Preconceived

Mark King was diagnosed with HIV in 1985. Before a treatment was developed in the nineties, he saw many close friends succumb to the disease, all the while struggling with the reality of his own diagnosis and that it could take his life at any time. So what is it like at the beginning of the HIV pandemic, when little was known of the disease other than its devastating effects? What kind of social...

This episode from over a year ago was one of our most popular, helping people navigate one of the most important decisions in their lives - whether or not to have kids! How does one make this ever important decision? And do enough people really approach this milestone as a conscious decision, or do their preconceptions of what a normal life entails get in the way? Merle Bombardieri, author of The...

How would you cope if you suddenly found out that your parents were not who you thought they were? This was the scenario in which many Germans found themselves at the end of World War II, when news surfaced of the crimes against humanity that occurred during the Holocaust. Tania Crasnianski published "Children of Nazis", a book that takes an extensive look at the children of some of the most infam...

Ari Nagel is perhaps the most famous sperm donor in the world. He has fathered seventy children through sperm donation and has more children on the way. Unlike traditional sperm donation, Ari does not charge any money for his sperm and is involved in varying degrees in the lives of his kids. So what prompted Ari to devote his life to this cause? How does he keep track of seventy kids? What problem...

Harvard Professor and psychologist Dr. Deirdre Barrett is one of the most well-renowned dream experts in the world. She joins Zale to discuss all things dreams-related. What exactly is a dream? How, if at all, should we interpret our dreams? Is there a way to control the content of our dreams, and even use our dreams to solve problems in our waking lives? What is lucid dreaming, and why is there s...

Gene Steinberg was born and raised in a Jewish Hasidic community in New York. At age 28, he made the difficult decision to leave orthodox-Judaism to live a life more aligned with his personal values. Gene explains what it is like to live in an isolationist Hasidic community, how he came to leave this way of life and the challenges that he and many others face when they do so. Hosted on Acast. See...

On July 7th, Harper's Magazine published "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate", which was signed by world-renowned public figures and thought leaders including Malcolm Gladwell, Noam Chomsky and J.K. Rowling. The letter warned of the dangers of cancel culture. Nadine Strossen, one of the co-authours of the letter, and a distinguished professor of New York Law School, joins the podcast to explore t...

What exactly is magic? Is it simply a series of tricks rehearsed to perfection, or is there a more fantastical element to it? How do mentalism, precision and "deception" play into the world of magic? In a time when information is more accessible than ever, how do magicians feel about amateurs entering their world and performing tricks that took others years to study and master? Jonah Babins, co-fo...

When many people think about psychedelic drugs, they think about hippies and counterculture in the 1960s. But research into the medical uses of LSD, psilocybin, ketamine and other psychedelics was well under way before the 1960s and actually became derailed by its association with counterculture. Only over the last couple of decades, has research resumed and subsequent legalization of some of thes...

We all know that we are going to die. But even with this knowledge, many of us still do not have last wills and testaments. So why is it so crucial that one does have a will, regardless of age and degree of assets? What are the consequences of not having a will, in terms of who gets your assets and who makes important decisions when you are gone? What are the implications for your children? What h...

When examining ancient history, it can be hard to decipher myth from reality. Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great have gained legendary status as some of history's most renowned figures; yet they also committed some of the most devastating war crimes and atrocities to date. The Roman version of sport was gladiators fighting to the death; but does that really mean they valued life so little? Why...

As the Black Lives Matter movement gains worldwide attention, it is important to take an honest look at the history of Black discrimination in our own country. While perhaps less known, Canada had its own dark history of slavery for 200 years. The social, economic and political inequalities have persisted in modern times. What are the main issues affecting racial inequality in Canada? What do Whit...

In a collaboration with Parachute Canada, Preconceived explores why poisoning is a leading cause of accidental deaths in Canada. Which substances are the most common culprits of accidental poisoning of toddlers? How has the legalization of cannabis led to increased cases of poisoning in children? And what do we really need to know about carbon monoxide in order to keep our families safe at home? P...

Both the legality of prostitution and the ethics of sex work are highly debated topics worldwide. Is there anything inherently wrong with a person deciding to sell sex for money? Beyond this, what is the relationship between sex work, and the very different but often conflated topic of sex trafficking? Carly Kalish, a social worker and executive director of Victim Services of Durham Region, joins...

Nate Leipciger survived the Holocaust over 75 years ago. Like millions of others, Nate's world as he knew it was thrown into unimaginable upheaval. His mother and sister were murdered in Auschwitz, and he experienced traumas that are impossible for most of us to comprehend. Nate has since dedicated much of his life to Holocaust education and awareness and is one of the most preeminent Canadian spe...

As Black Lives Matter takes the world by storm, one might wonder how the change being sought in this moment can be long-lasting? Dr. George Lawson, author of Anatomies of Revolution, takes both a historical and modern day lens to examine how revolutionary events and gradual evolutionary progress have proven to best manifest in change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As common as divorce is, it is not devoid of stigma. Many view divorce as a failure of sorts, a failure for a couple to keep alive a marriage to which they were once so devoted. Dr. Elizabeth Cohen, commonly known as The Divorce Doctor, joins the podcast to break down the misconceptions about divorce. How can we re-frame our attitude towards divorce and view it for its positives? Can a marriage st...

Money is the currency by which society runs. But our modern conception of money is certainly not reflective of how currency has operated throughout history and perhaps may be different to monetary constructs of the future. Cryptocurrency is a relatively new type of currency exchange that can seem quite complicated to those unfamiliar with it. This episode explores how cryptocurrency works, why it...

Brian Greenspan is one of the most well-respected criminal defence lawyers in Canada. He joins the podcast to share his stories and lessons from years of work in the criminal justice system. What is it like to defend someone who is guilty of murder? Do most murderers show remorse and regret? What are the biggest issues in the Canadian justice system, and how does it differ from that of the United...

When COVID-19 sent us into quarantine, Michael Nightingale's dental practice took a three month hiatus. So what did he do with his time? The only natural thing a dentist would do - he started a family run Italian style pasta business! A self-described "hobby nut", Michael shares his thoughts on hobbies and passion projects, and how such perspectives led him on this exciting three-month journey int...

Age is one of the primary ways by which society is divided. And with this division comes certain stereotypes about each generation. What historical events and cultural conditions account for why certain generations look at the world in the ways they do? And is the generational divide even as wide as we sometimes think it is? Generational Expert Meagan Johnson joins the podcast to help us better un...

For episode 50 of Preconceived, Zale relinquishes his hosting duties to become this week's guest. Zale reflects on the past year of the podcast and some of the biggest preconceptions that he has tried to better understand. How has his exploration into preconceptions changed his views of the world? Have any of the things he's learned influenced the way he lives his life? He is joined by Eric Silver...

Living in a capitalist society, it is easy to believe that it is the best and most fair economic system. We often hear messages that capitalism allows equal opportunity for all and that the rewards you reap in the system are directly correlated with the effort you put in. But is this truly the case? Or is this something we have convinced ourselves of in order to justify a system that may not be as...

As healthcare continues to evolve, particularly in these times of COVID-19, many services that used to be strictly offered in person are now being offered virtually. Telemedicine is increasingly being used to minimize patient visits. Doctors are reviewing patient charts remotely and chatting with them over the phone. But how can doctors provide virtual healthcare without compromising the health of...

The field of medicine is rapidly changing. With the advancement of artificial intelligence, computers are often able to make faster and more accurate diagnoses than doctors. As DNA testing becomes more exact, the potential for more tailored and personalized treatments continues to grow. Kashif Khan, CEO of The DNA Company, joins the podcast to discuss how functional genomics is heralding an era of...