A Song Called Life

In Episode #222, author and professor James Boyle joins Osi to discuss how AI’s growing ability to imitate human intelligence challenges our understanding of what it means to be a "person," pushing us to rethink the legal and moral lines that separate humans and intelligent machines. Free link to The Line: AI and the Future of Personhood: https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent....

In Episode #221, author John A. Powell joins Osi to discuss his new book, Belonging without Othering. They explore how deeply ingrained tendencies to "other" shape societies, why current DEI efforts fall short, and what it truly takes to create inclusive communities where everyone belongs. john a. powell  (who spells his name in lowercase in the belief that we should be "part of the universe, not...

In Episode #220, political scientist Mark Lilla joins Osi to discuss the paradoxical human impulse to seek knowledge while often resisting it at the same time. They examine this phenomenon of willful ignorance through history and examine how it shapes much of today’s American politics. Mark Lilla, Professor of Humanities, specializes in intellectual history, with a particular focus on Western poli...

In Episode #219, journalist and author Alex Cuadros joins Osi to discuss the remarkable story of the Cinta Larga, an Amazonian tribe that remained isolated from the Western world until the 1960s and later became involved in operating an illegal diamond mine in the 2000s—based on six years of immersive reporting and research. Alex Cuadros is the author of When We Sold God's Eye , published in Decem...

In Episode #218, author Patrick Winn joins Osi to discuss Narcotopia , his latest book chronicling the gripping story of the Wa, a 30,000-strong narcotics empire at the heart of Asia’s $60 billion meth trade. Operating out of the infamous Golden Triangle, the Wa have built nation-like infrastructure funded by pink, vanilla-scented speed pills, their rise entangled with CIA operations gone wrong. P...

In Episode #217, clinical psychologist Meg Jay joins Osi to discuss the mental health challenges young adults in their 20s face today, exploring why anxiety and depression have become so prevalent in this generation and examining how societal attitudes and approaches contribute to the issue. Meg Jay, PhD, is a developmental clinical psychologist who specializes in twentysomethings. She is the auth...

In Episode #216, science journalist Sarah Scoles joins Osi to discuss why nuclear weapons are still a big deal today and question whether they really keep us safe or prevent wars. They explore what she learned from visiting U.S. nuclear weapons labs, explaining how modern nuclear technology works, what the people who maintain these weapons think about them, and why the risk of a nuclear disaster i...

In Episode #215, neuroscientist Tony Nader joins Osi to discuss a groundbreaking perspective on consciousness, exploring how it serves as the essence of all existence and offering practical tools and methods to connect with our authentic inner nature. Tony Nader, M.D., Ph. D., MARR, is a medical doctor trained at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph. D. in neuroscience)...

In Episode #214, author Ajay Chaudhary join Osi to discuss how our current systems of power and economy are making climate change worse, deepening inequality, and wearing down both people and the planet. They also discuss the current fires happening in Los Angeles and how they connect to these broader issues. Ajay Singh Chaudhary is the executive director of the Brooklyn Institute for Social Resea...

In Episode #213, author and journalist Gwendolyn Bounds joins Osi to explore the art of reinvention, overcoming personal limits, and navigating the challenges along the way. In her book Not Too Late , Gwendolyn recounts her transformative journey from a sedentary office executive to a medal-winning obstacle course racer. She intertwines her own story of conquering physical and mental hurdles with...

In Episode #212, author and public policy advocate Ryan Hampton joins Osi to discuss the policy failures and systemic biases that have fueled the fentanyl crisis, as well as the broader consequences of America's failed War on Drugs. A prominent advocate, speaker, author, and media commentator, Ryan Hampton travels coast-to-coast to add solutions to our national addiction and drug overdose crisis....

In Episode #211, author and public health researcher Sara Gorman joins Osi to explore the growing mistrust in the American healthcare system. They discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated skepticism toward institutions, the widespread disdain for the pharmaceutical industry, and more. Sara E. Gorman, PhD, MPH, is a public health and behavioral science expert and has written extensively ab...

In Episode #210, sociologist Sarita Srivastava joins Osi to examine the persistent failure of diversity training and anti-racism efforts in corporations, schools, and nonprofit organizations. They discuss the need to move beyond superficial therapeutic and educational exercises, advocating instead for tangible actions that promote genuine racial equity throughout society. Dr. Sarita Srivastava is...

In Episode #209, astrophysicist Avi Loeb joins Osi to explore the possibility of extraterrestrial life in our universe and the profound implications its discovery could have for humanity. ABRAHAM (AVI) LOEB is the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University, chair of Harvard’s Department of Astronomy, founding director of Harvard’s Black Hole Initiative, and director of the Ins...

In Episode #208, journalist and cultural critic Kyle Chayka joins Osi to explore how algorithms have quietly permeated every aspect of our lives—shaping the media we consume and the environments we navigate. Additionally, they discuss how these digital forces curate our experiences for effortless consumption, dampening creativity and raising pressing concerns about the erosion of free will. Kyle C...

In Episode #207, technology author and journalist Kashmir Hill joins Osi to explore the rise of Clearview AI, a facial recognition app capable of identifying individuals from a single photo by harvesting billions of online images. They discuss the rapid adoption of this technology by law enforcement and private entities, highlighting the significant privacy and surveillance risks it poses if left...

In Episode #206, author James Muldoon joins Osi to expose the hidden, exploitative labor force behind artificial intelligence. They discuss the precarious conditions faced by data annotators, content moderators, and other workers whose low-paying and dangerous jobs drive the development of A.I. James Muldoon is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Management at the Essex Business School, a Research A...

In Episode #205, author Stephanie Baker joins Osi to explore the world of cults, from doomsday groups to self-help trends and celebrity followings. They discuss why these groups form, how they function, and why they are so pervasive in our interconnected world. Dr Stephanie Alice Baker currently serves as Deputy Head of the Department of Sociology and Criminology at City, University of London. Dr...

In Episode #204, philosopher Hanno Sauer joins Osi to explore how our sense of right and wrong has evolved over millions of years. They discuss how shared moral principles have fostered human cooperation, driven societal progress, and share their thought's on today's moral landscape. Hanno Sauer teaches ethics, metaethics, and political philosophy at Utrecht University and is a member of the Ethic...

In Episode #203, author Brian Reisinger joins Osi to uncover the hidden history behind a looming economic and cultural crisis: the vanishing of the American farmer and its growing threat to our food supply. Brian Reisinger is an award-winning writer and rural policy expert who grew up on a family farm in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Reisinger worked with his father from the time he could walk, before e...

In Episode #202, journalist and author Atossa Abrahamian joins Osi to discuss the questionable tactics employed by the wealthy and corporations to accumulate and shield their wealth. In her latest book, The Hidden Globe: How Wealth Hacks the World, Atossa unveils a countergeography of extraterritorial zones—from free trade zones to offshore detention centers—that operate beyond national sovereignt...

In Episode #201, computer scientist Arvind Narayanan joins Osi to discuss the myths and realities of AI, highlighting its limitations, potential harms, and the dangers of unchecked big tech influence. Arvind Narayanan is a computer scientist and professor at Princeton University, renowned for his pioneering research on the de-anonymization of data. He is the co-author of the book AI Snake Oil: Wha...

In Episode #200, anthropologist Harvey Whitehouse sits down with Osi to discuss how humanity's evolved psychological biases—conformism, religiosity, and tribalism—have shaped our history, driven monumental achievements, and now imperil our future, while offering insights for addressing today’s global crises. Harvey Whitehouse holds a statutory Chair in Social Anthropology at the University of Oxfo...

In Episode #199, philosopher Eric Schwitzgebel joins Osi to explore the bizarre nature of our existence. Are we living in a simulated reality, or is our universe just a pocket within a vast, unknown structure? Is consciousness entirely physical, or does it involve something nonphysical? And why might some of the most fundamental questions about the mind and the cosmos be beyond human understanding...

In Episode #198, economist and author Alex Edmans joins Osi to explore how our biases lead us to fall for misinformation—and how we can fight back. They delve into how misinformation is deliberately crafted to manipulate emotions and exploit our biases, as well as the role of algorithms and echo chambers in amplifying false narratives. Additionally, they examine the critical distinctions between d...