given the TED talk What to Trust in a Post-Truth World and the TEDx talks The Pie-Growing Mindset and The Social Responsibility of Business with a combined 2.8 million views. He has written for the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Harvard Business Review and World Economic Forum and been interviewed by Bloomberg, BBC, CNBC, CNN, ESPN, Fox, ITV, NPR, Reuters, Sky News, and Sky Sports.
    7 min
  • You need data literacy now more than ever – here’s how to master it | Talithia Williams
    This interview is an episode from @The-Well, our publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the ‪@JohnTempletonFoundation.
    Subscribe to The Well on YouTube ► https://bit.ly/thewell-youtube
    Watch Talithia Williams’ next interview ► How math brings order to our universe https://youtu.be/qg1bznqb20o?feature=shared
    In a world where our decisions are increasingly influenced by data, understanding the information we encounter has never been more essential. Dr. Talithia Williams explains the case for data literacy.
    Dr. Talithia Williams, a math professor and science communicator, shares her take on why understanding data is now more important than ever. Using examples like noticing targeted ads after a conversation, Williams shows how data shapes our everyday experiences. But she also warns of the dangers, like biases in data-driven models that can lead to unfair outcomes. While AI and machine learning offer powerful insights, it’s up to us to ensure these tools are used fairly and accurately.
    Dr. Williams also emphasizes that by deepening our understanding of data, we can better navigate the challenges that arise in our daily lives. She encourages us to see data not just as numbers, but as a tool for making more informed, fairer decisions in our bewilderingly complex world.
    Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/the-well/beat-the-algorithm-with-digital-literacy
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    About Dr. Talithia Williams:
    Talithia Williams, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and the Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College. She develops statistical models focused on environmental issues, including a cataract model for the World Health Organization to predict surgical rates in Africa.
    Known for making complex numerical concepts accessible, Williams inspires others through her dedication to STEM education. Williams has worked with NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the National Security Agency (NSA).
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    About The Well
    Do we inhabit a multiverse? Do we have free will? What is love? Is evolution directional? There are no simple answers to life’s biggest questions, and that’s why they’re the questions occupying the world’s brightest minds.
    Together, let's learn from them.
    Subscribe to the weekly newsletter ► https://bit.ly/thewellemailsignup
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Join The Well on your favorite platforms:
    ► Facebook: https://bit.ly/thewellFB
    ► Instagram: https://bit.ly/thewellIG
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Go Deeper with Big Think:
    ►Become a Big Think Member
    Get exclusive access to full interviews, early access to new releases, Big Think merch and more. https://members.bigthink.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ►Get Big Think+ for Business
    Guide, inspire and accelerate leaders at all levels of your company with the biggest minds in business. https://bigthink.com/plus/great-leaders-think-big/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    7 min