Sott Radio Network

It's said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. And truly, the eyes can communicate a great deal - emotional state, intention, health, attention - we can tell a lot about a person by looking them in the eye. But unless something has gone wrong, we don't tend to think much about our eyes. What should we be doing to maintain the health of our eyes? Are the supplements said to be good for the eyes actually any good? Are glasses good for the eyes? What about contact lenses? Is it possible...

The EU's 'democratic deficit' between its institutions and the half a billion people it claims to represent has long been noted, but it was again brought into sharp focus recently by the EU's pseudo-covert rejection of Italy's proposed new coalition government. As political crises at member-state level pile further internal pressure on the EU, can this project survive the rise of 'populist' national leaders AND successfully navigate a break-up with the US? Also discussed on this show:...

Why are humans religious? Is God just a metaphor? Why have we believed in gods? Are we just irrational? Or is there something else going on? In this first part of a two-part discussion, we take a look at the rise in atheism - even so-called Christian atheism - and whether their claims are worth taking seriously. The celebrity atheists argue that belief in God is not only wrong, it's irrational. But most of their targets are low-hanging fruit. As philosopher R. G. Collingwood argued, atheist...

Alzheimer's Dementia is an organic brain dysfunction characterized by memory impairment, declining comprehension, behavioral and mood disturbances, changes in personality, disorientation and confusion leading to a complete inability to care for the self. There are over 47.5 million people worldwide with dementia and approximately 6 million Americans have Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment. Researchers estimate that the rate of dementia will double by the year 2060. It is truly an...

The great free will debate has raged for generations. But now we live in a world where the establishment intellectuals either deny freedom's existence completely, or tacitly accept it but can't adequately explain it. One poll showed that more than 40% of Americans didn't believe in free will. Given how fundamental free will is to everything about our lives - from our interactions with loved ones to our intellectual and career activities, and our legal systems - this is a scary thought....

What makes people think that they are better-than-average? Why do some people have an unwavering tendency to overinflate their skills? Having a realistic view of the world and oneself is considered to be the foundation of good psychological health. However, many of us tend to move through life with a sense of unconditional, positive self-regard -- despite all evidence to the contrary -- and downplay or ignore our faults to the detriment of ourselves, our families and society at large....

Recent developments appear to strengthen the likelihood of a world-changing 'parting of the ways' between the US and Europe. The EU sounds serious about rejecting Washington's wishes and sticking to the Iran Deal, investing heavily in Iran's economic development and by-passing the 'petrodollar system' to trade in euros if necessary. Will European countries like Germany instead forge closer trade and security relations with Russia? Does Trump, and those among the US elites who support his...

Since the election of Trump, everyone is talking identity politics, whether as activists for various radical ideologies, or as critics of such ideologies and their many absurdities. Generally we can see a left/right split. On the left, we have feminism, the so-called wage gap, the pink tax, #MeToo, anti-racism, gender discrimination, trans activism, Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the free speech 'debate', cultural appropriation, etc. On the right, we have white nationalism, and that's pretty...

Sleep - we spend about a third our lives doing it, we're the only mammal that willingly delays it, yet when it's disturbed, it can lead to a number of chronic illnesses including dementia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Sleep deprivation can also mess with your immune system, has been linked to metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes, and is implicated in Alzheimer's disease and many mental health problems including depression. Recent research on sleep has uncovered...

Surely this means World War? Last week's attack by Israel on Syria was the most extensive since the Yom Kippur (Arab-Israeli) War of 1973. Allegedly taking out 'almost all Iranian military infrastructure in Syria', the Israelis claimed a great victory against their nemesis, Iran, which means its allegedly nefarious designs on the region were 'set back years'. This latest flashpoint in the Syrian theater of war coincided with two other noteworthy events: Israeli PM Netanyahu's visit to Moscow...