Preconceived

By Snack LabsSociety & Culture Education Self-Improvement Philosophy

Preconceived episodes

July 09, 2024 Fall of the Aztecs
The Aztec Empire famously fell following the arrival of the Europeans in the 16th century. Much of what we know about the Aztecs – including their rise, the nature of the empire, and its eventual fall, comes strictly from European accounts. But what did the Aztecs themselves think? The narrative has almost solely been shaped by the European perspective – but how did the Aztecs view the Europeans who eventually conquered them? Professor Camilla Townsend joins the podcast.

Camilla's Book - Fifth Sun
https://www.amazon.ca/Fifth-Sun-New-History-Aztecs/dp/0190673060/ref=asc_df_0190673060/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=411041496657&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2406240501790207548&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9000956&hvtargid=pla-715823711027&psc=1

This episode is sponsored by Discover More Podcast - https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/discover-more-benoit-kim-w1KlycAfQGB/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
45 min
July 02, 2024 246. The Only Child
There is a certain stigma about only children - the idea that they may become more self-centred, and the concern that they will be lonelier in life without siblings. Such concerns have even prompted some to suggest that it is 'selfish' for parents to only have one child. But what does the evidence show about the life experiences of children who do not have siblings? Psychology Professor Tony Falbo, from the University of Texas at Austin, joins the podcast.
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37 min
June 25, 2024 245. Is a Bachelor of Arts Degree Useful?
The Preconceived or ‘status quo’ path in life typically includes a variety of steps; one major milestone is graduating from college. It’s something that we are ‘supposed to do’, a relatively expensive all-consuming four-year program that most of experience after high school. But how important is college? Do the academic benefits of college merit the time and cost of the endeavour? While many cite the importance of ‘the college experience’ as part of our maturation, is this just an idea we’ve been overly conditioned to accept that then dictates a significant chunk of our life? Derek Newton joins the podcast.
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50 min
June 18, 2024 244. Travel - The Joys and Complexities
For many people, travel provides some of the most profound experiences of their lives. Whether it’s a short excursion or a year living abroad, disengaging from your typical routine and transplanting yourself into the unknown is bound to lead to personal growth and self-discovery. But for all the good that can come from it, travelling can also be confusing. Is travelling always supposed to be joyful? Is there a trap that some fall into of travelling simply because that’s the ‘cool’ thing to do and permits you conceive of yourself as ‘worldly’? And Is there a risk that one can become obsessed with a certain impermanence that travel breeds, an escapism of sorts? Jesse O'Reilly-Conlin, author of 'Go: A Memoir of Movement', joins the podcast.

Jesse O'Reilly-Conlin - https://jesseoreillyconlin.com
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36 min
June 11, 2024 243. Stockbrokers- Do You Need Them?
When it comes to our finances, it’s natural for many to follow the traditional approach to investing by using a stock broker. Over the past couple of decades, however, there has been a growing trend to go against the grain and not use a stockbroker. You may have seen the commercials online by companies urging you to bypass stock brokers by investing in their online platforms; they show curves of net worth over the course of decades, suggesting that when one takes compound interest into account, all the fees one pays to a stock broker can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run? So what does the math show? Is using a stock broker actually detrimental to one’s overall earnings in the stock market? Or despite the higher fees, does the stock broker bring an added intangible value?
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50 min
May 28, 2024 242. Zionism - Two Perspectives
Since the October 7th massacre and the ensuing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, much world attention has been given to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. In this episode, we take a look back at the origins of this conflict, the concept of Zionism, and the events leading up to the 1948 war, known as the War of Independence in Israel, and referred to as The Nakba ('the catastrophe) by Palestinians. This episode explores two perspectives - a Jewish perspective shared by Harvard Professor Derek Penslar, and a Palestinian perspective shared by Brown Professor Beshara Doumani.

Professor Derek Penslar - https://history.fas.harvard.edu/people/derek-penslar
Professor Beshara Doumani - https://vivo.brown.edu/display/bdoumani
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1 hr 51 min
May 21, 2024 Is it Normal to Have Pets?
The relationship between humans and non-human animals is a fascinating one. In particular, the pet-owner relationship begs many questions. The preconception is that it is totally normal that we cohabitate with other animals in our homes. People love their pets, and for the most part, we assume that our pets love us. But how normal really is the concept of having pets? And even if pets do add much value to humans' lives, is it really moral to keep pets, especially in the ways that we do? Professor Hal Herzog, expert in human-animal relationships, joins the podcast.
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50 min
May 14, 2024 241. Inheritance
There is often an expectation that when parents die, their children will be left with some form of inheritance. But what does the research show about what actually happens to inheritance? What do the recipients tend to do with their inheritance? Is the money put to good use, is it spent right way, is it saved, or is it sometimes totally squandered? Jay Zagorsky, from the Questrom School of Business, joins the podcast.
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34 min
May 07, 2024 240. 'Make It Stick' - The Science of Successful Learning
When we go through elementary school, high school, and college, we are tasked with learning and memorizing mounds of information. But how much emphasis is actually put on how we learn? What are the most effect memory strategies that can help us excel on exams? Are the strategies for short-term memory the same as the techniques for long-term retention? And how does an understanding of one's own 'learning style' factor into the way one studies, if at all? Roddy Roediger, co-author of 'Make It Stick', joins the podcast.
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35 min
April 30, 2024 239. Thirty Years to Live
What if you knew from the beginning of your life that you would die at age 30? How would you choose to live those 30 years? Needless to say, your path would completely deviate from many elements of the preconceived status quo of a typical life. And what if, just as you were reaching the end of your predicted life expectancy, you found out that you would not indeed die at age 30, but that you would have a normal life expectancy? Would you be happy for the extra years, or would you be rattled by such an upheaval in your expectations?

Jeremie Saunders was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at age one and was given a life expectancy of age thirty. But just after turning thirty, a life-saving medication became available which changed the trajectory of his life, extending his life expectancy by fifty odd years. He joins the podcast to share his story.
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59 min

About Preconceived

From the publisher's feed

Preconceived, hosted by Zale Mednick, dives deep into the intricacies of human experience, challenging the assumptions that shape our understanding of the world. In each episode, Zale engages with…