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Big Think
By bigthinkEducation
Big Think episodes
- Why do humans worship supernatural agents? | Patrick McNamara
Whether real or imagined, encounters with supernatural agents have been a consistent aspect of human experience for at least 30,000 years, spanning all cultures. Neuroscientist Patrick McNamara believes this is no coincidence. He argues that these agents fulfill essential roles for individuals and communities, including healing from trauma, discovering purpose, and alleviating anxiety.
Supernatural agents are generally considered to be entities with extraordinary powers, including gods, spirits, angels, demons, and ghosts. They are believed to know our thoughts and desires, possess the ability to heal and curse, and establish standards for humans to aspire to. People have reported encounters with these supernatural agents not only in religious contexts but also in non-religious settings, such as deep meditation, dreaming, and psychedelic experiences.How can we make sense of this strange phenomenon? One way is to analyze brain activity: McNamara’s research reveals a similar pattern of brain activity during psychedelic experiences, REM sleep, and religious experiences where subjects encountered supernatural phenomena. These brain activity patterns are distinct from those observed when subjects are exposed to control agents. While debates continue about the reality of supernatural entities, those who have experienced them frequently describe them as authentic beings, not mere hallucinations. McNamara’s research aims to investigate this question further and explore how humans can continue to utilize the supernatural for personal and societal growth.0:00 The supernatural experience1:19 What is a supernatural agent?3:17 The neuroscience of supernatural believers4:35 The non-religious brain & psychedelics5:27 Is the supernatural real?Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/the-well/what-ar...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------About Patrick McNamara:Patrick McNamara is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northcentral University. He also holds appointments in the departments of Neurology at the University of Minnesota and Boston University School of Medicine. He is a founding editor of Religion, Brain & Behavior, the flagship journal for the emerging field of neuroscience of religion. McNamara's current research centers on the evolution of the frontal lobes, the evolution of the two mammalian sleep states (REM and NREM), and the evolution of religion in human cultures.McNamara is the editor of Where God and Science Meet and Science and World Religions, and the author of The Neuroscience of Religious Experience (Cambridge University Press), Religion, Neuroscience and the Self: A New Personalism (Routledge), and numerous publications on the neurology and psychology of religion. McNamara is a John Templeton Foundation award recipient for his research project The Neurology of Religious Cognition.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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10 min - What 85 years of research says is the real key to happiness | Robert Waldinger: Full Interview
“We can make ourselves more likely to be happy by building a life that includes the conditions that make for happiness.”
What if the secret to lasting happiness has been hiding in plain sight? Harvard psychiatrist Robert Waldinger reveals insights from the world’s longest study on adult life, 85 years of data that challenge our assumptions about success, health, and fulfillment.Waldinger shares how our relationships and connections – not our wealth, fame, or success, directly boosts our minds, bodies, and longevity.00:00:00 Part 1: Happiness. How did you get into psychiatry?00:01:05 What is your research about?00:05:35 How much control do we have over our happiness?00:06:34 How do relationships affect happiness?00:08:43 How do childhood experiences impact happiness?00:11:44 How does evolutionary biology influence our happiness?00:12:29 How do relationships impact physical health?00:17:18 What is social fitness?00:17:55 How do I maintain healthy relationships?00:18:49 How can I evaluate my social fitness?00:20:16 How does mapping my social universe contribute to my wellbeing?00:22:11 If a relationship is depleting, what should I do?00:23:42 How many close friends do I need?00:24:43 What is your study's primary discovery?00:29:16 What is your background with Zen?00:29:52 How does Zen shape relationships?00:31:30 What is the goal of Zen?00:32:37 Why is impermanence helpful to consider?00:34:53 How might the Four Noble Truths improve relationships?00:37:51 How does understanding attachment help guide my relationships?00:38:17 How does a "beginner's mind" benefit my relationships?00:39:55 What is mindfulness and how do I cultivate it?00:42:19 How does recognizing suffering improve relationships?00:43:00 How does "metta" aid relationships?00:44:31 What is enlightenment?00:50:31 Do we have a loneliness epidemic?00:53:26 What’s the difference between loneliness and isolation?00:54:27 How does loneliness harm us physically?00:56:12 What fundamental need do relationships satisfy?00:58:27 Is our happiness only dictated by our close connections?01:01:07 What can I do to lessen loneliness?-----------------------------------------------------------------About Robert Waldinger:Robert Waldinger, MD is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a practicing psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and a Zen teacher and practitioner.For the last two decades, Waldinger has been the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. This study, conducted over more than 85 years, has analyzed the entire lives of 724 families to determine the activities, behaviors, and dynamics that enhance a person’s life-long well-being. Waldinger has dedicated his career to examining these elements and discovering what brings true fulfillment to human existence.He is the author of several books, including his most recent, The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes-------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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1 hr 9 min - Why having kids is ethical (if you want them) | Christine Emba
“In our current social and physical climate, there's a sense of fatalism, a fear that bringing someone new into the world might be a bad thing.”
**Is It Ethical to Have Kids? The Debate That’s Shaping Our Future**
With climate change, political turmoil, and economic uncertainty, more people than ever are questioning whether bringing a child into the world is the right choice. But what if not having children is just as risky? In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the economic, social, and philosophical stakes of declining birth rates—and why choosing to have kids might actually be an act of hope.
Are we underestimating humanity’s ability to create a better future? Could having children be the key to change rather than a burden on it? Let’s rethink the future—together.
What are the risks of not having enough children? In today’s landscape, there are questions about whether or not it’s ethical to bring children into a volatile world, but what are the risks of not having children? Author Christine Emba examines the moral dilemma associated with having kids in 2025. Economic ramifications like Social Security and caretaking considerations are practical reasons one might decide to expand their family, but the largest consideration may be spiritual: Having children can offer parents a stronger stake in society: To play a part in creating the next generation and shape the future. Often, when people ask, "Should I have children in the face of climate change or a bad presidency?," they're not really asking about children, they’re asking whether they should be completely fatalistic about the climate or politics or gun violence in schools, whether or not the human condition is in inexorable decline. Emba urges us to look at the data: Statistically, quality of life is relatively high today. So, what should you actually consider when deciding whether or not to have kids?Timestamps:0:00: Having children in a “doomed world” 0:51: The risks of not having children2:29: Quality of life3:51: Natality
About Christine Emba:Christine Emba is an opinion columnist and Editorial Board member at the Washington Post, and also serves as a contributing editor for Comment magazine. She is the author of Rethinking Sex: A Provocation. Before coming to The Post in 2015, Christine was the Hilton Kramer Fellow in Criticism at the New Criterion and a deputy editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, focusing on technology and innovation. She grew up in Virginia and holds an A.B. In public and international affairs from Princeton University.
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8 min - Why the wrong people end up in power _ Brian Klaas, Bill Eddy, & more.
This is the psychology of an authoritarian unpacked.
A compilation of Big Think experts on authoritarianism, narcissism, and the commonalities between con artists and the people we consider to be pillars of society.------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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16 min - Want to be a CEO? Become a master of paradox | Adam Bryant for Big Think+
🎙️ Adam Bryant on the Tough Truths of Being a CEO
Being a CEO may look glamorous — power, perks, prestige — but the reality is far more intense. Adam Bryant, a former *New York Times* journalist and author of *The Leap to Leader*, reveals the hidden weight behind leadership after interviewing over 1,000 CEOs.
🧠 The Harsh Reality
From the outside, CEO jobs seem desirable. But behind the scenes? It’s 24/7 stress, relentless responsibility, and decisions that will upset someone no matter what. It's a role filled with pressure and paradoxes 😵💫.
📉 Leadership Is Getting Harder
In the past, CEOs mainly served investors under a command-and-control style. But today’s leaders face:
🌊 Tsunamis of change
👋 The Great Resignation & quiet quitting
🏢 Rising expectations to solve social issues
Companies are now being asked to step in where governments fall short.
⚖️ A Job of Paradoxes
Modern CEOs must:
❤️ Be compassionate *and* hold people accountable
⏳ Create urgency *and* be patient
🌍 Embrace inclusion *and* stand firm on values
True leadership means balancing these tensions, not solving them outright.
🧩 Skills That Matter Most
1. **Simplify Complexity** – Break down overwhelming challenges into clear, memorable messages.
2. **Stay Aware** – Don’t shut out the world; embrace its chaos and learn from it.
3. **Own Accountability** – The buck stops with you. No excuses.
4. **Listen Deeply** – Being heard makes people feel respected. That trust drives loyalty 🙌.
🔥 Final Thought
Leadership isn’t just about climbing the ladder. It’s about sacrifice, resilience, and the emotional stamina to carry others forward. Not everyone is wired for it — and that’s okay.
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9 min - This law of nature has been hidden from science – until now | Robert Hazen
You may be familiar with the “arrow of time,” but did you know there could be a second one?
Dr. Robert Hazen, staff scientist at the Earth and Planets Laboratory of Carnegie Science in Washington, DC, thinks that a single arrow of time may be too limiting. A second arrow, which he dubs “the law of increasing functional information,” takes evolution into account. Specifically, Hazen explains that evolution seems to not only incorporate time, but also function and purpose.
Consider a coffee cup: it works best when holding your coffee, but it could also work as a paperweight, and it would not work well at all as a screwdriver. Hazen explains that it appears the universe uses a similar way of evolving not only biology, but other complex systems throughout the cosmos.This idea suggests that while as the universe ages and expands, it is becoming more organized and functional, nearly opposite to theories surrounding increasing cosmological disorder. Hazen suggests that these two “arrows” – one of entropy and one of organized information – could very well run parallel to one another. If true, this theory could be groundbreaking in the way we perceive time, evolution, and the very fabric of reality.
About Robert Hazen:Robert Hazen is a renowned American mineralogist and geologist, known for his pioneering work in mineral evolution and mineral ecology. He is a Senior Staff Scientist at the Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory and a Professor of Earth Sciences at George Mason University.Hazen has written over 400 articles and 25 books, contributing research as a profound leader in mineral evolution and mineral ecology. His studies delve into the complex interactions between minerals and life, contributing to our understanding of Earth’s history and the potential for life on other planets. Hazen is also a passionate educator and science communicator.-----------------------------------
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12 min - Your brain’s survival algorithm is outdated. Here’s how to upgrade it | Amanda Ripley
"The fear of panic has killed more people than most disasters themselves."
What really happens to your mind in a crisis? We all think we know how we'd react in an emergency—but according to journalist and author Amanda Ripley, we're usually wrong.Drawing from interviews with real people in disasters—from plane crashes to terrorist attacks, research on human behavior under stress, and firsthand experience in disaster training, Ripley explores the psychological patterns that unfold in crisis: denial, deliberation, and decisive action.00:00 Surviving a crisis01:55 Your disaster personality03:22 Denial, deliberation, decisiveness04:05 Normalcy bias07:01 The World Trade Center evacuation09:57 The decisive moment12:06 Modern survival16:11 Advice from survivors---------------------
About Amanda Ripley:Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author, Washington Post contributor, and co-founder of consultancy firm, Good Conflict. Her books include The Smartest Kids in the World, High Conflict, and The Unthinkable.Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes--------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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26 min - We’ve been wrong about happiness. Here’s what philosophy says | Jonny Thomson
0:00 Why is happiness elusive?1:36 Daoism’s analogy2:57 Beacons of happiness3:14 Pleasure5:13 Finding meaning6:00 Connection and loveAbout Jonny Thomson:
Jonny Thomson taught philosophy in Oxford for more than a decade before turning to writing full-time. He’s a columnist at Big Think and is the award-winning, bestselling author of three books that have been translated into 22 languages.Jonny is also the founder of Mini Philosophy, a social network of over half a million curious, intelligent minds. He's known all over the world for making philosophy accessible, relatable, and fun.Folllow this Podcast for daily Episodes-----------------------------------------------11:10-18
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10 min - Willpower likely won’t save you from your bad habits. Science explains why
Why are bad habits so hard to break?
Neuroscientist Carl Hart, PhD, journalist Charles Duhigg, and psychologist Adam Alter, PhD explain how your brain wires habits as cue-routine-reward loops that control nearly half of your daily life. They show why willpower alone rarely works, why technology fuels new forms of addiction, and why habits can only be replaced, not erased.-------------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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9 min - Sean Carroll: Are we living in a clockwork universe?
“The universe clicks along in perfect accord with the laws of physics forever.”
What if the universe is a machine, and every moment in our past, present, and future is already encoded in the positions of its particles?Physicist Sean Carroll explores the unsettling implications of classical mechanics, from Newton’s laws to Laplace’s thought experiment, showing how determinism challenges the very idea of free will.0:00 Is reality a clockwork machine?0:57 The determinism of classical mechanics2:03 The spherical cow and simplified models2:58 The universe as an equation6:53 When the clockwork universe meets the human mind----------------------------------------------------------------------------------About Sean Carroll:Dr. Sean Carroll is Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy — in effect, a joint appointment between physics and philosophy — at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and fractal faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. Most of his career has been spent doing research on cosmology, field theory, and gravitation, looking at topics such as dark matter and dark energy, modified gravity, topological defects, extra dimensions, and violations of fundamental symmetries. These days, his focus has shifted to more foundational questions, both in quantum mechanics (origin of probability, emergence of space and time) and statistical mechanics (entropy and the arrow of time, emergence and causation, dynamics of complexity), bringing a more philosophical dimension to his work.----------------------------------------------------------06:30-19
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13 min
About Big Think
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Big Think is the leading source of expert-driven, actionable, educational content -- with thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, we help you get smarter, faster.…
Get actionable lessons from the world’s greatest thinkers & doers. Our experts are either disrupting or leading their respective fields. We aim to help you explore the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century, so you can apply them to the questions and challenges in your own life.
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